4 Will Scadlock he killd a buck, And Midge he killd a do, And Little John killd a hart of greece, Five hundred foot him fro. 5 ‘God’s blessing on thy heart,’ said Robin Hood, ‘That hath [shot] such a shot for me; I would ride my horse an hundred miles, To finde one could match with thee.’ 6 That causd Will Scadlock to laugh, He laughed full heartily: ‘There lives a curtal frier in Fountains Abby Will beat both him and thee. 7 ‘That curtal frier in Fountains Abby Well can a strong bow draw; He will beat you and your yeomen, Set them all on a row.’ 8 Robin Hood took a solemn oath, It was by Mary free, That he would neither eat nor drink Till the frier he did see. 9 Robin Hood put on his harness good, And on his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weel. 10 He took his bow into his hand, It was made of a trusty tree, With a sheaf of arrows at his belt, To the Fountains Dale went he. 11 And comming unto Fountain[s] Dale, No further would he ride; There was he aware of a curtal frier, Walking by the water-side. 12 The fryer had on a harniss good, And on his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weel. 13 Robin Hood lighted off his horse, And tied him to a thorn: ‘Carry me over the water, thou curtal frier, Or else thy life’s forlorn.’ 14 The frier took Robin Hood on his back, Deep water he did bestride, And spake neither good word nor bad, Till he came at the other side. 15 Lightly leapt Robin Hood off the friers back; The frier said to him again, Carry me over this water, fine fellow, Or it shall breed thy pain. 16 Robin Hood took the frier on ’s back, Deep water he did bestride, And spake neither good word nor bad, Till he came at the other side. 17 Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods back; Robin Hood said to him again, Carry me over this water, thou curtal frier, Or it shall breed thy pain. 18 The frier took Robin Hood on’s back again, And stept up to the knee; Till he came at the middle stream, Neither good nor bad spake he. 19 And coming to the middle stream, There he threw Robin in: ‘And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow, Whether thou wilt sink or swim.’ 20 Robin Hood swam to a bush of broom, The frier to a wicker wand; Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore, And took his bow in hand. 21 One of his best arrows under his belt To the frier he let flye; The curtal frier, with his steel buckler, He put that arrow by. 22 ‘Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow, Shoot on as thou hast begun; If thou shoot here a summers day, Thy mark I will not shun.’