Little John offers to fight with the Tinker in No 127, and again with the Stranger in No 128, as here with the Tanner, and is forbidden, as here, by his master. In R. H. and the Shepherd, No 135, he undertakes the Shepherd after Robin has owned himself conquered, and the fight is stopped after John has received some sturdy blows. In the Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood, No 132, John begins and Robin follows, and each in turn cries, Pedlar, pray hold your hand. In R. H. and the Potter, No 121, John is ready to bet on the Potter, because he has already had strokes from him which he has reason to remember. As the Tanner is John’s cousin, so, in Robin Hood Revived, No 128, the Stranger turns out to be Robin Hood’s nephew, Young Gamwell, thenceforward called Scathlock; and in No 132 the Bold Pedlar proves to be Gamble Gold, Robin’s cousin. Translated by Anastasius Grün, p. 117. 1 In Nottingham there lives a jolly tanner, With a hey down down a down down His name is Arthur a Bland; There is nere a squire in Nottinghamshire Dare bid bold Arthur stand. 2 With a long pike-staff upon his shoulder, So well he can clear his way; By two and by three he makes them to flee, For he hath no list to stay. 3 And as he went forth, in a summer’s morning, Into the forrest of merry Sherwood, To view the red deer, that range here and there, There met he with bold Robin Hood. 4 As soon as bold Robin Hood did him espy, He thought some sport he would make; Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand, And thus to him he spake: 5 Why, what art thou, thou bold fellow, That ranges so boldly here? In sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief, That comes to steal our king’s deer. 6 For I am a keeper in this forrest; The king puts me in trust To look to his deer, that range here and there, Therefore stay thee I must. 7 ‘If thou beest a keeper in this forrest, And hast such a great command, Yet thou must have more partakers in store, Before thou make me to stand.’ 8 ‘Nay, I have no more partakers in store, Or any that I do need; But I have a staff of another oke graff, I know it will do the deed.’ 9 ‘For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw, Nor all thine arrows to boot; If I get a knop upon thy bare scop, Thou canst as well shite as shoote.’ 10 ‘Speak cleanly, good fellow,’ said jolly Robin, ‘And give better terms to me; Else I’le thee correct for thy neglect, And make thee more mannerly.’ 11 ‘Marry gep with a wenion!’ quoth Arthur a Bland, ‘Art thou such a goodly man? I care not a fig for thy looking so big; Mend thou thyself where thou can.’ 12 Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt, He laid down his bow so long; He took up a staff of another oke graff, That was both stiff and strong.