The Book of the Epic: The World's Great Epics Told in StoryGuerber, H. A. (Hélène Adeline)
General
The Book of the Epic: The World's Great Epics Told in Story
Guerber, H. A. (Hélène Adeline)
Epic poetry -- Adaptations
Robin, longing for a little variety, once met a beggar with whom he
exchanged garments. Soon after, meeting four other mendicants, Robin
joined them, and having gotten into a quarrel with them had the
satisfaction of routing all four. A little later he met an usurer,
whom he gradually induced to reveal the fact that he had never lost
his money because he always carried his fortune in the thick soles of
his shoes. Of course Robin immediately compelled the usurer to remove
his foot-gear, and sent him home barefoot, while he rejoined his men
and amused them with a detailed account of the day's adventures.
Queen Eleanor, having heard endless merry tales about Robin Hood,
became very anxious to meet him, and finally sent one of her pages to
Sherwood Forest to inform Robin the king had wagered his archers would
win all the prizes in the royal shooting-match. Because she had
wagered the contrary, she promised Robin a safe-conduct for himself
and his men if he would only come to court and display his skill.
Choosing Will Scarlet, Little John, and Allan a Dale as his
companions, Robin attended the tournament and won all the prizes, to
the great disgust of the king, the sheriff, and the Bishop of
Hereford, which latter recognized the hated outlaw. On discovering the
king would not respect the safe-conduct she had given Robin, Eleanor
sent him word: "The lion growls; beware of thy head." This hint was
sufficient to make Robin leave immediately, bidding his companions
re-enter the forest by different roads and reserving the most
difficult for himself.
Although Robin's men reached the forest safely, he himself was hotly
pursued by the sheriff's and bishop's troops. Once, when they were so
close on his heels that it seemed impossible for him to escape, Robin
exchanged garments with a cobbler, who was promptly arrested in his
stead and borne off to prison. Such was Robin's exhaustion by this
time that he entered an inn, and, creeping into bed, slept so soundly
that only on awaking on the morrow did he discover he had shared his
bed with a monk. Slyly substituting the cobbler's garments for those
of the sleeping monk, Robin peacefully departed, while the sheriff's
men, having discovered their mistake, proceeded to arrest the false
cobbler! Meantime the Queen succeeded in softening the king's
resentment, so Robin was allowed to rejoin his companions, and his
sweetheart, Maid Marian, who could shoot nearly as well as he.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account