_Title._ Robin Hood and Little John. Being an account of their first meeting, their fierce encounter, and conquest. To which is added, their friendly agreement, and how he came to be calld Little John. To the tune of Arthur a Bland. #b.# _Title as in_ #a#. 2^2. statue. 3^2. you would. 3^3. among. 3^4. it _wanting_. 4^3. his _for_ my, _wrongly_. 5^1. for _wanting_. 5^3. be _wanting_. 8^4. offer. 9^2. where I do bend. 11^2. Therefore. 11^3. I will. 13^1. it _wanting_. 13^2. on this. 15^1. And first: he _wanting_. 15^2. he _for_ it. 16^1. a _for_ my. 16^3. both goes, and follow. 18^1. he did. 19^1. in a fury. 19^3. which _for_ that. 20^1. O _wanting_. 22^3. blew. 23^1. did ring. 23^4. their matter. 24^3. that _for_ which. 27^1. fitting also. 30^1. him _for_ in. 30^4. baptiz’d. 31^1. feet. 31^3. He was a sweet. 32^3. came. 34^4. liquors. 35^2. the _wanting_. 39^1. they _for_ he. 39^2. he be. 126 ROBIN HOOD AND THE TANNER #a.# Wood, 401, leaf 9 b. #b.# Garland of 1663, No 10. #c.# Garland of 1670, No 9. #d.# Pepys, II, 111, No 98. Printed in Old Ballads, 1723, I, 83. #a# was printed by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 30. Evans has an indifferent copy, probably edited, in his Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 112. Arthur a Bland, a Nottingham tanner, goes of a summer’s morning into Sherwood forest to see the red deer. Robin Hood pretends to be a keeper and to see cause for staying the Tanner. The Tanner says it will take more than one such to make him stand. They have a two hours’ fight with staves, when Robin cries Hold! The Tanner henceforth shall be free of the forest, and if he will come and live there with Robin Hood shall have both gold and fee. Arthur a Bland gives his hand never to part from Robin, and asks for Little John, whom he declares to be his kinsman. Robin Hood blows his horn. Little John comes at the call, and, learning what has been going on, would like to try a bout with the Tanner, but after a little explanation throws himself upon his kinsman’s neck. The three take hands for a dance round the oak-tree. The sturdy Arthur a Bland is well hit off, and, bating the sixteenth and thirty-fifth stanzas, the ballad has a good popular ring. There is corruption at 8^3, 12^3, and perhaps 13^3.