{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch142.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch142.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch142.htm","text":"142A.* * * *\n. . . .\n. . . .\n. . beggar,\u2019 he sayes,\n\u2018With none such fellows as thee.\u2019\n142A.2 \u2018I am not in iest,\u2019 said Litle Iohn,\n\u2018I sweare all by the roode;\nChange with mee,\u2019 said Little Iohn,\n\u2018And I will giue thee some boote.\u2019\n142A.3 But he has gotten on this old mans gowne,\nIt reacht not to his wrist;\n\u2018Christ\u2019s curse on\u2019s hart,\u2019 said Litle Iohn,\n\u2018That thinkes my gowne amisse.\u2019\n142A.4 But he has gotten on this old mans shoes,\nAre clouted nine fold about;\n\u2018Beshrew his hart,\u2019 said Litle Iohn,\n\u2018That bryer or thorne does doubt.\n142A.5 \u2018Wilt teach me some phrase of thy begging?\u2019 says Iohn;\n\u2018I pray thee, tell it mee,\nHow I may be as beggar-like\nAs any in my companie.\u2019\n142A.6 \u2018Thou must goe two foote on a staffe,\nThe third upon a tree;\nFull loud that thou must cry and fare,\nWhen nothing ayleth thee.\u2019\n142A.7 But Iohn he walket the hills soe high,\nSoe did [he] the hills soe browne;\nThe ready way that he could take\nWas towards Nottingham towne.\n142A.8 But as he was on the hills soe high,\nHe mett with palmers three;\nSayes, God you saue, my brethren all,\nNow God you saue and see!\n142A.9 This seuen yeere I haue you sought;\nBefore I cold neuer you see!\nSaid they, Wee had leuer such a cankred carle\nWere neuer in our companie.\n142A.10 But one of them tooke Litle Iohn on his head,\nThe blood ran over his eye;\nLittle Iohn turned him twise about\n. . . .\n* * * * *\n142A.11 \u2018If I . . . .\nAs I haue beene but one day,\nI shold haue purcchased three of the best churches\nThat stands by any highway.\u2019\n142B: Little John a Begging\n142B.1 ALL you that delight to spend some time\nWith a hey down down a down down\nA merry song for to sing,\nVnto me draw neer, and you shall hear\nHow Little John went a begging.\n142B.2 As Robin Hood walked the forrest along,\nAnd all his yeomandree,\nSayes Robin, Some of you must a begging go,\nAnd, Little John, it must be thee.\n142B.3 Sayes John, If I must a begging go,\nI will have a palmers weed,\nWith a staff and coat, and bags of all sort,\nThe better then I shall speed.\n142B.4 Come, give me now a bag for my bread,\nAnd another for my cheese,\nAnd one for a peny, when as I get any,\nThat nothing I may leese.\n142B.5 Now Little John he is a begging gone,\nSeeking for some relief;\nBut of all the beggers he met on the way,\nLittle John he was the chief.\n142B.6 But as he was walking himself alone,\nFour beggers he chanced to spy,\nSome deaf, and some blind, and some came behind;\nSays John, Here\u2019s brave company!\n142B.7 \u2018Good-morrow,\u2019 said John, \u2019My brethren dear,\nGood fortune I had you to see;\nWhich way do you go? pray let me know,\nFor I want some company.\n142B.8 \u2018O what is here to do?\u2019 then said Little John,\n\u2018Why rings all these bells?\u2019 said he;\n\u2018What dog is a hanging? come, let us be ganging,\nThat we the truth may see.\u2019\n142B.9 \u2018Here is no dog a hanging,\u2019 then one of them said,\n\u2018Good fellow, we tell unto thee;\nBut here is one dead wil give us cheese and bred,\nAnd it may be one single peny.\u2019\n142B.10 \u2018We have brethren in London,\u2019 another he said,\n\u2018So have we in Coventry,\nIn Barwick and Dover, and all the world over,\nBut nere a crookt carril like thee.\n142B.11 \u2018Therefore stand thee back, thou crooked carel,\nAnd take that knock on the crown;\u2019\n\u2018Nay,\u2019 said Little John, \u2018I\u2019le not yet be gone,\nFor a bout will I have with you round.\n142B.12 \u2018Now have at you all,\u2019 then said Little John,\n\u2018If you be so full of your blows;\nFight on, all four, and nere give ore,\nWhether you be friends or foes.\u2019\n142B.13 John nipped the dumb, and made him to rore,\nAnd the blind that could not see,\nAnd he that a cripple had been seven years,\nHe made him run faster then he.\n142B.14 And flinging them all against the wall,\nWith many a sturdie bang,\nIt made John sing, to hear the gold ring,\nWhich against the walls cryed twang.\n142B.15 Then he got out of the beggers cloak\nThree hundred pound in gold;\n\u2018Good fortune had I,\u2019 then said Little John,\n\u2018Such a good sight to behold.\u2019\n142B.16 But what found he in a beggers bag,\nBut three hundred pound and three?\n\u2018If I drink water while this doth last,\nThen an ill death may I dye!\n142B.17 d my begging-trade I will now give ore,\nMy fortune hath bin so good;\nTherefore I\u2019le not stay, but I will away\nTo the forrest of merry Sherwood.\u2019\n142B.18 And when to the forrest of Sherwood he came,\nHe quickly there did see\nHis master good, bold Robin Hood,\nAnd all his company.\n142B.19 \u2018What news? What news?\u2019 then said Robin Hood,\n\u2018Come, Little John, tell unto me;\nHow hast thou sped with thy beggers trade?\nFor that I fain would see.\u2019\n142B.20 \u2018No news but good,\u2019 then said Little John,\n\u2018With begging ful wel I have sped;\nSix hundred and three I have here for thee,\nIn silver and gold so red.\u2019\n142B.21 Then Robin took Little John by the hand,\nAnd danced about the oak-tree:\n\u2018If we drink water while this doth last,\nThen an il death may we die!\u2019\n142B.22 So to conclude my merry new song,\nAll you that delight it to sing,\n\u2019Tis of Robin Hood, that archer good,\nAnd how Little John went a begging.","title":"The Child Ballads: 142. Little John a Begging","type":"page"}