The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood, No 132, a late traditional copy, shows traces of st. 20 of this ballad in st. 12, where the Pedlar says it lies with him whether he will tell his name, and again at the end, where Robin Hood, John, and the Pedlar drink friendship at the tavern. Robin Hood’s antagonists are again foresters and keepers in the Progress to Nottingham, and in Robin Hood and the Ranger. There are numerous verbal agreements between Robin Hood’s Delight and Robin Hood and the Shepherd. Translated by Loève-Veimars, p. 199. 1 There is some will talk of lords and knights, Doun a doun a doun a doun And some of yeoman good, But I will tell you of Will Scarlock, Little John and Robin Hood. Doun a doun a doun a doun 2 They were outlaws, as ’tis well known, And men of a noble blood; And a many a time was their valour shown In the forrest of merry Sheerwood. 3 Vpon a time it chanced so, As Robin Hood would have it be, They all three would a walking go, Some pastime for to see. 4 And as they walked the forest along, Upon a midsummer day, There was they aware of three keepers, Clade all in green aray. 5 With brave long faucheons by their sides, And forest-bills in hand, They calld aloud to those bold outlaws, And charged them to stand. 6 ‘Why, who are you,’ cry’d bold Robin, ‘That speaks so boldly here? ’ ‘We three belong to King Henry, And are keepers of his deer.’ 7 ‘The devil thou art!’ sayes Robin Hood, ‘I am sure that it is not so; We be the keepers of this forest, And that you soon shall know. 8 ‘Come, your coats of green lay on the ground, And so will we all three, And take your swords and bucklers round, And try the victory.’ 9 ‘We be content,’ the keepers said, ‘We be three, and you no less; Then why should we be of you afraid, And we never did transgress?’ 10 ‘Why, if you be three keepers in this forest, Then we be three rangers good, And we will make you to know, before you do go, You meet with bold Robin Hood.’ 11 ‘We be content, thou bold outlaw, Our valour here to try, And we will make you know, before we do go, We will fight before we will fly. 12 ‘Then, come draw your swords, you bold outlaws, And no longer stand to prate, But let us try it out with blows, For cowards we do hate. 13 ‘Here is one of us for Will Scarlock, And another for Little John, And I my self for Robin Hood, Because he is stout and strong.’ 14 So they fell to it full hard and sore; It was on a midsummers day; From eight a clock till two and past, They all shewed gallant play. 15 There Robin, and Will, and Little John, They fought most manfully, Till all their winde was spent and gone, Then Robin aloud did cry: