{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch136.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch136.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch136.htm","text":"136A.1 THERE is some will talk of lords and knights,\nDoun a doun a doun a doun\nAnd some of yeoman good,\nBut I will tell you of Will Scarlock,\nLittle John and Robin Hood.\nDoun a doun a doun a doun\n136A.2 They were outlaws, as \u2019tis well known,\nAnd men of a noble blood;\nAnd many a time was their valour shown\nIn the forrest of merry Sheerwood.\n136A.3 Vpon a time it chanced so,\nAs Robin Hood would have it be,\nThey all three would a walking go,\nSome pastime for to see.\n136A.4 And as they walked the forest along,\nUpon a midsummer day,\nThere was they aware of three keepers,\nClade all in green aray.\n136A.5 With brave long faucheons by their sides,\nAnd forest-bills in hand,\nThey calld aloud to those bold outlaws,\nAnd charged them to stand.\n136A.6 \u2018Why, who are you,\u2019 cry\u2019d bold Robin,\n\u2018That speaks so boldly here?\u2019\n\u2018We three belong to King Henry,\nAnd are keepers of his deer.\u2019\n136A.7 \u2018The devil thou art!\u2019 sayes Robin Hood,\n\u2018I am sure that it is not so;\nWe be the keepers of this forest,\nAnd that you soon shall know.\n136A.8 \u2018Come, your coats of green lay on the ground,\nAnd so will we all three,\nAnd take your swords and bucklers round,\nAnd try the victory.\u2019\n136A.9 \u2018We be content,\u2019 the keepers said,\nRR\u2019rrwe be three, and you no less;\nThen why should we be of you afraid,\nAnd we never did transgress?\u2019\n136A.10 \u2018Why, if you be three keepers in this forest,\nThen we be three rangers good,\nAnd we will make you to know, before you do go,\nYou meet with bold Robin Hood.\u2019\n136A.11 \u2018We be content, thou bold outlaw,\nOur valour here to try,\nAnd we will make you know, before we do go,\nWe will fight before we will fly.\n136A.12 \u2018Then, come draw your swords, you bold outlaws,\nAnd no longer stand to prate,\nBut let us try it out with blows,\nFor cowards we do hate.\n136A.13 \u2018Here is one of us for Will Scarlock,\nAnd another for Little John,\nAnd I my self for Robin Hood,\nBecause he is stout and strong.\u2019\n136A.14 So they fell to it full hard and sore;\nIt was on a midsummers day;\nFrom eight a clock till two and past,\nThey all shewed gallant play.\n136A.15 There Robin, and Will, and Little John,\nThey fought most manfully,\nTill all their winde was spent and gone,\nThen Robin aloud did cry:\n136A.16 \u2018O hold, O hold,\u2019 cries bold Robin,\n\u2018I see you be stout men;\nLet me blow one blast on my bugle-horn,\nThen I\u2019le fight with you again.\u2019\n136A.17 \u2018That bargain\u2019s to make, bold Robin Hood,\nTherefore we it deny;\nThough a blast upon thy bugle-horn\nCannot make us fight nor fly.\n136A.18 \u2018Therefore fall on, or else be gone,\nAnd yield to us the day:\nIt shall never be said that we were afraid\nOf thee, nor thy yeomen gay.\u2019\n136A.19 \u2018If that be so,\u2019 cries bold Robin,\n\u2018Let me but know your names,\nAnd in the forest of merry Sheerwood\nI shall extol your fames.\u2019\n136A.20 \u2018And with our names,\u2019 one of them said,\n\u2018What hast thou here to do?\nExcept that you will fight it out,\nOur names thou shalt not know.\u2019\n136A.21 \u2018We will fight no more,\u2019 sayes bold Robin,\n\u2018You be men of valour stout;\nCome and go with me to Nottingham,\nAnd there we will fight it out.\n136A.22 \u2018With a but of sack we will bang it out,\nTo see who wins the day;\nAnd for the cost, make you no doubt\nI have gold and money to pay\n136A.23 \u2018And ever after, so long as we live,\nWe all will brethren be;\nFor I love those men with heart and hand\nThat will fight, and never flee.\u2019\n136A.24 So away they went to Nottingham,\nWith sack to make amends;\nFor three dayes space they wine did chase,\nAnd drank themselves good friends.","title":"The Child Ballads: 136. Robin Hood's Delight","type":"page"}