Like Robin Hood’s Progress to Nottingham, this ballad affects, in the right apocryphal way, to know an adventure of Robin’s early life. Though but twenty years old, Robin has a company of threescore and nine bowmen. With all these he shakes hands one morning, and goes through the forest alone, prudently enjoining on the band to come to his help if he should blow his horn. He meets a stranger on a narrow bridge, and neither will give way. Robin threatens the stranger with an arrow, which, as he requires to be reminded, is cowardly enough, seeing that the other man has nothing but a staff. Recalled to ordinary manliness, Robin Hood, laying down his bow, provides himself with an oaken stick, and proposes a battle on the bridge, which he shall be held to win who knocks the other into the water in the end. In the end the stranger tumbles Robin into the brook, and is owned to have won the day. The band are now summoned by the horn, and when they hear what the stranger has done are about to seize and duck him, but are ordered to forbear. Robin Hood proposes to his antagonist that he shall join his men, and John Little, as he declares his name to be, accedes. John Little is seven foot tall.[108] Will Stutely says his name must be changed, and they rebaptize the “infant” as Little John. ‘A pastorall plesant commedie of Robin Hood and Little John, etc.,’ is entered to Edward White in the Stationers’ Registers, May 14, 1594, and ‘Robin Hood and Litle John’ to Master Oulton, April 22, 1640. (Arber, II, 649, IV, 507.) Translated by Anastasius Grün, p. 65. 1 When Robin Hood was about twenty years old, With a hey down down and a down He happend to meet Little John, A jolly brisk blade, right fit for the trade, For he was a lusty young man. 2 Tho he was calld Little, his limbs they were large, And his stature was seven foot high; Where-ever he came, they quak’d at his name, For soon he would make them to fly. 3 How they came acquainted, I’ll tell you in brief, If you will but listen a while; For this very jest, amongst all the rest, I think it may cause you to smile. 4 Bold Robin Hood said to his jolly bowmen, Pray tarry you here in this grove; And see that you all observe well my call, While thorough the forest I rove. 5 We have had no sport for these fourteen long days, Therefore now abroad will I go; Now should I be beat, and cannot retreat, My horn I will presently blow. 6 Then did he shake hands with his merry men all, And bid them at present good b’w’ye; Then, as near a brook his journey he took, A stranger he chancd to espy. 7 They happend to meet on a long narrow bridge, And neither of them would give way; Quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily stood, I’ll show you right Nottingham play.