HTE ROBIN HOOD BALLADS
The Robin Hood ballads, numbering some forty separate ballads, were written down at various times but not early than in the 14th and 15th centuries. Robin Hood, English’s favourite hero, is a character partly historical, partly legendary. He must have lived in the second half of the 12th century, during the reign of Henry 2 and his son Richard 1 (the Lion-Hearted). The older ballads tells us much about the Saxon yeomen, who were famous arches and keen hunters. Being ill-treated by the Norman robber-barons, they longed to live free in the forest with Robin as their leader. The ballads always tell of persons who were robbed by the Church of the feudal barons, or imprisoned by the foresters and sheriffs.1Robin is the relentless enemy of the Norman oppressors and always helps the country-folk in their troubles. Though the sheriff put a big piece on Robin’s head, not a Saxon in all Nottinghamshire 2 betrayed him.
Robin is an outlaw and lives in Sherwood Forest, which in those days quite near the town of Nottingham. He is smart and clever, “with a twinkle in the eye”. Whenever the sheriff or the king sends out a party of men to catch him, Robin fights with so much vigour that his enemies, amazed at his bravery, confess themselves beaten and stay with him in the forest. They become “the merry men of Robin Hood”. His friends are little John (he is 7 feet tall); Friar Tuck, a jolly monk; and Allan-a-Dale, a musical young man, who was a great singer.
In the 16th century many new episodes were introduced into the ballads. They were arranged in series, the most popular of which was “The Jolly Life of Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest”. Here is one of the heroic Robin Hood ballads told in prose.
“THE NOTTINGHAM EXECUTION”
The new sheriff of Nottingham learned that three Saxon
hunters had been captured by the foresters and charged with stealing the king’s deer. All three were the sons of a poor widow who lived in the village of Mansfield. She wept bitterly when she saw her sons bound, and begged hard that they be released, but the boys were led away.
The sheriff, who was angry with Robin Hood (he had tried to capture Robin several times but had failed), ordered the prisoners to be brought to Nottingham, where they were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged in the Saxon market-place1 “as warning to evil-doer in general and to the Saxon in particular”.
That same morning Robin was walking through the forest when he met the poor old woman, who was crying as if her heart would break. Robin asked her what had happened. She told him about her sons and said that she was going to Nottingham to ask for mercy. Robin told her that by herself she would not be able to do anything for her sons, and he vowed that he would set them free himself before three days had passed. He then blew his horn to call his merry men and plan the rescue of the tree brothers.
One of his scouts had just returned from Nottingham, where he had heard the story. There was a great stir in Nottingham, he said, to see the execution that was to take place the next morning. A whisper had gone round the town that it was Robin Hood and two of his men that had been caught . People threatened to take bloody vengeance on the sheriff, if this was found to be true.
Soon after daybreak Robin started off to town. On his way he met a beggar who wore a cloak patched with black, blue and red. Robin wanted to speak to him, but the beggar said that he could not stop – he was running away because the sheriff had wanted him to be the executioner. This was an excellent news for Robin, who at once proposed that they should exchange clothes. Robin then hurried on to Nottingham the streets of which he found filled with people. A cry was raised of “Hangman!” followed by some hisses which caused Robin to turn his head, and he found that a crowd was gathering at his heels.
Robin was walking as quickly as he could towards the sheriff’s house, when he met the sheriff riding on horseback, followed by a number of his men, all armed with spears, on their way to the prison. Catching sight of Robin, the sheriff called out, “Well, will thou be hangman today?” Robin nodded. “It is well,” said the sheriff, “thou hast saved me the trouble to look for another man.”
On seeing the sheriff, the people dispersed. Robin fell into the procession of spearmen immediately behind the sheriff. When they came to the prison, the sheriff signaled Robin to bind the prisoners. This Robin immediately began to do, meanwhile managing to whisper into the ear of the eldest: “All’s right! Robin Hood will be here to rescue you.” Then the boys were led out and placed in a low cart where they knelt down and the cart moved on, surrounded by the sheriff’s spearmen. The eldest of the prisoners took the opportunity of communicating Robin’s words to his brothers.
There was a great crowd of people in the streets, and many ill words were shouted at the sheriff as he rode along. At last they came in sight of the gallows. Robin looked at the crowd as the carts stopped and, to his joy, he recognized many of his merry men.
The spearmen were ordered to clear a space around the gallows, and while the sheriff was looking after his men, Robin buried himself loosening the bonds of the brothers, who still knelt in the cart. At length the sheriff called out: “Now, hangman, waste no time.” Robin sprang up quickly and brandished the sword he held in his hand. The sheriff turned pile with rage. The three brothers jumped up with their arms loose, and Robin shouted: “Who’s on Robin Hood’s side?” In an instant there was a roar of voices. The slender barrier of spearmen that separated the people from the gallows was arming themselves, struck right and left amongst the Normans. At the same time Robin’s men, numbering some fifty, pressed toward to where Robin and the brothers now stood. A sword was thrust into each brothers hand and he used it with vigour. The sheriff was seized and hanged on the gallows put up for the three brothers.
Here is one of best-known Robin Hood ballads in modern English broken, the people seized the sears from the men’s hands, and spelling.