No. 137: Robin Hood and the Pedlars
[There are no known traditional US or Canadian versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote (Found at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 137. Robin Hood and the Pedlars
A. Roud 3987: Robin Hood & the Pedlars (2 listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson's traditional music version)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A with additional notes)]
Child's Narative: Robin Hood and the Pedlars
A. 'Robinhood and the Peddlers,' the fourth ballad in a Manuscript formerly in the possession of J. Payne Collier, now in the British Museum; previously printed in Gutch's Robin Hood, II, 351.
The manuscript in which this ballad occurs contains a variety of matters, and, as the best authority [1] has declared, may in part have been written as early as 1650, but all the ballads are in a nineteenth-century hand, and some of them are maintained to be forgeries. I see no sufficient reason for regarding this particular piece as spurious, and therefore, though I should be glad to be rid of it, accept it for the present as perhaps a copy of a broadside, or a copy of a copy.
The story resembles that of Robin Hood's Delight, pedlars taking the place of keepers; but Robin is reduced to an ignominy paralleled only in the second ballad of Robin Hood and the Beggar. Robin Hood, accompanied by Scarlet and John, bids three pedlars stand. They pay no heed, and he sends an arrow through the pack of one of them. Hereupon they throw down their packs and wait for their assailants to come up. Robin's bow is broken by a blow from a staff of one of the pedlars. Robin calls a truce until he and his men can get staves. There is then an equal fight, the end of which is that Robin Hood is knocked senseless and left in a swoon, tended by Scarlet and John. But before the pedlars set forward, Kit o Thirsks, the best man of the three, and the one who has fought with Robin, administers a balsam to his fallen foe, which he says will heal his hurts, but which operates unpleasantly.
Thirsk is about twenty miles from York, in the North Riding.
Footnote: 1. Mr. E. Maunde Thompson, Keeper of the Manuscripts in the British Museum, in an obliging letter to Harvard College Library, and in The Academy, 1885, March 7, p. 170. No 8 C of this collection is in this manuscript.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
The manuscript in which this ballad occurs contains a variety of matters, and, as the best authority has declared, may in part have been written as early as 1650, but all the ballads are in a nineteenth-century hand, and some of them are maintained to be forgeries. There is no sufficient reason for regarding this particular piece as spurious; it may be a copy of a broadside, or a copv of a copy. The story resembles that of 'Robin Hood's Delight' (No, 136), pedlars taking the place of keepers; but Robin is reduced to an ignominy paralleled only in the second ballad of 'Robin Hood and the Beggar' (No, 134).
Child's Ballad Text
'Robinhood and the Peddlers'- Version A; Child 137 Robin Hood and the Pedlars
'Robinhood and the Peddlers,' the fourth ballad in a Manuscript formerly in the possession of J. Payne Collier, now in the British Museum; previously printed in Gutch's Robin Hood, II, 351.
1 Will you heare a tale of Robin Hood,
Will Scarlett, and Little John?
Now listen awhile, it will make you smile,
As before it hath many done.
2 They were archers three, of hie degree,
As good as ever drewe bowe;
Their arrowes were long and their armes were strong,
As most had cause to knowe.
3 But one sommers day, as they toke their way
Through the forrest of greene Sherwood,
To kill the kings deare, you shall presently heare
What befell these archers good.
4 They were ware on the roade of three peddlers with loade,
Ffor each had his packe,
Ffull of all wares for countrie faires,
Trusst up upon his backe.
5 A good oke staffe, a yard and a halfe,
Each one had in his hande;
And they were all bound to Nottingham towne,
As you shall understand.
6 'Yonder I see bolde peddlers three,'
Said Robin to Scarlett and John;
'We'le search their packes upon their backes
Before that they be gone.
7 'Holla, good fellowes!' quod Robin Hood,
'Whither is it ye doe goe?
Now stay and rest, for that is the best,
'Tis well ye should doe soe.'
8 'Noe rest we neede, on our roade we speede,
Till to Nottingham we get:'
'Thou tellst a lewde lye,' said Robin, 'For I
Can see that ye swinke and swet.'
9 The peddlers three crosst over the lee,
They did not list to fight:
'I charge you tarrie,' quod Robin, 'For marry,
This is my owne land by right.
10 'This is my manner and this is my parke,
I would have ye for to knowe;
Ye are bolde outlawes, I see by cause
Ye are so prest to goe.'
11 The peddlers three turned round to see
Who it might be they herd;
Then agen went on as they list to be gone,
And never answered word.
12 Then toke Robin Hood an arrow so good,
Which he did never lacke,
And drew his bowe, and the swift arrowe
Went through the last peddlers packe.
13 Ffor him it was well on the packe it fell,
Or his life had found an ende;
And it pierst the skin of his backe within,
Though the packe did stand his frend.
14 Then downe they flung their packes eche one,
And stayde till Robin came:
Quod Robin, I saide ye had better stayde;
Good sooth, ye were to blame.
15 'And who art thou? by S. Crispin, I vowe
I'le quickly cracke thy head!'
Cried Robin, Come on, all three, or one;
It is not so soone done as said.
16 My name, by the roode, is Robin Hood,
And this is Scarlett and John;
It is three to three, ye may plainelie see,
Soe now, brave fellowes, laye on.
17 The first peddlars blowe brake Robins bowe
That he had in his hand;
And Scarlett and John, they eche had one
That they unneath could stand.
18 'Now holde your handes,' cride Robin Hood,
'Ffor ye have got oken staves;
But tarie till wee can get but three,
And a fig for all your braves.'
19 Of the peddlers the first, his name Kit o Thirske,
Said, We are all content;
Soe eche tooke a stake for his weapon, to make
The peddlers to repent.
20 Soe to it they fell, and their blowes did ring well
Uppon the others backes;
And gave the peddlers cause to wish
They had not cast their packes.
21 Yet the peddlers three of their blowes were so free
That Robin began for to rue;
And Scarlett and John had such loade laide on
It made the sunne looke blue.
22 At last Kits oke caught Robin a stroke
That made his head to sound;
He staggerd, and reelde, till he fell on the fielde,
And the trees with him went round.
23 'Now holde your handes,' cride Little John,
And soe did Scarlett eke;
'Our maister is slaine, I tell you plaine,
He never more will speake.'
24 'Now, heaven forefend he come to that ende,'
Said Kit, 'I love him well;
But lett him learne to be wise in turne,
And not with pore peddlers mell.
25 'In my packe, God wot, I a balsame have got
That soone his hurts will heale;'
And into Robin Hoods gaping mouth
He presentlie powrde some deale.
26 'Now fare you well, tis best not to tell
How ye three peddlers met;
Or if ye doe, prithee tell alsoe
How they made ye swinke and swett.'
27 Poore Robin in sound they left on the ground,
And hied them to Nottingham,
While Scarlett and John Robin tended on,
Till at length his senses came.
28 Noe soone[r], in haste, did Robin Hood taste
The balsame he had tane,
Than he gan to spewe, and up he threwe
The balsame all againe.
29 And scarlett and John, who were looking on
Their maister as he did lie,
Had their faces besmeard, both eies and beard,
Therewith most piteously.
30 Thus ended that fray; soe beware alwaye
How ye doe challenge foes;
Looke well aboute they are not to stoute,
Or you may have worst of the blowes