US & Can. Versions: 129. Robin Hood & the Prince of Aragon
[My title. The single ballad from tradition was taken from J. P. A. Nesbitt of New Brunswick in 1927. It was published in British Ballads from Maine in 1929. Although shorter than Child's 58 stanzas this is still quite long at 44 stanzas. Notes from Barry follow as well as the ballad text. Footnotes moved to the end.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
CONTENTS:
1) The Prince of Oregon- Nesbitt (NB) 1857 Barry
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From: British Ballads from Maine by Phillips Barry, Fannie Hardy Eckstorm, Mary Winslow Smyth - 1929
ROBIN HOOD AND THE PRINCE OF ARAGON
(Child 129)
From the recitation of Mr. J. P. A. Nesbitt, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, seventy-four years old, who learned it from his lather sixty years before. Text taken down, October, 1927; melody recorded by Mr. George Herzog, September 28, 1928.
The singer varied the last two phrases in a bewildering manner; the form as here given, seems best to indicate his intention.
Though not regarded as an ancient ballad, "Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon" is found in a ballad sheet printed before 1700, which is given in Child and in the Roxburghe Ballads, reprinted by the Ballad society, 11, 4131-440. Mr. Nesbitt should not be charged with the absurdities of the piece. The original, in 58 stanzas, is highly ridiculous; it is a 'Mysteries of Udolpho" done into small-town rhymes. Mr. Nesbitt's Wilt Scarlet replaces the Will Scadlock of the old broadside, but is the same person. In reciting the first lines he mentions Little John, as in the printed sheet; but in singing the same lines, Little John was omitted.
1 Robin Hood and Will Scarlot and Little John
Was roamin' over the plain;
A good fat buck Will Scarlot
By his own bow had slain.
2 "Jog along, jog along," quayth Robin Hood,
"The day has run full fast;
My nephew's not a breakfast gave,
"So I've not broke my fast."
3 Wi' geestern an' jokin' they spent their day,
Till Phoebe sunk into the deep,
And each man to their own quarters went
Their own guard for to keep.
4 They hadn't travelled the greenwood long
Till Robin Hood did spy
A beautiful damsel come jogging along
All on her black palfrey did ride.
5 Her ridin' suit was the saddle-hue black,[1]
A sypress[2] over her face,
A red rosee her cheek did blush,
All with a comerly grace.
6 "Where are you goin'?" says Will Scarlot,
"Pretty maid, come tell me right;
Where are you from, or whither thou goest,
All in such a mournful plight?"
7 "From Dublin City," the damsel cries,
"From London all on those towns;[3]
It is a grievious thing to tell,
Likewise 'tis a foryen arms.
8 "For the Prince of Oregon
Sware by his masked hand[4]
He has a princess as his spouse
Or else he'll spoil this land.
9 "Unless those champions can be found
To dare to fight three and three,
Against those twins, though giants two,
So horrible to see.
10 "The grevi looks and eyes that burned[5]
Strike terror from whence they come,
And serpent hissin' on their heads
Instead of feather plume.
11 "We are three damsels sent abroad
From East, West, North and South
To see what fortune could be great
To bring those champions forth.
12 "But all in vain we set about
Where none so brave they are
That would dare venture flesh and blood
To free a lady fair."
13 "When is the day," quayth Robin Hood,
"Tell me and no more."
"On midsummer next," the damsel cries,
"On June the twenty-four."
14 And as the tears trickled down her cheeks
And silent was her tongue,
The sigh and grief she took her leaf,
And away her palfrey sprung.
15 The news struck Robin to the heart,
He fell down on the grass,
His actions and his troubl-ed mind
Show how deplex[6] he was.
16 "What is the matter?" said Wilt Scarlot,
"Dear master tell to me;
If the damsel's eyes have pierced your heart'
I'll bring her back to thee'"
17 "No, nay, no nay," quayth Robin Hood,
"Not her that caused my smart;
It is the poor distressed Princess,
She's wounded to the heart.
18 "I will fight those giants all
To set this lady free,"
"Bad luck to me," said Little John,
"If I part with my companee."
19 "shall I stay behind?" said Will Scarlot;
"Oh, nay, that will not be,
I'll make you third man in the fight,
So we'll be three and three."
20 The news struck Robin to the heart,
Love shin-ed in his face,
And with his arms he hugged them both
And kindly them embraced.
2l "We'll put on our mantles grace,[7]
With long staves in our hands,
Scrips and bottles from our side,
Like them from the Holy Land.
22 "So we'll march along the highway,
No one would ask us whence we come;
They'd take us Pilgrims for to be,
Or else some holy men."
23 Now they're on their journey gone
As fast as they could speed;
But all the haste that they had made,
The Princess forth was led.
24 To deliver unto the prince,
Who in the list did stand,
Ready to fight or else receive
His lady by the hand.
25 The prince he walked around the list
With the giants by his side;
"Bring me the champions," he cries,
"Or bring me forth my bride;
26 "For this is the four and twentieth day,
The day we pitched upon;
Bring me my bride, or London burns,
I swear by archerin' !"[8]
27 Then up stepped the king and queen,
Weepin' as they spake,
"Here we bring our daughter dear,
Her we're forced to forsake."
28 And then upspeak-ed Robin Hood:
"For my pledge[9], it is not so;
As pretty as the fair princess is
She's not for tyrants small."
29 "You infidel, you tyrant Turk,
You frantic fool barboon,
How dare you stop my victor's prize,
I would kill you with a frown!"
30 "You infidel, you tyrant Turk,"
Robin Hood replies,
"Your frown I scorn, lo! here's my gage,
And that I will defy.
31 "And as for your two G'liers[10] there
That stand on either side,
Here is two little Davids
They will soon tame their pride."
32 Then the Prince for armor sent,
For sword, lances and shields,
And all those three with armor bright
Came marching to the field.
33 The trumpets commenced to sound each charge,
Each singled out their man,
Arms in pieces was hewn,
Blood sprung from every vein.
34 At length the Prince reached Robin a blow,
He struck with might and main,
Caused him to kneel about the field,
As though he had been slain.
35 "God crave mercy for that blow,"
Robin Hood replies,
"That blow shows a fair dispose
Between you and Your bride."[11]
36 Then from his shoulders he cut hit head
And to the ground did fall,
With a grumbling sound of Robin Hood
Would be redealt with all.[12]
37 He saw the giants in their rage
To see their prince lie dead.
"You'll be the next," said Little John,
"If you don't guide your head."
38 And with his sword he turned about
A bin keen and sharp;
He closed[13] the giant by the belt
And he cut between[14] his heart.
39 Now Will Scarlot he played his part,
He brought his to the knee;
He says, "The devil will break his heart,
So it will take all three."[15]
40 Now the field with joy was filled,
The sky did renoun;
He's brought the princess to herself,
She's lying in a swound.
41 "The princess as she the victors spies, [16]
She can't have all three;"
"She shall choose," says Will Scarlot;
Little John says, "She ain't for me."
42 The princess she lookt on those three
With a calm and comely grace;
She took Wilt Scarlot by the arm,
And says she: "I've made my choice."
43 Then up stepped a Maxler,
And a Maxler was he;[17]
He looked Will Scarlot in the face
And he wept most bitterly.
44 He says, "I had a son like thee
Who I liked wondersome well,
He's either gone, or else he's dead;
His name was Youngham Well."[18]
45 Will Scarlot fell on his knees,
Said, "Father, father dear,
Here is your son, Your Youngham Well,
You said you liked so dear."
46 How more embracin' could there be
When all those friends were met;
They're gone to the weddin', they're now to the beddin',
And I bid them all farewell.
1. Saddle-hue--sable hue.
2. Sypress-- a veil (Child).
3. "All on the Thames."
4. Masked hand--martial hand.
5. "Grisly looks and. eyes that burned.."
6. Deplex-- perplexed.
7 Grace--gris, grey.
8. "I swear by Acaron," i.e., Al Caron, El Koran, this Moor from Aragon.
9. My liege.
10. Goliaths.
11 God-a-mercy," quoth Robin, "for that blow!
The quarrel shall soon be try'd
This stroke shall shew a full divorce
Betwixt thee and thy bride."
12 And grumbling sore at Robin Hood
To be so dealt withal."
13 Closed-clove.
14 Between-in twain.
15 Quoth he, "The devil cannot break his fast,
Unless he have you all three."
16 "The princess I promised the victor's prize."
17 "Of Maxfield earl was he."
18. Young Gamwell.
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Coffin; 1950
129. ROBIN HOOD AND THE PRINCE OF ARAGON
Texts: Barry, Brit Bids Me, 233.
Local Titles: None given.
Story Types: A: Robin Hood, Will Scarlet, and Little John in the wood meet a girl who says a princess must marry the Prince of Aragon (Oregon) unless she and two other girls can find three champions to battle the Prince and his two serpent-crowned giants. The three adventurers plan to accept the challenge, and, when they do, the Prince is greatly annoyed. The villains are slain, and Will finds his long lost father. He also wins the princess who chooses him over the two other champions.
Examples: Barry.
Discussion: The Maine version is obviously from print and is a pretty poor specimen. The story, although more compact than Child, III, 147, is the same story.