Robin Hood and the Monk

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Ballad
Child 119
Title Robin Hood and the Monk
Versions 1
Variants 2
Stanzas 90
Date c. 1450

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2013-08-15. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-27.

Plot

On their way to Nottingham to hear mass Robin Hood and Little John shoot for a wager. John wins, but Robin will not admit defeat. They quarrel, Robin hits John who returns to Sherwood in anger, while Robin proceeds alone to mass in Nottingham only to be recognized by a monk who summons the sheriff. After a valiant but hopeless struggle Robin is taken prisoner by the sheriff's posse. By some unknown means – there is a lacuna in the MS here – news of this is brought to the outlaws in Sherwood. Little John and Much intercept and kill the treacherous monk and his page who were on their way to the king in London bearing news from the sheriff of the capture of the outlaw. John and Much bring the letter to the king who gives them a reward and sends them back to the sheriff with notice that Robin is to be sent to him. Back in Nottingham, John and Much sleep over at the sheriff's after much dining and wining, but in the dead of night when the master of the household lies in a drunken sleep, they set Robin free after summarily dispatching the sheriff's porter. Once back in the forest Robin and John are soon reconciled. The king forgives the sheriff for letting Robin slip, for after all the king let himself be duped by Little John as much as the sheriff did.

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German