English and Scottish Ballads Volume V Part 44

Robin Hood took the fryer on his backe, Deepe water he did bestride, And spake neither good word nor bad, Till he came at the other side.

Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods backe; 65 Robin Hood said to him againe, "Carry me over this water, thou curtall fryer, Or it shall breede thy pain."

The fryer tooke Robin on's backe againe, And stept in to the knee; 70 Till he came at the middle streame Neither good nor bad spake he.

And comming to the middle streame, There he threw Robin in; "And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow, 75 Whether thou wilt sink or swim."

Robin Hood swam to a bush of broome, The fryer to a wigger wand; Bold Robin Hood is gone to sh.o.r.e, And took his bow in his hand. 80

One of his best arrowes under his belt To the fryer he let fly; The curtall fryer with his steel buckler Did put that arrow by.

"Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow, 85 Shoot as thou hast begun, If thou shoot here a summers day, Thy marke I will not shun."

Robin Hood shot pa.s.sing well, Till his arrows all were gane; 90 They tooke their swords and steele bucklers, They fought with might and maine;

From ten o'th' clock that [very] day, Till four i'th' afternoon; Then Robin Hood came to his knees, 95 Of the fryer to beg a boone.

"A boone, a boone, thou curtall fryer, I beg it on my knee: Give me leave to set my horne to my mouth, And to blow blasts three." 100

"That I will do," said the curtall fryer, "Of thy blasts I have no doubt; I hope thou'lt blow so pa.s.sing well, Till both thy eyes fall out."

Robin Hood set his home to his mouth, 105 He blew out blasts three; Halfe a hundreth yeomen, with bowes bent, Came raking over the lee.

"Whose men are these," said the fryer, "That come so hastily?" 110 "These men are mine," said Robin Hood; "Fryer, what is that to thee?"

"A boone, a boone," said the curtall fryer, "The like I gave to thee; Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth, 115 And to whute whues three."

"That will I doe," said Robin Hood, "Or else I were to blame; Three whues in a fryers fist Would make me glad and faine." 120

The fryer set his fist to his mouth, And whuted whues three; Half a hundred good band-dogs Came running over the lee.

"Here's for every man a dog, 125 And I myselfe for thee:"

"Nay, by my faith," said Robin Hood, "Fryer, that may not be."

Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did goe, The one behind, the other before; 130 Robin Hoods mantle of Lincolne greene Off from his backe they tore.

And whether his men shot east or west, Or they shot north or south, The curtall dogs, so taught they were, 135 They kept the arrows in their mouth.

"Take up thy dogs," said Little John, "Fryer, at my bidding be;"

"Whose man art thou," said the curtall fryer, "Comes here to prate with me?" 140

"I am Little John, Robin Hoods man, Fryer, I will not lie; If thou take not up thy dogs soone, I'le take up them and thee."

Little John had a bow in his hand, 145 He shot with might and main; Soon halfe a score of the fryers dogs Lay dead upon the plain.

"Hold thy hand, good fellow," said the curtal fryer, "Thy master and I will agree; 150 And we will have new orders taken, With all the hast may be."

"If thou wilt forsake fair Fountaines Dale, And Fountaines Abbey free, Every Sunday throwout the yeere, 155 A n.o.ble shall be thy fee:

"And every holliday through the yeere, Changed shall thy garment be, If thou wilt goe to faire Nottingham, And there remaine with me." 160

This curtal fryer had kept Fountaines Dale Seven long yeeres and more; There was neither knight, lord, nor earle, Could make him yeeld before.

ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE.

Or, a pleasant relation how a young gentleman, being in love with a young damsel, she was taken from him to be an old knights bride: and how Robin Hood, pittying the young mans case, took her from the old knight, when they were going to be marryed, and restored her to her own love again. To a pleasant northern tune, _Robin Hood in the green-wood stood_.

Bold Robin Hood he did the young man right, And took the damsel from the doting knight.

From an old black-letter copy in Major Pearson's collection. RITSON'S _Robin Hood_, ii. 49.

The same in _A Collection of Old Ballads_, ii. 44.

Come listen to me, you gallants so free, All you that love mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlaw That lived in Nottinghamshire.

As Robin Hood in the forest stood, 5 All under the green-wood tree, There he was aware of a brave young man, As fine as fine might be.

The youngster was cloathed in scarlet red, In scarlet fine and gay; 10 And he did frisk it over the plain, And chanted a round-de-lay.

As Robin Hood next morning stood Amongst the leaves so gay, There did [he] espy the same young man, 15 Come drooping along the way.

The scarlet he wore the day before, It was clean cast away; And at every step he fetcht a sigh, "Alack and a well a day!" 20

Then stepped forth brave Little John, And Midge the millers son,[L22]

Which made the young man bend his bow, When as he see them come.

"Stand off, stand off," the young man said, 25 "What is your will with me?"

"You must come before our master straight, Under yon green-wood tree."

And when he came bold Robin before, Robin askt him courteously, 30 "O hast thou any money to spare For my merry men and me?"

"I have no money," the young man said, "But five shillings and a ring; And that I have kept this seven long years, 35 To have it at my wedding.

"Yesterday, I should have married a maid, But she soon from me was tane, And chosen to be an old knights delight, Whereby my poor heart is slain." 40

"What is thy name?" then said Robin Hood, "Come tell me, without any fail:"

"By the faith of my body," then said the young man, "My name it is Allin a Dale."

"What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood, 45 "In ready gold or fee, To help thee to thy true love again, And deliver her unto thee?"

"I have no money," then quoth the young man, "No ready gold nor fee, 50 But I will swear upon a book Thy true servant for to be."

"How many miles is it to thy true love?

Come tell me without guile:"