US & Canada Versions: 126. Robin Hood & the Tanner
[The lone version from North America was collected by Miss Martha Davis from her grandmother, and appears in Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1929. It has been reprinted in Folk Songs of North America by Lomax. The first four stanza are found in Child 131, Robin Hood and the Ranger.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
CONTENTS: (Ballad text appears below)
1)Robin Hood and Aurthur O'Bland- Davis 1882 (VA) Davis
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Notes from Kyle Davis, 1929:
ROBIN HOOD AND THE TANNER
(Child, No. 126)
For a general introduction to the Robin Hood cycle, see the head-note to No. 30, preceding. The story of the ballad as it appears in Child, is as follows: "Arthur a Bland, a Nottingham tanner, goes of a summer's morning into Sherwood forest to see the red deer. Robin Hood pretends to be a keeper and to see cause for staying the Tanner. The Tanner says that it will take more than one such to make him stand. They have a two hours' fight with staves, when Robin cries Hold! The Tanner henceforth shall be free of the forest, and if he will come and live with Robin Hood shall have both gold and fee. Arthur a Bland gives his hand never to part with Robin, and asks for Little John, whom he declares to be his kinsman. Robin Hood blows his horn. Little John comes at the call, and, learning what has been going on, would like to try a bout with the Tanner, but after a little explanation throws himself upon his kinsman's neck, The three take hands for a dance round the oak-tree."
The thirty-seven Child stanzas are represented by but twenty-four in the \/irginia text. A significant variation in the Virginia text is that Arthur O'Bland is the forester who stays Robin Hood and provokes the fight. The first Virginia stanza is certainly a monstrosity from the popular ballad point of view; most of the rest of the ballad, like its Child analogue, has a good popular ring. All told, the two ballads are very similar. Among the corresponding stanzas are Child 7 and 8 to Virginia 5 and 6, Child 14 and 15 to Virginia 7 and 8, Child 18, 19-20, and 21 to Virginia 10, 9, and 11, Child 24 and 25 to Virginia 13 and 14, and Child 28 to 37 to Virginia 15 to 24.
The only American reference would be to Bulletin, No. 2, p. 6, where this find was first announced.
"Robin Hood and Arthur O' Bland." Collected by Miss Martha M. Davis. Dictated by her grandmother, in 1882. Rockingham County. April 8, 1913. With music.
1 When Phoebus had melted the shackles of ice
And likewise the mountains of snow,
Bold Robin Hood, that archer so good,
Went frolicking abroad with his bow.
2 He left his merry men all behind,
As through the green woods he passed.
There did he behold a forester bold
Who cried out, "Friend, whither so fast?"
3 "I'm going," said Robin, " to kill a fat buck
For me and my merry men all,
And likewise a doe before that I go,
Or else it will cost me a fall."
4 "You'd best have a care," the forester said,
"For these are His Majesty's deer.
Before that you shoot, that thing I'll dispute,
For I am head forester here."
5 ". . .
And you have such great command,
You must have more partakers in store
Before that you make me to stand."
6 "I have no more partakers in store,
Nor any at all do I need;
But if I get a knock on your bare scalp,
. . . . "
7 "Let us measure our weapons," said bold Robin Hood,
" Before we begin the affray;
I wouldn't have mine any longer than thine
For that would be counted false play."
8 " I pass not for length," the stranger replied,
"For mine is of oak so free;
Six foot and a half will knock down a calf,
And I'm sure it will knock down thee."
9 About and about they lustily dealt
For almost two hours and morel
At every bang the woods they rang,
They plied their work so sore.
10 And Robin he raged like a wild boar
As soon as he saw his own blood.
Bland was in haste and laid on so fast,
As if he was cleaving of wood.
11 "Hold your hand," said jolly Robin,
"And let our quarrel fall.
Here we might thrash our bones to smash
And get no money at all."
12 "And what is your name?" said jolly Robin.
. . .
. . .
. . .
13 . . . .
"In Nottingham long have I wrought;
And if you come there, I vow and declare,
I'll tan your hide for naught."
14 . . .
"If you'll be so kind and free
If you'll tan my hide for naught,
I'll do the same for thee."
15 "Tell me, O tell me, where is Little John,
Of him fain would I hear,
For we are related by the mother's side,
And he is my kinsman near."
16 Then Robin he put his horn to his mouth
And blew both loud and shrill,
And quickly and soon appeared Little John
Tripping over the hill.
17 "What's the matter?" said Little John,
O master, I pray thee me tell,
Why do you" stand with your staff in your hand?
I fear that all isn't well."
18 "O,man, I stand, and he makes me to stand,
The tanner who stands by -y side;
He is a bold blade and mast.r of his trade
And sorely he's tanning my hide."
19 "He is to be commended," said Little John,
"If such a thing he can do;
If he is so stout we must have a bout,
And he shall tan my hide too."
20 "Hold your hand," said jolly Robin;
"As I do understand,
He's a yeoman good and of your own blood,
His name it is Arthur O'Bland."
21 Then Little John flung his staff away
As far as he could fling,
Then out of hand to Arthur O'Bland,
And about his neck he did cling.
22 For love and respect there was no neglect,
Thy neither were nice nor coy;
Each other did face with a comely grace,
And both did weep for joy.
23 Then Robin he took them both by the hand
And danced all around an oak tree,
And said, "Three merry men, and three merry men,
And three merry men are we.
24 "And ever hereafter, as long as we live,
We three shall be as one;
The woods they will ring and the old wives sing
Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John."