When Robin Hood was about
twenty years old, With a hey down, down,
and a down He happen'd to meet Little
John, A jolly brisk blade, right fit for
the trade, For he was a lusty young
man. Though
he was call'd Little, his limbs they were
large, And his stature was seven foot
high; Whereever he came, they quak'd at
his name, For soon he wou'd make them to
flie. How
they came acquainted, I'll tell you in
brief, If you will but listen a
while; For this very jest, amongst all
the rest, I think it may cause you to
smile. Bold
Robin Hood said to his jolly
bowmen, "Pray tarry you here in this
grove; And see that you all observe well
my call, While thorough the forest I
rove. "We
have had no sport for these fourteen long
days, Therefore now abroad will I
go; Now should I be beat, and cannot
retreat, My horn I will presently
blow." Then
did he shake hands with his merry men
all, And bid them at present good
by; Then, as near a brook his journey he
took, A stranger he chanc'd to
espy. They
happen'd to meet on a long narrow
bridge, And neither of them wou'd give
way; Quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily
stood, "I'll show you right Nottingham
play." With
that from his quiver an arrow he drew, A
broad arrow with a goose-wing: The
stranger replyd, "I'll licker thy
hide, If thou offer to touch the
string." Quoth
bold Robin Hood, "Thou dost prate like an ass,
For were I to bend but my
bow, I could send a dart quite through
thy proud heart, Before thou couldst
strike me one
blow." "You
talk like a coward," the stranger
reply'd; "Well arm'd with a long bow you
stand, To shoot at my breast, while I, I
protest, Have naught but a staff in my
hand." "The
name of a coward," quoth Robin, "I
scorn, Wherefore my long bow I'll lay
by; And now, for thy sake, a staff will
I take, The truth of thy manhood to
try." Then
Robin Hood stept to a thicket of
trees, And chose him a staff of ground
oak; Now this being done, away he did
run To the stranger and merrily
spoke: "Lo!
see my staff; it is lusty and tough, Now
here on the bridge we will play; Whoever
falls in, the other shall win The
battle, and so we'll
away." "With
all my whole heart to thy humor I
yield, I scorn in the least to give
out." This said, they fell to't without
more dispute, And their staffs they did
flourish
about. And
first Robin he gave the stranger a
bang, So hard that it made his bones
ring: The stranger he said, "This must
be repaid; I'll give you as good as you
bring. "So
long as I am able to handle my staff, To
die in your debt, friend, I scorn." Then
to it both goes, and follow'd their
blows, As if they'd been thrashing of
corn. The
stranger gave Robin a crack on the
crown, Which caused the blood to
appear; Then Robin, enrag'd, more
fiercely engag'd, And follow'd his blows
more
severe. So
thick and so fast did he lay it on
him, With a passionate fury and
eyre, At every stroke he made him to
smoke, As if he had been all on a
fire. O
then into a fury the stranger he
grew And gave him a damnable
look, And with it a blow that laid him
full low And tumbl'd him into the
brook. "I
prithee, good fellow, O where art thou now?"
The stranger in laughter he
cry'd; Quoth bold Robin Hood, "Good
faith, in the flood, And floting along
with the
tide. "I
needs must acknowledge thou art a brave
soul; With thee I'll no longer
contend; For needs must I say, thou hast
got the day, Our battle shall be at an
end." Then,
then, to the bank he did presently
wade, And pull'd himself out by a
thorn; Which done, at the last, he
blow'd a loud blast Straitways on his
fine
bugle-horn. The
eccho of which through the vallies did
flie, At which his stout bowmen
appear'd, All cloathed in green, most
gay, to be seen; So up to their master
they
steer'd. "O
what's the matter?" quoth William
Stutely, "Good master, you are wet to
the skin." "No matter," quoth he, "the
lad which you see, In fighting he
tumbl'd me
in." "He
shall not go scot free," the others reply'd; See footnote 1 So
straight they were seising him there, To
duck him likewise, but Robin Hood
cries, "He is a stout fellow,
forbear. "There's
no one shall wrong thee, friend, be not
afraid; These bowmen upon me do
wait; There's threescore and nine; if
thou wilt be mine, Thou shalt have my
livery
strait. "And
other accoutrements fit for my
train, Speak up, jolly blade, ne'r
fear; I'll teach thee also the use of
the bow, To shoot at the fat
fallow-deer." "O
here is my hand," the stranger
reply'd, "I'll serve you with all my
whole heart; My name is John Little, a
man of good mettle; Ne'r doubt me, for
I'll play my
part." "His
name shall be alter'd," quoth William
Stutely, "And I will his godfather
be; Prepare then a feast, and none of
the least, For we will be merry," quoth
he. They
presently fetch'd in a brace of fat
does, With humming strong liquor
likewise; They lov'd what was good, so
in the greenwood, This pritty sweet babe
they
baptize. He
was, I must tell you, but seven foot
high, And may be an ell in the
waste; A pritty sweet lad, much feasting
they had; Bold Robin the christ'ning
grac'd, With
all his bowmen, which stood in a
ring, And were of the Nottingham
breed; Brave Stutely comes then, with
seven yeomen, And did in this manner
proceed: "This
infant was called John Little," quoth
he, "Which name shall be changed
anon; The words we'll transpose, so
where-ever he goes, His name shall be
call'd Little
John." They
all with a shout made the elements
ring, So soon as the office was
o're; To feasting they went, with true
merriment, And tipl'd strong liquor
gallore. Then
Robin he took the pritty sweet babe, And
cloath'd him from top to the toe In
garments of green, most gay to be
seen, And gave him a curious long
bow. "Thou
shalt be an archer as well as the
best, And range in the green wood with
us; Where we'll not want gold nor
silver, behold, While bishops have ought
in their
purse. "We
live here like esquires, or lords of
renown, Without e're a foot of free
land; We feast on good cheer, with wine,
ale and beer, And ev'ry thing at our
command." Then
musick and dancing did finish the day At
length when the sun waxed low, Then all
the whole train the grove did
refrain, And unto their caves they did
go. And
so ever after, as long as he
liv'd, Although he was proper and
tall, Yet nevertheless, the truth to
express, Still Little John they did him
call.
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(see
note 3) young
man (see
note 12) at
once God
be with you
(goodbye) (see
note 25) true tan
(beat) nothing oak
sapling (see
note 50) (see
note 54) (see
note 64) (see
note 65) ire (see
note 73) (see
note 86) straightaway attend (see
note 108) (see
note 114) extremely forty-five
inches (see
note 125) galore
(in
plenty) (see
note 143) (see
note 146) ever grew (see
note 153) Always
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