Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part B

 Notes for The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child

Statue of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest from Wikimedia UK (source: Wikimedia).

"The Bishop of Hereford"

• Robin Hood 
• In disguise as a shepherd
• Wants to rob the Bishop of Hereford with 6 of his men 
"‘Come, kill a venson,’ said bold Robin Hood,
‘Come, kill me a good fat deer.
The Bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day,
And he shall pay well for his cheer.’

‘We’ll kill a fat venson,’ said bold Robin Hood,
‘And dress it by the highway-side,
And we will watch the Bishop narrowly,
Lest some other way he should ride.’"
• 30 more men arrive when he blows his bugle horn 
• Tells Little John to cut off the Bishop of Hereford's head 
• He and Little John steal 300 pounds 
• Bishop of Hereford
• Comes through Barnsdale with his company 
• Asks Robin Hood why he wants to kill the king's venison 
• Robin Hood claims that they are shepherds and deserve to be merry on this day 
• Wants to tell the king 
• Tries to get Robin Hood and his men to come along with him to go before the king
• Begs Robin Hood not to take him 
• Robin Hood repeats his line back to him "No pardon, no pardon, no pardon I thee owe."
• He is let go after his money is taken 

"The Golden Prize" 

• Robin Hood 
• "He compels the priests to change their wicked ways! Notice also this nice detail: Robin makes the greenwood itself a holy place, like a church, making the priests swear 'upon this holy grass.'"
• Hangs out with Little John, Fryer Tuck, Will Scarlet, and Maid Marion 
• Disguises himself and meets priests 
• He asks the priests for food and water 
• Chases the priests and yanks them off their horses when they lie to him 
• Robin searches them for gold
• Makes them swear not to lie, have sex with maids/men's wives again + to be more charitable to the poor 
• The priests 
• Lusty 
• Clad in all black 
• Riding gallantly on horses 
• Claim they have been robbed and, therefore, have no money