ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTAL FRIAR

(THE CHILD VERSION)

1
But how many merry months are in the year?
There are thirteen in May.
The midsummer month is the merriest of all,
Next to the merry month of May.

2
In May, when maids have been fast weeping,
And young men their hands do wring ...

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3
"I'le... pe...
Over may no man for villany."
"I'll neither eat nor drink,' Robin Hood said,
Till I that cutted friar see."

4
He concealed his men in a bunch of ferns,
A little from that nunnery'
Saying, "If you hear my little horn blow,
Then look that you come to me."

5
When Robin came to Fountain's Abbey,
Where that frier lay,
He was aware of the frier where he stood,
And to him this be began to say.

6
A pair of black breeches the yeoman had on,
His cap shone all of steel,
A fair sword and a broad buckler
Beseemed him very well :

7
"I am a wet, weary man," said Robin Hood,
"Good fellow, as you may see;
Will you bear me over this wild water,
For sweet Saint Charity?"

8
The friar bethought him of a good deed;
He had done none for long before;
He took up Robin Hood on his back,
And over it he did him bear.

9
But when he came over that wild water,
A long sword there he drew.
"Bear me back again, bold outlaw,
Or of this you shal; have enough."

1O
Then Robin Hood took the friar on his back,
And neither said good nor ill;
Till he came over that wild water,
The yeoman he walked still.

11
Then Robin Hood wet his fair green hose,
A bit above his knee;
Says, "Bear me over again, you cutted friar ...

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12
... good bowmen came raking...
all on a row.

13
"I curse your head," said the cutted friar,
"I think I shall be hurt;
I thought you had but a man or two,
And you have a whole convent.

14
"I let you have a blast on your horn,
Now give me leave to whistle another.
I could not bid you any better play
If you were my own born brother."

15
"Now fate on, flute on, you cutted friar,
I pray God you never be still;
There is no fluting in any friar's fist
That can do me any ill."

16
"The friar set his flute to his mouth,
A loud blast he did blow.
Then half a hundred good dogs
Came raking all on a row.

17
"Every dog to a man," said the cutted friar,
"And I myself to Robin Hood."
"Every dog to a man," said the cutted friar,
"And I myself to Robin Hood."0

18
"God forbid," said Robin Hood,
"That ever that so should be;
I had rather be matched with three of the tykes
Than ever I would be matched with you.

19
"But hold your dogs, you friar," he said,
"And freindship I'll have with you;
But stay your dogs, you friar," he said,
"And save good yeomanry"

20
The friar he set his flute to his mouth,
A loud blast he did blow .
They dogs crouched down every one,
They crouched down in a row.

21
"What is your will, you yeoman?" he said,
"Have done and tell it me."
If that you will go to the merry greenwood...

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(FOLIO VERSION)

1
In summer time, when leaves grow green,
And flowers are fresh and gay,
Robin Hood and his merry men
Were disposed to play.

2
Then some would leap and some would run,
And some would use artilary.
'Which of you can a good bow draw,
A good archer to be ?'

3
'Which of you can kill a buck ?
Or who can killa doe ?
Or who can kill a hart of Greece,
Five hundred foot him fro ?'

4
Will Scadlock he kill' d a buck,
And Midge he kill' d a doe-
And Little John kill' d an hart of greece,
Five hundred foot him fro.

5
'God's blessing on thy heart,' said Robin Hood,
That hath such a shot for me ;
I would ride my horse a hundred miles,
To finde one could match thee.'

6
That caused Will Scadlock to laugh,
He laught full heartily .
'There lives a curtal friar in Fountains Abby
Will beat both him and thee.

7
'That curtall frier in Fountains Abby
Well can a strong bow draw.
He will beat you and your yeomen,
Set them all on a row'

8
Robin Hood took a solemn oath,
It was by Mary free,
That he would neither eat nor drink
Till the fryer he did see.

9
Robin Hood put on his harness good,
And on his head a cap of steel,
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him weel.

1O
He took his bow into his hand,
It was made of a trustie tree,
With a sheafe of arrows at his belt,
To the Fountains Dale went he.

11
And coming unto Fountains Dale,
No farther would he ride ;
There he was aware of a curtal frier,
Walking by the water-side.

12
The fryer had on a harnesse good,
And on his head a cap of steel,
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him weel.

13
Robin Hood lighted off his horse,
And tyed him to a thorn :
'Carry me over the water, thou curtaltyed fryer,
Or else thy life's forlorn.'

14
The frier took Robin Hood on his back,
Deep water he did bestride,
And spake neither good word nor bad,
Till he came at the other side.

15
Lightly stept Robin Hood off the friers back;
The frier said to him again,
'Carry me over this water fine fellow,
Or it shall breed thy pain.'

16
Robin Hood took the frier on his back,
Deep water he did bestride,
And spake neither good word nor bad,
Till he came at the other side.

I7
Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hood's back ;
Robin Hood said to him again,
'Carry me over this water, thou curtall frier,
Or it shall breed thy pain.'

18
The frier took RobinHood on's back again,
And stept up to the knee;
Till he came at the middle stream,
Neither good nor bad spake he.

19
And coming to the middle stream,
There he threw Robin in :
'And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow,
Whether thou wilt sink or swim.'

20
Robin Hood swam to a bush of broom,
The frier to a flicker wand ;
Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore,
And took his bow in hand.

21
One of his best arrows under his belt
To the frier he let flie;
The curtail frier, with his steel buckler,
He put that arrow by.

22
'Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine feilow,
Shoot on as thou hast begun ;
If thou shoot here a summers day,
Thy mark I will not shun.'

23
Robin Hood shot so passing well,
Till his arrows all were gone;
They took their swords and steel bucklers,
They fought with might and maine;

24
From ten o' th' clock that day,
Till four i' th' afternoon ;
Then Robin Hood came to his knees,
Of the frier to beg a boon.

25
'A boon, a boon, thou curtall frier,
I beg it on my knee ;
Give me leave to set my horn to my mouth,
And to biow blasts three.'

26
'That will I do,' said the curtali frier,
'Of thy blasts I have no doubt;
I hope thou'it blow so passing well
Till both thy eyes fall out.'

27
Robin Hood set his horn to his mouth,
He blew but blasts three;
Half a hundred yeomen, with bows bent,
Came ranging over the lee.

28
'Whose men are these,' said the frier,
'That come so hastily ?'
'These men are mine,' said Robin Hood ;
'Prier, what is that to thee ?'

29
' A boon, a boon,' said the curtall frier,
'The like I gave to thee;
Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth,
And to whute whutes three.'

30
'That will I do,' said Robin Hood,
'Or else I were to blame;
Three whutes in a friers fist
Would make me glad and fain.'

31
The frier set his fist to his mouth,
And whuted whutes three;
Half a hundred good bandogs
Came running the frier unto.

32
'Here's for ev-ery man a dog,
And I my self for thee :'
'Nay, by my faith,' quoth Robin Hood,
'Friar, that may not be.'

33
Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did go,
The one behind, the other before;
Robin Hoods mantle of Lincoln green
Off from his back they tore.

34
And whether his men shot east or west,
Or they shot north or south,
The curtall dogs, so taught they were,
They kept their arrows in their mouth.

35
'Take up thy dogs,' said Little John,
'Prier, at my bidding be;'
'Whose man art thou,' said the curtall frier,
'Comes here to prate with me ?'

36
'I am LittleJohn, Robin Hoods man,
Frier, I will not lye ;
If thou take not up thy dogs soon,
I'le take up them and thee.'

37
Little John had a bow in his hand,
He shot with might and main ;
Soon half a score of the friers dogs
Lay dead upon the plain.

38
'Hold thy hand, good fellow,' said the curtal frier,
'Thy master and I will agree;
And we will have new orders taken,
With all the hast that may be.'

39
'If thou wilt forsake fair Fountains Dale,
And Fountains Abby free,
Every Sunday throughout the year,
A noble shall be thy fee.

40
'And every holly-day throughout the year,
Changed shall thy garments be,
If thou wilt go to fair Notingham,
And there remain with me.'

41
This curtal frier had kept Fountains Dale
Seven long years or more ;
There was neither knight, lord, nor earl
Could make him yield before.