"But are thou a cousin* of Robin Hood then? The sooner we should have done." "As I hope to be sav'd," the stranger then said, "I am his own sister's son." *[Footnote: Cousin had formerly a broader meaning than it has to-day. Here it means, as the last line of the stanza shows, nephew.] But lord! what kissing and courting was there, When these two cousins did greet! And they went all that summer's day, And Little John did (not) meet. But when they met with Little John, He unto them did say, "O master, pray where have you been, You have tarried so long away?" "I met with a stranger," quod Robin Hood, "Full sore he hath beaten me." "Then He have a bout with him," quod Little John, "And try if he can beat me." "Oh no, oh no," quoth Robin Hood then, "Little John, it may not be so; For he is my own dear sister's son, And cousins I have no mo'." [Footnote: Mo is used instead of more, for the sake of rhyme.] "But he shall be a bold yeoman of mine, My chief man next to thee; And I Robin Hood, and thou Little John, And Scalock he shall be." [Footnote: Scalock, or Scathlock, means scarlet. The name is given to the stranger because of his scarlet stockings.] ROBIN HOOD AND THE WIDOW'S THREE SONS There are twelve months in all the year, As I hear many say, But the merriest month in all the year Is the merry month of May. [Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE WIDOW] Now Robin is to Nottingham gone, With a link, a down, and a day, And there he met a silly* old woman, Was weeping on the way. *[Footnote: Silly here expresses a combination of simplicity and virtue.] "What news? what news? thou silly old woman, What news hast thou for me?" Said she, "There's three squires in Nottingham town, To-day are condemned to die." "Oh, what have they done?" said Robin Hood, "I pray thee tell to me." "It's for slaying of the King's fallow deer, Bearing their long bows with thee." "Dost thou not mind, old woman," he said, "Since thou made me sup and dine? By the truth of my body," quoth bold Robin Hood, "You could not tell it in better time." Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link, a down, and a day, And there he met with a silly old palmer,* Was walking along the highway. *[Footnote: A palmer was a person who bad made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and brought back with him a palm branch. Later on the term was applied to a monk who had taken a vow of poverty, and who spent all his time traveling about from shrine to shrine.] "What news? what news? thou silly old man, What news, I do thee pray?" Said he, "Three squires in Nottingham town, Are condemn'd to die this day." "Come change thy apparel with me, old man, Come change thy apparel for mine; Here is forty shillings in good silver, Go drink it in beer or wine." "Oh, thine apparel is good," he said, "And mine is ragged and torn; Wherever you go, wherever you ride, Laugh ne'er an old man to scorn."