ROBIN HOOD AND THE BUTCHER

(CHILD VERSION)

1
But Robin he walks in the green forest,
As merry as bird on bough,
But he that would fetch good Robin's head,
He'll find him game enough.

2
But Robin he walks in the green forest,
Under his trusty tree,
Saying, "Listen, listen, my merry men all,
What tidings have come to me.

3
"The sheriff has made a cry
He'll have my head I know;
But before a twelfthmonth comes to an end
I may chance to light on his."

4
Robin he marched in the green forest,
Under the greenwood scrubs,
And there he was aware of a proud butcher
Who came driving flesh by the way.

5
The butcher had a cut-tailed dog,
And at Robin's face it flew.
But Robin was a good sword;
The butcher's dog he slew.

6
"Why do you slay my dog?" said the butcher,
"For he did no ill to you;
By all the saints that are in heaven,
You shall have buffets three."

7
He took his staff then in his hand,
And he turned round about,
"You have a little wild blood in your head,
Good fellow, you should have it let out."

8
"He that does that deed," said Robin,
"I'll count him as a man,
But while I still can draw my sword,
I'll defend myself if I can.'

9
But Robin he struck at the bloody butcher,
In the place where he did stand,

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Nine Stanzas Missing
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1O
"I am a young butcher," said Robin,
"You fine dames who I come among.
But I must ever beseech you, good Mrs Sheriff,
You must see I take no wrong.'

11
"You are very welcome," said Master Sherriff's wife;
"Take up your lodgings here:
If any good fellow comes in your company,
He is welcome here for your sake."

12
Robin called for ale, so did he for wine,
And for it he did pay.
"I must go to my market," says Robin,
"For I hold it is that time of day."

13
But Robin has gone to the market,
So quickly and believe me,
He sold more flesh for one penny
Then other butchers did for five.

14
There drew about the young butcher
Like sheep into a fold,
Yet not a butcher had sold a bit
Till Robin had sold all he had.

15
When Robin Hood had made his market,
His flesh was sold and gone;
Yet he had received but little money,
But thirty pence and one.

16
Seven butchers, they guarded Robin Hood,
Full many times and often;
Saying, "We must drink with you, brother butcher,
It's the custom of our craft."


17
"If that is the custom of your craft,
As here you tell to me,
At four o' clock in the afternoon
At the sheriff's hall I will be."

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Nine Stanzas Missing
. . . .

18
"If you do like it well,"
"Yet here is more by three hundred pounds
Than you have sold baste beasts."

19
Robin said nothing, but he thought all the more:
"Money never comes out of time;
If I catch you once in the green forest,
That money shall be mine."

20
But on the next day seven butchers
Came to guard the sheriff that day,
But Robin he was the toughest man,
He led them all the way.

21
He led them into the green forest,
Under the trusty tree;
There were harts, and there were hinds,
And stags with heads full high.

22
There were harts and there were hinds,
And many a goodly fawn.
"Now praised be God," says bold Robin,
"All these are my own.

23
"These are my horned beasts," said Robin,
"Master sheriff, which must be the stake."
"But ever alas now," said the sheriff,
"Those tidings come too late!"

24
Robin set a shrill horn to his mouth,
And a loud blast be did blow,
And then half a hundred bold archers
Game rakeing on a row.

25
But when they came before bold Robin,
Even there they stood all bare,
"You are welcome, Master, from Nottingham:
How have you sold your ware?"

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Nine Stanzas Missing
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26
"It proves bold Robin Hood."

27
"Yet, he has robbed me of all my gold
And silver that ever I had;
But unless I had a very good wife at home,
I should have lost my head.

28
"But I have a very good wife at home,
Which gave him gentle cheer,
And therefore, for my wife's sake,
I should have better favor here.

29
"But such favor as he showed me
I might have of the devil's damnation,
That will rob a man of all he has,
And send him home naked."

30
"That is very well done," then said his wife,
"It is well done, I say,
You might have tarried at Nottingham,
So fair as I did you pray."

31
"I have learned wisdom,' said the sheriff,
"And, wife, I have learned from you,
But if Robin walks east, or he walks west,
He shall never be sought for me.'

(FOLIO VERSION)
 
1
Come, all you brave gallants, and listen a while,
With hey down, down, down an a down,
That are in the bowers within;
For of Robin Hood, that archer good,
A song I intend for to sing.

2
Upon a time it chanced so
Bold Robin in forest did spy
A jolly butcher, with a bonny fine mare,
With his flesh to the market did hye.

3
'Good morrow, good fellow,' said jolly Robin,
'What food hast? tell unto me ;
And thy trade to me tell, and where
thou dost dwell,
For I like well thy company."

4
The butcher he answered jolly Robin :
'No matter where I dwell;
For a butcher I am, and to Notingham
I am going, my flesh to sell.'

5
'What is price of thy flesh ?' said jolly Robin,
'Come, tell it soon unto me ;
And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear,
For a butcher fain would I be.'

6
'The price of my flesh,' the butcher repli'd,
'I soon will tell unto thee;
With my bonny mare, and they are not dear,
Four mark thou must give unto me.'

7
'Four mark I will give thee,' saith jolly Robin,
'Four mark it shall be thy fee ;
Thy mony come count, and let me mount,
For a butcher I fain would be.'

8
Now Robin he is to Notingham gone,
His butcher's trade for to begin ;
With good intent, to the sheriff he went,
And there he took up his inn.

9
When other butchers they opened their meat,
Bold Robin he then begun ;
But how for to sell he knew not well,
For a butcher he was but young.

10
When other butchers no meat could sell,
Robin got both gold and fee ;
For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for three.

11
But when he sold his meat so fast,
No butcher by him could thrive;
For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for five.

12
Which made the butchers of Notingham
To study as they did stand,
Saying, surely he was some prodigal,
That hath sold his father's land.

13
The butchers they stepped to jolly Robin,
Acquainted with him for to be ;
'Come brother,' one said, 'we be all of one trade,
Come, will you go dine with me?'

14
'Accurst of his heart,' said jolly Robin,
'That a butcher doth deny.
I will go with you, my brethren true,
And as fast as I can hie.'


15
But when to the sheriff's house they came,
To dinner they hied apace,
And Robin he the man must be
Before the mall to say grace.

16
'Pray God bless us all,' said jolly Robin,
'And our meat within this place ;
A cup of sack so good will nourish our blood,
And so I do end my grace.


17
'Come fillus more wine,' said jolly Robin,
'Let us merry be while we do stay.
For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear,
I vow I the reckning will pay.

18
'Come, brothers, be merry,' said jolly Robin,
'Let us drink, and never give ore,
For the shot I will pay, ere I go my way,
Ifit cost me five pounds and more.'

19
'This is a mad blade,' the butchers then said;
Saies the sheriff, 'He is some prodigal,
That some land has sold, for silver and gold,
And now he doth mean to spend all.

20
'Hast thou any horn beasts,' the sheriff repli'd,
'Good fellow, to sell unto me ?'
'Yes, that I have, good Master Sheriff,
I have hundreds two or three.

21
'And a hundred aker of good free land,
If you please it to see;
And I'le make you as good assurance of it
As ever my father made me.'

22
The sheriff he saddled a good palfrey,
With three hundred pound in gold,
And away he went with bold Robin Hood,
His horned beasts to behold.

23
Away then the sheriff and Robin did ride,
To the forrest of merry Sherwood ;
Then the sheriff did say, 'God bless us this day
From a man they call Robin Hood.'

24
But when that a little further they came,
Bold Robin he chanced to spy
A hundred head of good red deer,
Come tripping the sheriff full nigh.

25
'How like you my horn'd beasts, good Master Sheriff?
They be fat and fair for to see.'
'I tell thee, good fellow, I would I were gone,
Fur I like not thy company.'

26
Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,
And blew but blasts three ;
Then quickly anon there came Little John,
And all his company.

27
'What is your will ?' then said Little John,
'Good master come tell it to me.'
'I have brought hither the sheriff of Notingham,
This day to dine with thee.'

28
'He is welcome to me,' then said Little John,
'I hope he will honestly pay;
I know he has gold, if it be but well told,
Will serve us to drink a whole day.'

29
Then Robin took his mantle from his back,
And laid it upon the ground,
And out of the sheriff's portmantle
He told three hundred pound.

30
Then Robin he brought him thorow the wood,
And set him on his dapple gray .
'O have me commended to your wife at home !'
So Robin went laughing away.