Robin Hood
Text copyright © 1991 by Random House, Inc. Illustrations copyright © 1991 by Domenick D’Andrea. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally published as a Bullseye Step into Classics book by Random House, Inc., in 1991.
www.steppingstonesbooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ingle, Annie.
Robin Hood / adapted by Annie Ingle ; illustrated by Domenick D’Andrea
p. cm.
“A Stepping Stone book.”
SUMMARY: Robin Hood, Maid Marian, and the merry outlaws of Sherwood Forest repeatedly outwit the Sheriff of Nottingham and befriend the poor.
eISBN: 978-0-307-77987-8
1. Robin Hood (Legendary character)—Legends. [1. Robin Hood (Legendary character)—Legends. 2. Folklore—England.] I. D’Andrea, Domenick, ill.
II. Pyle, Howard, 1853–1911. Merry adventures of Robin Hood. III. Title.
PZ8.1.I685Ro 2005 [398.2]—dc22 2004017641
RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
v3.1
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Preface: The Making of an Outlaw
1. The Meeting on the Bridge
2. The Unhappy Bride
3. The Shooting Match
4. The Rescue of Will Stutely
5. The Sad Knight
6. Sir Guy of Gisborne
7. A Royal Visitor
About the Author
Preface
The Making of an
Outlaw
These adventures took place many years ago in merry old England. Richard the Lion-Hearted ruled the land.
One May morning a lad from the town of Locksley set out for the fair at Nottingham. He carried a bow and arrows. He was eager to compete in the shooting match at the fair.
But he never got there.
A man stopped him on the way there. This man thought he would have a little fun at the expense of a young lad.
He challenged the lad to a private shooting match. The lad agreed. And he beat the man. Fair and square.
But the man was angry. And embarrassed. What if word got out that he had been beaten? And by a mere lad? He tried to kill the lad. The lad struck back, killing the man.
The Sheriff of Nottingham offered one thousand gold pieces as a reward for the lad from Locksley.
The lad went into hiding in Sherwood Forest. There he lived the life of an outlaw for many years.
But he was no ordinary outlaw.
Like most outlaws, he stole. But only from the rich. He kept no more than he needed. He gave the rest to the poor.
These were especially trying times for the poor. King Richard was a good man. But he had gone to fight in the Crusades. He left England in the hands of men who were not so good. Men like the Sheriff of Nottingham and many of the Church’s bishops. These bad men got richer and richer. Meanwhile, the poor only got poorer.
Only one man looked after the poor—the outlaw who lived in Sherwood Forest. He became a hero in his own time. And a legend in ours.
His name? Robin Hood!
Many stories about Robin Hood have been handed down. Are they true? Read them and judge for yourself.
One
The Meeting on
the Bridge
It was a golden morning in Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood was looking for adventure. Soon he came to a wide rushing river. A very narrow bridge ran across it. On the other side of the bridge stood a tall stranger. He held a stout staff.
“Stand back, stranger!” shouted Robin. “Let the better man cross first!”
“Stand back yourself,” said the stranger. “For I am that better man.”
“Not with a bow,” said Robin. For Robin knew he was the best bowman in all of England.
“Touch that bow and I’ll tan your hide,” the stranger snarled.
“Just try it,” said Robin. “And I’ll part your mangy hair with an arrow.”
“You’re nothing but a coward,” said the stranger. “You with your fancy bow. And me with my humble staff.”
Now, Robin hated being called a coward. He laid down his bow. Then he cut and trimmed a stout branch for a staff. Meanwhile, he sized up the other man.
Robin was tall. But this man was a full head taller. And far broader. But I’ll beat him anyway, Robin thought. For Robin was brave and sure of his skills as a fighter.
Both men stepped onto the bridge. The two men were well matched. They traded blow for blow. At last Robin jabbed the stranger in the ribs. The stranger staggered. Then he hauled off and cracked Robin’s head.
Robin saw stars.
When the stars faded, Robin was mad! He lunged at the stranger.
But the tall man simply stepped aside.
Splash! Robin tumbled headlong into the river.
“And where are you now, my good man?” The tall stranger roared with laughter.
Robin sputtered. Robin scowled. But the scowl soon turned merry. Even he had to admit it: He was a funny sight. Soon they both were laughing as Robin waded ashore.
“Let’s shake,” said Robin. “For you are the better man. With that staff, at least.”
“And you took your dunking like a sport,” said the stranger. They shook hands. “What is your name?”
“Some men call me Robin Hood.”
The stranger’s mouth fell open. “You? The famous Robin Hood? Who steals from the rich and gives to the poor?”
“The same.” Robin laughed. “Only I do keep a bit for myself and my men.”
“May I be one of your men?” asked the stranger. “There is no man in all of England I would rather serve.”
Robin stroked his golden beard. “I can always use another good man. What is your name?”
“John Little.”
“John Little, eh?” Robin’s blue eyes twinkled. He lifted a silver horn. He blew into it three times.
Soon the woods came alive with men. Like Robin, they were dressed all in forest green.
“Fellows!” Robin called out to them. “Meet the newest member of our merry band. His name is John Little. But I say Little John suits him far better. For as you can see, he is anything but!”
Everyone shouted with laughter at Robin’s joke. Even Little John.
Still laughing, they trooped deeper into the forest. Their hideout was beneath a huge oak tree.
It was an amazing place. They had made huts out of tree bark. Couches out of animal skins. And a vault for their treasures in the rocks nearby.
That night they made a great fire. What a feast they had! Fresh deer meat and wild duck. Green onions and fresh baked bread.
Afterward they enjoyed a bit of target practice. They used a wreath of flowers for a target. Robin Hood’s arrows always hit inside the wreath. Little John was impressed. And glad he was now one of Robin’s merry men.
Then they lay on the soft moss. They sang songs by firelight. They told stories. They laughed and joked. Finally they fell asleep beneath the stars.
And so it was that Little John came to be Robin Hood’s right-hand man. And his best friend in the whole world. Next to Maid Marian, of course.
Two
The Unhappy Bride
Marian’s mother and Robin’s mother had been best friends as girls. Robin’s mother had married a woodsman out of love. Marian’s mother had married a nobleman for his money. But the two women continued to be friends. Their two children grew up side by side.
When Robin first went to hide in Sherwood Forest, Marian found him. She vowed to remain his friend.
Robin thought this was dangerous. But Marian was as stubborn as Robin. And she knew the forest as well as he did.
Marian missed Robin. Whenever she could, she would steal away and go to the forest. There she dressed in forest green, just like the others. And she could shoot a bow as well as the best of them.
One fine day Robin and Marian strolled through the forest. Robin looked at Marian. She seemed sad.
“What is the matter?” he asked.
Marian frowned. “It is my friend Ellen. Tomorrow her father will make her marry a man she does not love.”
“How unfair!” Robin shook his head.
“The man is very old and very rich,” said Marian. “And her father needs the money.”
“People should marry for love,” said Robin. “Like my parents.”
“Yes,” said Marian. “I agree. That is why I thought …” But she did not finish.
“What did you think?” Robin asked.
“Oh, nothing! You probably would not want to do it.”
“You will never know unless you ask,” said Robin.
“I was thinking,” Marian said. “Maybe you could rescue Ellen from this marriage.”
Robin thought for a bit. Finally he said, “No. The Sheriff would be angry with me. Besides, this marriage is none of my business.”
Marian sighed. “I thought you would say that. I guess it does not matter that she is in love with another.”
“Who?” Robin asked.
“One of your men.”
“Which one?”
“Can’t you guess?”
Robin thought. Little John seemed as merry as ever. Only this morning Will Scarlet was whistling. Then there was his minstrel, Alan-a-Dale. Alan’s songs had been rather sad lately.
“It’s Alan, isn’t it?” Robin said.
Marian smiled. “Yes!”
Robin turned back to the hideout. “This marriage must not take place.”
The next day Robin dressed up in a disguise. He wore feathers and ribbons of many colors. He carried a harp in one hand. His silver horn hung from his belt. He was a musician.
Robin set off for the church with twenty of his best men. Little John, Will Scarlet, and Alan-a-Dale, of course. Friar Tuck also came.
Friar Tuck was a member of the band. But he was also a member of the Church. Robin needed a holy man to perform the wedding he had in mind. The wedding of Alan and Ellen.
Friar Tuck led a mule with three bags of gold on its back.
The church was very grand. Most of the men hid outside in the bushes. Robin went inside. A couple of the others sneaked in behind him. And hid themselves well.
The Bishop was alone in the church. He wore a velvet cloak. Around his neck he wore a heavy gold chain.
Robin did not think much of this holy man who dressed in velvet and gold.
Robin said, “I am a harper with wonderful skills. Let me play at this wedding. I promise that the bride will fall madly in love with the man she marries.”
Now, the Bishop knew that the bride did not love the groom. So he said, “That would be wonderful indeed. Do what you say, and I will pay whatever you ask. But let me hear you play first.”
Robin shook his head. “Not until the happy couple arrive.”
Just then the bride and groom entered the church. The groom’s men followed.
“It is a deal,” the Bishop whispered. But he was angry. He planned to pay the harper with a beating, not gold.
The bride’s father entered next. His men followed.
The groom was gray-haired and stooped with age. He rubbed his hands together. He was very happy. Everyone was happy except the bride. Ellen was pale. She could not even look at the man she was to marry.
Bride and groom stepped up to the altar. The Bishop began.
But Robin stepped up to the altar too. He stood right between the bride and groom!
“Just look at this girl!” Robin said in a loud voice. “How pale she is! These are lilies in her cheeks. Not roses. This is not a fit wedding. A young girl to such an old man. And she does not even love him!”
No one breathed a word. Who knew what to say? Who knew where to look? It was as if everyone had turned to stone. Everyone except Robin Hood.
Robin put the silver horn to his lips and blew three times.
Little John and Will Scarlet jumped down from where they had been hiding. They stood on either side of Robin, swords ready.
“Here I am!” Friar Tuck called down from the organ loft. “Ready to perform the happy service.”
“What is going on here?” The groom drew his sword. His men did the same.
The front doors flew open. Eighteen more men wearing forest green burst in. They were ready for battle. At the head of them was Alan-a-Dale.
Joyfully Ellen called out to her true love. “Alan!”
“Alan-a-Dale!” said Ellen’s father. “So this is all your idea!”
“No,” said Robin. “You have Robin Hood to thank.” He bowed low.
The groom and his men put away their swords. They had all heard of Robin Hood. No one there wanted to fight him.
The old groom said to Ellen’s father, “Why didn’t you tell me your daughter loved another man? If she prefers him to me, I prefer to forget this wedding.”
The proud old man left the church. His men followed.
Then Robin gave the three bags of gold to Ellen’s father.
“This gold is yours if you give this marriage your blessing,” said Robin.
Ellen’s father was angry. But he needed the gold, so he blessed the marriage.
Then Friar Tuck married Alan-a-Dale and the fair Ellen. Never was there a happier couple!
Afterward the Bishop tried to sneak away.
“Wait!” called Robin. “You said if I caused the bride to love the groom, you would give me whatever I asked.”
Robin was right. And the Bishop knew it. “What do you want?”
Robin stroked his beard. His eyes sparkled. “That gold chain you wear. Give it to the bride as a wedding gift.”
The Bishop fumed. But in the end he gave the chain to Ellen.
A loud cheer went up.
The merry wedding band left the church. They returned to Sherwood Forest, where they had a splendid wedding feast.
But Robin knew this was not the end of it.
He knew the Bishop was a good friend of the Sheriff’s. Sure enough, the Bishop told the Sheriff what Robin had done. The Sheriff vowed to make Robin Hood pay dearly.
Three
The Shooting Match
The Sheriff sent messengers across the land. They told of a great shooting match in Nottingham. The Sheriff invited the best archers. The grand prize? A golden arrow.
“I think I will go,” said Robin to his men. “And win that arrow.”
“But Robin,” one of his men said. “People are saying the Sheriff has set a trap—just for you.”
“That is all the more reason for me to go,” said Robin. “I will not have the Sheriff saying that Robin Hood is a coward.”