and among the ballads published, the robin hood ballads are of special significance. robin hood, the...

And among the ballads published, the Robin Hood ballads are of special significance. Robin Hood, the famous outlaw welcomed by the poor was a half-historical and half-legendary hero. He and his men lived in the forest, fighting with the oppressors and protecting the poor and the oppressed.

Popular Ballad

23/4/18 1

Robin Hood and the Three Squires

Robin Hood and the Three Squires1

There are twelve months in all the year,As I hear many men say,But the merriest month in all the yearIs the merry month of May.

Notes:1. It is one of the more effective among the Robin Hood ballads, showing how Robin Hood disguised himself and saved the lives of the three squires who had been sentenced to death because of their killing of the king's deer. The stanza used here is typical of most ballads, i.e. quatrains with the first and third lines containing four stresses and the first and the second and forth lines three stresses, and with rimes occurring in the even-numbered lines.23/4/18 2

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a link-a-down and a-day2,And there he met a silly3 old woman,Was weeping on the way.

2. With a link-a-down and a-day: From the second stanza to the last, the ballad is divided into three parts, and each part begins with almost the same two lines “Now Robin Hood … and a-day” . “With a link-a-down and a-day” is a refrain, sung by the audience together with the ballad singer.3. silly: poor, innocent


Notes:

23/4/18 3

“What news? what news, thou silly old woman?What news hast thou for me?” Said she, “There's three squires in Nottingham town,Today is condemned to dee4.”

4. dee: die


Notes:

23/4/18 4

“O have they parishes burnt?” he said,“Or have they ministers5 slain?Or have they robbed any virgin,Or with other men's wives have lain6?”

5. minister: clergyman6. lain: past participle of “lie” . The phrase lie with means to make love with.


Notes:

23/4/18 5

“O what have they done?” said bold Robin Hood,“I pray thee tell to me.”“It's for slaying of the king's fallow7 deer,Bearing their longbows with thee8.”

7. fallow: brown-red8. Bearing their longbows with thee: carrying long bows like you


Notes:

23/4/18 6


23/4/18 7

“Dost thou not mind9, old woman,” he said,“Since10 thou made me sup and dine?By the truth of my body,” quoth11 bold Robin Hood,“You could not tell it in better time.”


9. Dose thou not mind: don't you remember10. Since: Before11. quoth: said

Notes:

23/4/18 8

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a link-a-down and a-day,And there he met with a silly old palmer12,Was walking along the highway.


Notes:

12. a silly old palmer: a poor old pilgrim

23/4/18 9

“What news? what news, thou silly old man?What news, I do thee pray?”Said he, “Three squires in Nottingham townAre condemned to die this day.”


23/4/18 10

“Come change thine13 apparel with me, old man,Come change thine apparel for mine.Here is forty shillings in good silver,Go drink it in beer or wine.”


Notes:13. thine: your. “Thine” is used before vowels and “thy” before consonance.

23/4/18 11

“O thine apparel is good,” he said,“And mine is ragged and torn.Wherever you go, wherever you ride,Laugh ne'er an old man to scorn14.”


Notes:

14. laugh ne'er an old man to scorn: Never to jeer at an old man.

23/4/18 12

“Come change thine apparel with me, old churl15,Come change thine apparel with mine:Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold,Go feast thy brethren16 with wine.”


Notes:

15. old churl: old fellow16. brethren: the plural form for “brother”

23/4/18 13

Then he put on the old man's hat,It stood full high on the crown17:“The first bold bargain that I come at,It shall made thee18 come down.”


Notes:17. on the crown: on the head18. thee: the hat

23/4/18 14

Then he put on the old man's cloak,Was patched19 black, blue, and red;He thought it no shame, all the day longTo wear the bags of bread20.


Notes:

19. Was patched: which was patched20. the bags of bread: The black, blue, and red patches sewed to the old man's cloak serve as bags to carry bread.

23/4/18 15

Then he put on the old man's breeks21,Was patched from ball up22 to side;“By the truth of my body,” bold Robin can say23,“This man loved little pride!”


Notes:

21. breeks: underbreeches22. ball up: center23. can say: did say

23/4/18 16

Then he put on the old man's hose24,Were patched from knee to wrist25;“By the truth of my body,” said bold Robin Hood,“I'd laugh if I had any list26!”


Notes:

24. hose: a covering for the leg or foot25. wrist: (here) ankle

26. list: desire

23/4/18 17

Then he put on the old man's shoes,Were patched both beneath and aboon27:The Robin Hood swore a solemn oath,“It's good habit28 that makes a men.”


Notes:27. aboon: above28. habit: clothing

23/4/18 18

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a link-a-down and a-down,And there he met with the proud Sheriff,Was walking along the town.


23/4/18 19

“O Christ you save29, O Sheriff,” he said,“O Christ you save and see:And what will you give to a silly old manToday will your hangman be?”


Notes:29. O Christ you save: O Christ save you.

23/4/18 20

“Some suits30, some suits,” the Sheriff he said,“Some suits I'll give to thee;Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen,Today's a hangman's fee.”


Notes:

30. Some suits: suits from the condemned

23/4/18 21

Then Robin he31 turns him round about,And jumps from stock32 to stone;“By the truth of my body,” the Sheriff he said,“That's well jumped, thou nimble old man.”


Notes:31. he: Robin Hood. “then Robin he turns” shows the case of pleonasm in rhetoric.32. stock: stump

23/4/18 22

“I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,Nor yet intends to trade33.But cursed be he,” said bold Robin,“That first a hangman was made.


Notes:

33. to trade: to be engaged in the trade of hanging people

23/4/18 23

“I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,And a bag for barley and corn;A bag for bread, and a bag for beef,And a bag for my little small horn.


23/4/18 24

“I have a horn in my pocket,I got it from Robin Hood;And still when I set it to my mouth,For thee it blows little good.”


23/4/18 25

“O wind thy horn34, thou proud fellow,Of thee I have no doubt35;I wish that thou give such a blastTill both thy eyes fall out.”

Notes:


34. wind thy horn: blow your horn35. Of thee I have no doubt: I have no fear of you.

23/4/18 26

The first loud blast that he did blow,He blew both loud and shrill;A hundred and forty of Robin Hood's menCame riding over the hill.


23/4/18 27

The next loud blast that he did give,He blew both loud and amain36;And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's menCame shining37 over the plain.

Notes:


36. amain: with main force, violently37. shining: making a brave show

23/4/18 28

“O who are yon,” the Sheriff he said,“Come tripping over the lea38?” “They're my attendants,” brave Robin did say,“They'll pay a visit to thee.”

Notes:


38. lea: meadow

23/4/18 29

They took the gallows from the slack39,They set it in the glen40;They hanged the proud Sheriff on that,Released their own three men.

Notes:


39. slack: a small shallow dell40. glen: a narrow valley

23/4/18 30

and among the ballads published, the robin hood ballads are of special significance. robin hood, the...

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