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RobinHood1RobinHoodJ.WalkerMcSpaddenRobinHood2CHAPTERIHOWROBINHOODBECAMEANOUTLAWListandhearken,gentlemen,Thatbeoffree-bornblood,Ishallyoutellofagoodyeoman,HisnamewasRobinHood.Robinwasaproudoutlaw,Whileashewalkedontheground.SocourteousanoutlawashewasoneWasnevernoneelsefound.InthedaysofgoodKingHarrytheSecondofEngland--heofthewarringsons--therewerecertainforestsinthenorthcountrysetasidefortheKing'shunting,andnomanmightshootdeerthereinunderpenaltyofdeath.TheseforestswereguardedbytheKing'sForesters,thechiefofwhom,ineachwood,wasnomeanmanbutequalinauthoritytotheSheriffinhiswalledtown,oreventomylordBishopinhisabbey.OneofthegreatestofroyalpreserveswasSherwoodandBarnesdaleforestsnearthetwotownsofNottinghamandBarnesdale.HereforsomeyearsdweltoneHughFitzoothasHeadForester,withhisgoodwifeandsonRobert.TheboyhadbeenborninLockesleytown--intheyear1160,sternrecordssay--andwasoftencalledLockesley,orRobofLockesley.Hewasacomely,well-knitstripling,andassoonashewasstrongenoughtowalkhischiefdelightwastogowithhisfatherintotheforest.Assoonashisrightarmreceivedthewandsinewhelearnedtodrawthelongbowandspeedatruearrow.WhileonwintereveningshisgreatestjoywastohearhisfathertellofboldWillo'theGreen,theoutlaw,whoformanysummersdefiedtheKing'sForestersandfeastedwithhismenuponKing'sdeer.Andonotherstormydaystheboylearnedtowhittleoutastraightshaftforthelongbow,andtipitwithgraygoosefeathers.Thefondmothersighedwhenshesawtheboy'sfacelightupatthesewoodlandtales.Shewasofgentlebirth,andhadhopedtoseehersonfamousatcourtorabbey.Shetaughthimtoreadandtowrite,todoffhiscapwithoutawkwardnessandtoanswerdirectlyandtruthfullybothlordandpeasant.Buttheboy,althoughhetookkindlytotheselessonsofbreeding,wasyethappiestwhenhehadhisbelovedbowinhandandstrolledatwill,listeningtothemurmurofthetrees.RobinHood3TwoplaymateshadRobinthesegladsomeearlydays.OnewasWillGamewell,hisfather'sbrother'sson,wholivedatGamewellLodge,hardbyNottinghamtown.TheotherwasMarianFitzwalter,onlychildoftheEarlofHuntingdon.ThecastleofHuntingdoncouldbeseenfromthetopofoneofthetalltreesinSherwood;andonmorethanonebrightdayRob'swhitesignalfromthistreetoldMarianthatheawaitedherthere:foryoumustknowthatRobdidnotvisitheratthecastle.Hisfatherandherfatherwereenemies.SomepeoplewhisperedthatHughFitzoothwastherightfulEarlofHuntingdon,butthathehadbeendefraudedoutofhislandsbyFitzwalter,whohadwontheKing'sfavorbyacrusadetotheHolyLand.ButlittlecaredRoborMarianforthisenmity,howeverithadarisen.Theyknewthatthegreatgreen--woodwasopentothem,andthatthewide,wideworldwasfullofthescentofflowersandthesongofbirds.Daysofyouthspeedalltooswiftly,andtroubledskiescomealltoosoon.Rob'sfatherhadtwootherenemiesbesidesFitzwalter,inthepersonsoftheleanSheriffofNottinghamandthefatBishopofHereford.ThesethreeenemiesonedaygotpossessionoftheKing'searandwhisperedthereintosuchgood--orevil--purposethatHughFitzoothwasremovedfromhispostofKing'sForester.HeandhiswifeandRob,thenayouthofnineteen,weredescendedupon,duringacoldwinter'sevening,anddispossessedwithoutwarning.TheSheriffarrestedtheForesterfortreason--ofwhich,poorman,hewasasguiltlessasyouorI--andcarriedhimtoNottinghamjail.Robandhismotherwereshelteredovernightinthejail,also,butnextmorningwereroughlybadetogoabouttheirbusiness.Thereupontheyturnedforsuccortotheironlykinsman,SquireGeorgeofGamewell,whoshelteredtheminallkindness.Buttheshock,andthewinternight'sjourney,provedtoomuchforDameFitzooth.Shehadnotbeenstrongforsometimebeforeleavingtheforest.Inlessthantwomonthsshewasnomore.Robfeltasthoughhisheartwasbrokenatthisloss.Butscarcelyhadthefirstspringflowersbeguntoblossomuponhergrave,whenhemetanothercrushingblowinthelossofhisfather.ThatsternmanhaddiedinprisonbeforehisaccuserscouldagreeuponthechargesbywhichhewastobebroughtRobinHood4totrial.Twoyearspassedby.Rob'scousinWillwasawayatschool;andMarian'sfather,whohadlearnedofherfriendshipwithRob,hadsenthisdaughtertothecourtofQueenEleanor.Sotheseyearswerelonelyonestotheorphanedlad.ThebluffoldSquirewaskindtohim,butsecretlycouldmakenothingofonewhowentaboutbroodingandasthoughseekingforsomethinghehadlost.ThetruthisthatRobmissedhisoldlifeintheforestnolessthanhismother'sgentleness,andhisfather'scompanionship.Everytimehetwangedthestringofthelongbowagainsthisshoulderandheardthegraygooseshaftsing,ittoldhimofhappydaysthathecouldnotrecall.OnemorningasRobcameintobreakfast,hisunclegreetedhimwith,Ihavenewsforyou,Rob,mylad!andtheheartyoldSquirefinishedhisdraughtofaleandsethispewtertankarddownwithacrash.Whatmaythatbe,UncleGamewell?askedtheyoungman.Hereisachancetoexerciseyourgoodlongbowandwinaprettyprize.TheFairisonatNottingham,andtheSheriffproclaimsanarcher'stournament.ThebestfellowsaretohaveplaceswiththeKing'sForesters,andtheonewhoshootsstraightestofallwillwinforprizeaoldenarrow--auselessbaubleenough,butjustthethingforyourladylove,eh,Robmyboy?HeretheSquirelaughedandwhackedthetableagainwithhistankard.Rob'seyessparkled.'Twereindeedworthshootingfor,unclemine,hesaid.Ishoulddearlylovetoletarrowflyalongsideanotherman.AndaplaceamongtheForestersiswhatIhavelongdesired.Willyouletmetry?Tobesur