The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

by Howard Pyle

  So another time passed, till at last Robin asked young David once more what he saw; and David said, “I hear the cuckoo singing, and I see how the wind makes waves in the barley field; and now over the hill to the church cometh an old friar, and in his hands he carries a great bunch of keys; and lo! now he cometh to the church door.”

  The old Porter cometh to open the church.

  Then up rose Robin Hood and shook Friar Tuck by the shoulder. “Come, rouse thee, holy man!” cried he; whereupon, with much grunting, the stout Tuck got to his feet. “Marry, bestir thyself,” quoth Robin, “for yonder, in the church door, is one of thy cloth. Go thou and talk to him, and so get thyself into the church, that thou mayst be there when thou art wanted; meantime, Little John, Will Stutely, and I will follow thee anon.”

  So Friar Tuck clambered over the wall, crossed the road, and came to the church, where the old Friar was still laboring with the great key, the lock being somewhat rusty and he somewhat old and feeble.

  “Hilloa, brother,” quoth Tuck, “let me aid thee.” So saying, he took the key from the other’s hand, and quickly opened the door with a turn of it.

  “Who art thou, good brother?” asked the old Friar, in a high, wheezing voice. “Whence comest thou, and whither art thou going?” And he winked and blinked at stout Friar Tuck like an owl at the sun.

  Friar Tuck talketh with the other.

  “Thus do I answer thy questions, brother,” said the other. “My name is Tuck, and I go no farther than this spot, if thou wilt haply but let me stay while this same wedding is going forward. I come from Fountain Dale, and, in truth, am a certain poor hermit, as one may say, for I live in a cell beside the fountain blessed by that holy Saint Ethelrada, which same suffered the sharpest martyrdom that ever befell a woman, to wit, she had her tongue cut out, so that she could speak no more words than a dead jackdaw, as it were. But what befell? Marry, listen. Straight came this blessed woman to that same fountain,—so it was, and yet I am fain to confess that ne’er ha I got much good from the waters thereof; for cold water doth ever stir my inward parts with certain gripings and what not.”

  “But,” piped the old brother, in his high, wheezing voice, “I do much wish to know what befell this holy woman upon coming to that same blessed fountain.”

  “Marry, a’ drank o’ the waters, and straightway regained that which an evil-minded fellow might say, and many might think, was no such heavenly gift, and that was her powers of speech. But, if I understand aught, there is to be a gay wedding here to-day; so, if thou mindest not, I would fain rest me in the cool shade within, for I would like to see this fine sight.”

  “Truly, thou art welcome, brother,” said the old man, leading the way within. Meantime, Robin Hood, in his guise of harper, together with Little John and Will Stutely, had come to the church. Robin sat him down on a bench beside the door, but Little John, carrying the two bags of gold, went within, as did Will Stutely.

  Little John and Will Stutely go into the church, whilst Robin sits by the door.

  So Robin sat by the door, looking up the road and down the road to see who might come, till, after a time, he saw six horsemen come riding sedately and slowly, as became them, for they were churchmen in high orders. Then, when they had come nearer, Robin saw who they were, and knew them. The first was the Bishop of Hereford, and a fine figure he cut, I wot. His vestments were of the richest silk, and around his neck was a fair chain of beaten gold. The cap that hid his tonsure was of black velvet, and around the edges of it were rows of jewels that flashed in the sunlight, each stone being set in gold. His hose were of flame-colored silk, and his shoes of black velvet, the long, pointed toes being turned up and fastened to his knees, and on either instep was embroidered a cross in gold thread. Beside the Bishop rode the Prior of Emmet upon a mincing palfrey. Rich were his clothes also, but not so gay as the stout Bishop’s. Behind these were two of the higher brethren of Emmet, and behind these again two retainers belonging to the Bishop; for the Lord Bishop of Hereford strove to be as like the great barons as was in the power of one in holy orders.

  The Bishop of Hereford and the Prior of Emmet come to the church.

  When Robin saw this train drawing near, with flash of jewels and silk and jingle of silver bells on the trappings of the nags, he looked sourly upon them. Quoth he to himself, “Yon Bishop is overgaudy for a holy man. I do wonder whether his patron, who, methinks, was Saint Thomas, was given to wearing golden chains about his neck, silk clothing upon his body, and pointed shoes upon his feet; the money for all of which, God wot, hath been wrung from the sweat of poor tenants. Bishop, Bishop, thy pride may have a fall ere thou wottest of it.”

  So the holy men came to the church; the Bishop and the Prior jesting and laughing between themselves about certain fair dames, their words more befitting the lips of laymen, methinks, than holy clerks. Then they dismounted, and the Bishop, looking around, presently caught sight of Robin standing in the doorway. “Hilloa, good fellow,” quoth he, in a jovial voice, “who art thou that struttest in such gay feathers?”

  The Bishop of Hereford speaketh to Robin Hood.

  “A harper am I from the North country,” quoth Robin; “and I can touch the strings, I wot, as never another man in all merry England can do. Truly, good Lord Bishop, many a knight and burgher, clerk and layman, have danced to my music, willy nilly, and most times greatly against their will; such is the magic of my harping. Now this day, my Lord Bishop, if I may play at this wedding, I do promise that I will cause the fair bride to love the man she marries with a love that shall last as long as that twain shall live together.”

  “Ha! is it so?” cried the Bishop. “Meanest thou this is sooth?” and he looked keenly at Robin, who gazed boldly back again into his eyes. “Now, if thou wilt cause this maiden (who hath verily bewitched my poor cousin Stephen) thus to love the man she is to marry, as thou sayst thou canst, I will give thee whatsoever thou wilt ask me in due measure. Let me have a taste of thy skill, fellow.”

  “Nay,” quoth Robin, “my music cometh not without I choose, even at a lord bishop’s bidding. In sooth I will not play until the bride and bridegroom come.”

  Robin will not play for the Bishop.

  “Now, thou art a saucy varlet to speak so to my crest,” quoth the Bishop, frowning on Robin. “Yet, I must needs bear with thee. Look, Prior, hither cometh our cousin, Sir Stephen, and his lady-love.”

  And now, around the bend of the high-road, came others, riding upon horses. The first of all was a tall, thin man, of knightly bearing, dressed all in black silk, with a black velvet cap upon his head, turned up with scarlet. Robin looked, and had no doubt that this was Sir Stephen, both because of his knightly carriage and of his gray hairs. Beside him rode a stout Saxon franklin, Ellen’s father, Edward of Deirwold; behind those two came a litter borne by two horses, and therein was a maiden whom Robin knew must be Ellen. Behind this litter rode six men-at-arms, the sunlight flashing on their steel caps as they came jingling up the dusty road.

  Sir Stephen and fair Ellen and her father come to the church.

  So these also came to the church, and there Sir Stephen leaped from his horse, and, coming to the litter, handed fair Ellen out therefrom. Then Robin Hood looked at her, and could wonder no longer how it came about that so proud a knight as Sir Stephen of Trent wished to marry a common franklin’s daughter; nor did he wonder that no ado was made about the matter, for she was the fairest maiden that ever he had beheld. Now, however, she was all pale and drooping, like a fair white lily snapped at the stem; and so, with bent head and sorrowful look, she went within the church, Sir Stephen leading her by the hand.

  “Why dost thou not play, fellow?” quoth the Bishop, looking sternly at Robin.

  “Marry,” said Robin, calmly, “I will play in greater wise than your lordship thinks; but not till the right time hath come.”

  Said the Bishop to himself, while he looked grimly at Robin, “When this wedding is gone by I will have this fellow well whip
ped for his saucy tongue and bold speech.”

  And now fair Ellen and Sir Stephen stood before the altar, and the Bishop himself came in his robes and opened his book, whereat fair Ellen looked up and about her in bitter despair, like the fawn that finds the hounds on her haunch. Then, in all his fluttering tags and ribbons of red and yellow, Robin Hood strode forward. Three steps he took from the pillar, whereby he leaned, and stood between the bride and bridegroom.

  “Let me look upon this lass,” he said in a loud voice. “Why, how now! what have we here? Here be lilies in the cheeks, and not roses such as befit a bonny bride. This is no fit wedding. Thou, Sir Knight, so old, and she so young, and thou thinkest to make her thy wife? I tell thee it may not be, for thou art not her own true love.”

  Robin Hood stops the marriage.

  At this all stood amazed, and knew not where to look nor what to think or say, for they were all bewildered with the happening; so, whilst every one looked at Robin as though they had been changed to stone, he clapped his bugle-horn to his lips and blew three blasts so loud and clear, they echoed from floor to rafter as though they were sounded by the trump of doom. Then straightway Little John and Will Stutely came leaping and stood upon either side of Robin Hood, and quickly drew their broadswords, the while a mighty voice rolled over the heads of all: “Here be I, good master, when thou wantest me;” for it was Friar Tuck that so called from the organ loft.

  Little John and Will Stutely come to Robin Hood’s aid.

  And now all was hubbub and noise. Stout Edward strode forward raging, and would have seized his daughter to drag her away, but Little John stepped between and thrust him back. “Stand back, old man,” said he; “thou art a hobbled horse this day.”

  “Down with the villains!” cried Sir Stephen, and felt for his sword, but it hung not beside him on his wedding day.

  Then the men-at-arms drew their swords, and it seemed like that blood would wet the stones; but suddenly came a bustle at the door and loud voices, steel flashed in the light, and the crash of blows sounded. The men-at-arms fell back, and up the aisle came leaping eighteen stout yeomen all clad in Lincoln green, with Allan a Dale at their head. In his hand he bore Robin Hood’s good stout trusty bow of yew, and this he gave to him, kneeling the while upon one knee.

  The yeomen come at Robin’s call.

  Then up spake Edward of Deirwold in a deep voice of anger: “Is it thou, Allan a Dale, that hath bred all this coil in a church?”

  “Nay,” quoth merry Robin, “that have I done, and I care not who knoweth it, for my name is Robin Hood.”

  At this name a sudden silence fell. The Prior of Emmet and those that belonged to him gathered together like a flock of frightened sheep when the scent of the wolf is nigh, while the Bishop of Hereford, laying aside his book, crossed himself devoutly. “Now Heaven keep us this day,” said he, “from that evil man!”

  “Nay,” quoth Robin, “I mean you no harm; but here is fair Ellen’s betrothed husband, and she shall marry him or pain will be bred to some of you.”

  Then up spake stout Edward in a loud and angry voice: “Now I say nay! I am her father, and she shall marry Sir Stephen and none other.”

  Now all this time, whilst everything was in turmoil about him, Sir Stephen had been standing in proud and scornful silence. “Nay, fellow,” said he, coldly, “thou mayst take thy daughter back again; I would not marry her after this day’s doings could I gain all merry England thereby. I tell thee plainly, I loved thy daughter, old as I am, and would have taken her up like a jewel from the sty, yet, truly, I knew not that she did love this fellow, and was beloved by him. Maiden, if thou dost rather choose a beggarly minstrel than a high-born knight, take thy choice. I do feel it shame that I should thus stand talking amid this herd, and so I will leave you.” Thus saying he turned, and, gathering his men about him, walked proudly down the aisle. Then all the yeomen were silenced by the scorn of his words, only Friar Tuck leaned over the edge of the choir loft, and called out to him ere he had gone, “Good den, Sir Knight. Thou wottest old bones must alway make room for young blood.” But Sir Stephen neither answered nor looked up, but passed out from the church as though he had heard naught, his men following him.

  Sir Stephen will have naught to do with fair Ellen, and so leaves the church.

  Then the Bishop of Hereford spoke hastily: “I, too, have no business here, and so will depart”; and he made as though he would go. But Robin Hood laid hold of his clothes and held him. “Stay, my Lord Bishop,” said he, “I have yet somewhat to say to thee.” The Bishop’s face fell, but he stayed as Robin bade him, for he saw he could not go.

  Robin Hood will not let the Bishop go.

  Then Robin Hood turned to stout Edward of Deirwold, and said he: “Give thy blessing on thy daughter’s marriage to his yeoman, and all will be well. Little John, give me the bags of gold. Look, farmer. Here are two hundred bright golden angels; give thy blessing, as I say, and I will count them out to thee as thy daughter’s dower. Give not thy blessing, and she shall be married all the same, but not so much as a cracked farthing shall cross thy palm. Choose.”

  Then Edward looked upon the ground with bent brows, turning the matter over and over in his mind; but he was a shrewd man and one, withal, that made the best use of a cracked pipkin; so at last he looked up and said, but in no joyous tone, “If the wench will go her own gait, let her go. I had thought to make a lady of her; yet if she chooses to be what she is like to be, I have naught to do with her henceforth. Ne’ertheless I will give her my blessing when she is duly wedded.”

  Robin offers two hundred angels to Edward for his blessing.

  “It may not be,” spake up one of those of Emmet. “The banns have not been duly published, neither is there any priest here to marry them.”

  “How sayst thou?” roared Tuck from the choir loft. “No priest? Marry, here stands as holy a man as thou art, any day of the week, a clerk in orders, I would have thee know. As for the question of banns, stumble not over that straw, brother, for I will publish them.” So saying, he called the banns; and, says the old ballad, lest three times should not be enough, he published them nine times o’er. Then straightway he came down from the loft, and forthwith performed the marriage service; and so Allan and Ellen were duly wedded.

  Friar Tuck marries Allan and Ellen.

  And now Robin counted out two hundred golden angels to Edward of Deirwold, and he, upon his part, gave his blessing, yet not, I wot, as though he meant it with overmuch good will. Then the stout yeomen crowded around and grasped Allan’s palm, and he, holding Ellen’s hand within his own, looked about him all dizzy with his happiness.

  Then at last jolly Robin turned to the Bishop of Hereford, who had been looking on at all that passed with a grim look. “My Lord Bishop,” quoth he, “thou mayst bring to thy mind that thou didst promise me that did I play in such wise as to cause this fair lass to love her husband, thou wouldst give me whatsoever I asked in reason. I have played my play, and she loveth her husband, which she would not have done but for me; so now fulfil thy promise. Thou hast upon thee that which, methinks, thou wouldst be the better without, therefore, I prythee, give me that golden chain that hangeth about thy neck as a wedding present for this fair bride.”

  Then the Bishop’s cheeks grew red with rage and his eyes flashed. He looked at Robin with a fell look, but saw that in the yeoman’s face which bade him pause. Then slowly he took the chain from about his neck and handed it to Robin, who flung it over Ellen’s head so that it hung glittering about her shoulders. Then said merry Robin, “I thank thee, on the bride’s part, for thy handsome gift, and truly thou thyself art more seemly without it. Now, shouldst thou ever come nigh to Sherwood I much hope that I shall give thee there such a feast as thou hast ne’er had in all thy life before.”

  “May Heaven forfend!” cried the Bishop, earnestly; for he knew right well what manner of feast it was that Robin Hood gave his guests in Sherwood forest.

  The Bishop of Here
ford, though unwilling, giveth fair Ellen a wedding gift.

  But now Robin Hood gathered his men together, and, with Allan and his young bride in their midst, they all turned their footsteps toward the woodlands. On the way thither Friar Tuck came close to Robin and plucked him by the sleeve. “Thou dost lead a merry life, good master,” quoth he, “but dost thou not think that it would be for the welfare of all your souls to have a good stout chaplain, such as I, to oversee holy matters? Truly, I do love this life mightily.” At this merry Robin Hood laughed amain, and bade him stay and become one of their band if he wished.

  Friar Tuck joins the band.

  That night there was such a feast held in the greenwood as Nottinghamshire never saw before. To that feast you and I were not bidden, and pity it is that we were not; so, lest we should both feel the matter the more keenly, I will say no more about it.

  Thus ends the merry story of Allan a Dale, and how Robin Hood and Friar Tuck benefited him. And now we shall hear anon of other troubles than those that beset gentle lovers, and how Robin Hood helped a good stout knight that was in sore need of aid. So listen to what follows.

  PART FIFTH.

  In which it is told how that Robin Hood met a sorrowful knight, and brought him to Sherwood. Also, how the Bishop of Hereford was more generous than he desired to be. Likewise it is told how Sir Richard of the Lea paid his debts in due season, both to the Prior of Emmet and to Robin Hood.