Robin Hood and Little John

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

“Robin Hood fights Little John,” from Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band; Their Famous Exploits in Sherwood Forest, by Louis Rhead, 1912.

When Robin Hood was about twenty years old,

With a hey down, down, and a down;

He happened to meet Little John,

A jolly brisk blade, right fit for the trade;

For he was a lusty young man.

At last the great feast and merry sports were done. Then Robin said to his jolly bowmen: "This day I mean to fare forth to seek adventures. Mayhap I shall find some tall knight or fat abbot with an overfull purse." Picking out a few followers, he said to the rest: "Pray tarry, my merry men, in this our grove, and see that ye heed well my call, for should I be hard bestead I will sound three blasts on my horn, and then ye shall know that I am in dire need. So come to help me with all speed."

So saying, he wended his way with those he had chosen, to the outskirts of Sherwood Forest. At last they came to a meadow hard by a village, through which flowed a stream, little but deep.

"Bide here, my lads," quoth Robin, "behind these trees, while I go forth to meet yon tall fellow whom I see stalking forth this way."

So Robin started toward a long, narrow bridge made of a huge, flattened tree-trunk that spanned the brook. Now it chanced that both he and the stranger set foot upon the bridge at the same instant. They eyed each other up and down, and Robin said to himself, "This tall, lusty blade would be a proper man for our band, for he stands nigh seven foot high, and hath a mighty frame." Then, to test if the fellow's valor were equal to his height, bold Robin sturdily stood and said: "Get off the bridge and give way. Dost thou not see there's no room for both to cross?"

"Get off thyself, thou saucy knave, or I'll baste thy hide with my staff," the stranger replied.

Then Robin drew from his quiver a long, straight shaft and fitted it to his bow-string.

"Thou pratest like an ass," quoth he. "Ere thou couldst strike me one blow I could send this goose-winged shaft through thy heart."

"None but a base coward would shoot at my breast while I have naught but a staff in my hand to reach thee."

At this Robin lowered his bow and thrust the shaft back into the quiver. "I scorn thee," he said, "as I do the name of a coward, and to prove that I fear thee not let me lay by my longbow and choose a tough staff of ground-oak from yonder thicket. Then here upon this narrow bridge we will fight, and whosoever shall be doused in the brook shall own himself beaten."

The tall stranger replied, "That suits me full well to a dot, and here will I abide till thou comest."

Then bold Robin strode off to the thicket, where he cut and trimmed a trusty, knotted six-foot staff. Sooth to say, the more he looked upon the stranger the less he relished coming to blows with him, for he thought he had never seen a sturdier knave. None the less he stepped upon the bridge and began to flourish his staff above his head right bravely. With watchful eyes and careful tread both stepped forward till they met in the middle.

In a trice Robin gave the stranger a crack on his broad neck that made his bones ring like stones in a tin can; but he was as tough as he was big, and he said naught but, "One good turn deserves another." With that he whirled his great staff faster and faster, bringing it down on Robin's guard with such a rain of blows that one would think twenty men were at it. Both played so rapidly and the blows were so deftly struck that neither one after half an hour's battle seemed to gain a whit. Robin tried all his skill in parrying and feinting, but he could do no more than give the stranger a whack on his ribs and shoulder which only made him grunt. As he began to grow weary the other laid on the faster, so that Robin's jacket smoked with many a thwack and he felt as if he were on fire.

At last he got a crack on the crown that caused the blood to flow down his cheek, but he only fought the more fiercely and pressed on so hard that the stranger slipped and nigh fell over. But he regained his footing, and with a furious onslaught he brought his staff down with such tremendous force that he smashed Robin's staff into smithers and toppled him with a great splash full on his back into the brook.

"Prithee, good fellow, where art thou now?" quoth the stranger.

"Good faith, in the flood," quoth Robin, "and floating along with the tide."

Thereupon he waded the stream and pulled himself up on the bank by an overhanging branch. He sat him down, wet to the skin, and laughingly cried, "My brave soul, thou hast won the bout, and I'll no longer fight with thee." So saying, he set his horn to his lips and blew a loud blast, whereat the stout yeomen came running forth from behind the trees.

"Oh, what is the matter, good master?" they cried. "Thou art as wet as a drown'd rat."

"Matter or no matter," quoth Robin, "yon tall fellow hath in fighting tumbled me into the brook."

"Seize him, comrades, for in the brook he shall likewise go to cool his hot spirit," said one.

"Nay, nay, forbear," cried Robin, "he is a stout fellow. They shall do thee no harm, my tall friend. These bowmen are my followers, with three score and nine others, and if thou wilt, my jolly blade, thou shalt join us and be my good right-hand man. Three good suits of Lincoln green shalt thou have each year and a full share in all we take. We'll teach thee to shoot the fat fallow deer, and thou shalt eat sweet venison steak whene'er thou wilt, washed down with foaming ale. What saist thou, sweet chuck?"

The stranger replied, "Here is my hand on't, and with my whole heart will I serve so bold a leader, for no man living doubteth that I, John Little, can play my part with the best. But on one condition will I join your band."

"And what may that be?" quoth Robin.

"It is that ye show me an archer who can mend a shot I shall shoot with stout long-bow and arrow."

"Well, thou shalt shoot," quoth Robin, "and we will mend thy shot if we may." So saying, he went and cut a willow wand about the thickness of a man's thumb and, peeling off the skin, set it up before a tree fivescore paces away. "Now," quoth he, "do thou choose a bow to thy liking from among all my men, and let us see thy skill."

"That will I, blithely," quoth John. Choosing the stoutest bow and straightest arrow he could find among a group lying on the sward, he took most careful aim, pulling the arching bow to its utmost stretch. The arrow flew, and lodged with its point right through the wand. "A brave shot!" cried the archers all.

"Canst thou mend that, bold outlaw?" asked John.

"I cannot mend the shot, but I'll noch thy shaft in twain." So saying, Robin took his bow, put on a new string, and chose a perfect, straight arrow with gray goose feathers truly tied. Then, bending the great bow, he let fly the shaft. For a moment the archers watched, breathless; then, with shouts of glee, they saw the stranger's arrow split fairly in twain.

"Enough," quoth John. "Never before have I seen so true an eye guide a shaft. Now I know an archer fit to serve."

All cried out that he had said well, and then in right merry mood they started back to their forest home, there to feast and christen their new comrade. The rest of the outlaw band gave them a joyful welcome, and soon brought in a brace of fat does roasted to a nut-brown color, with casks of humming strong ale. When all were seated 'neath the friendly shade of the great oak, Robin placed John beside him, and they all feasted to their hearts' content, with song and merry jest, and oft Robin told the tale of the great fight on the bridge.

"And now, my jolly companions, let us have the christening," quoth he, at last.

So they made big John sit down, and seven archers formed in a circle round him. Then a bald-headed yeoman offered to act the part of priest. He came forth holding up a tankard of ale, and asked:

"What name shall we call this pretty sweet babe?"

As no one spake, he answered himself.

"This infant," quoth he, "was called John Little, but that name we shall change anon. Henceforth, wherever he goes, not John Little, but Little John shall he be called."

The liquor was then poured over John's head, trickling down his face; and so they baptized him. With shouts of laughter that made the forest ring, in which Little John merrily joined, the christening came to an end with sweet song and jocund jest.

Then Robin took Little John to the treasure chamber and gave him a suit of Lincoln green and a great bow of yew.

Rhead, Louis. Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band; Their Famous Exploits in Sherwood Forest. Harper & Bros.

Louis Rhead

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