Robin Hood and Alan-a Dale

Robin Hood and Maid Marian were standing under a tree in the greenwood when a young man came along the forest road. The young man was good to see, in his new red clothes. His face was happy, and he was singing merrily.

Next morning, Robin and Marian saw the same young man. He had thrown away his red clothes, he was not singing, and his face was very sad.

Little John and Much the miller’s son came out from among the trees and stood in front of the young man.

Little John said, “We don’t want to hurt you. Just come and speak to our leader, under that greenwood tree.”

The young man came and stood unhappily in front of Robin Hood.

Robin spoke kindly to him. “Do you have any money that you don’t need it? We know a lot of people that need it.”

Very sadly the young man said, “I have only ten pence and a gold ring. The ring was for a beautiful young woman. I was going to marry her today, but they have taken her away from me. They are going to marry her to a rich old knight. I don’t want to live without her. Take my ten pence, and let me die.”

“Tell me your name,” said Robin Hood.

“My name is Alan-a-Dale.”

“And you have no money,” said Robin Hood, “so what will you give me to get her back for you? I am Robin Hood.”

“I have no money, Robin Hood, but I will promise to be your very good servant. I will be your man for as long as you need me.”

“How far away is your lady-love’s home, and where is the marriage to be?”

“Her home is an hour’s walking from here. The marriage is to be at the church near her home in an hour.”

Robin Hood ran with Alan-a-Dale and some of his men. They did not stop and they got to the church before anybody. Alan-a-Dale and the outlaws hid, and the only Robin went into the church. He took a harp with him and he waited.

A fat churchman came into the church.

“What are you doing here?” he asked Robin.

“I am a harper,” said Robin. “I am the best harper in the north of England.”

“Oh, welcome!” said the churchman.”I love harp music. What will you play for me?”

Just then, a rich knight came into the church. He was old, and ugly, and fat. A very pretty young woman came and stood unhappily beside him.

“This is not right!” cried Robin Hood. “This young woman mustn’t marry that old man.” It isn’t fair. – But I came to make music. Listen.”

But they didn’t hear Robin’s harp. They heard him sound his horn, three times.

Twenty-four brave bowmen came running to the church. And Alan-a-Dale brought Robin’s bow and gave it to him. The bowmen stood round the people in church, with arrows ready.

The pretty young woman ran to Alan-a-Dale, and he held her in his arms.

“Marry them,” Robin said to the churchman.

“It’s not right,” the churchman said. “By the laws of England, the people in church must be asked three times. Only then can a man and woman be married.”

Robin Hood pulled off the churchman’s coat, and he put it on Little John. “Now you are a churchman, Little John. Do what must be done.”

Little John stood in front of the people in the church. He was a very big man, and the people began to laugh. He asked then seven times. (“Three times doesn’t seem very much,” he said.)

And then, “Who gives this woman to Alan-a-Dale?” Little John asked.

“I do,” said Robin Hood. “And if anybody takes her away from Alan-a-Dale, he’ll have to answer to me.”

So Alan-a-Dale was married to his lady-love. She looked beautiful on her happiness. And they all went back to the greenwood, to live free in the forest air.

Geoffrey Chaucer

The Wife of Bath¹

A worthy woman from beside Bath city was with us, somewhat deaf², which was a pity.

In making cloth she showed so great a bent³ She bettered those of Ypres and of Ghent⁴.

In all the parish not a dame dared stir⁵ Towards the altar steps in front of her.

And if indeed they did, so wrath⁶ was she As to be quite put out of charity⁷.

Her kerchiefs⁸ were of finely woven ground⁹,

I dared have sworn¹⁰ they weighed a good ten pound The ones she wore on Sunday, on her head.

Her hose¹¹ were of the finest scarlet red

.And gartered¹² tight; her shoes were soft and new.

Bold¹³ was her face, handsome and red in hue¹⁴.

A worthy woman all her life, what's more She's had five husbands, all at the church door,

Apart from other company in youth;

No need just now to speak of that, forsooth¹⁵.

And she had thrice been to Jerusalem,

Seen many strange rivers and passed over them;

She'd been to Rome and also to Boulogne¹⁶,

St James of Compostella¹⁷ and Cologne¹⁸,

And she was skilled in wandering by the way¹⁹.

She had gap-teeth²⁰, set widely, truth to say Easily on an ambling²¹ horse she sat •Veil wimpled²² up, and on her head a hat As broad as is a buckler²³ or a shield;

She had a flowing mantle that concealed Large hips, her heels spurred²⁴ sharply under that,

In company she liked to laugh and chat -_"d knew the remedies for love's mischances,

An art in which she knew the oldest dances.

A good wife was ther of biside bathe,

But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.

Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an ₅ haunt,

She passed hem of ypres and of gaunt.

In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon

That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;

And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,

That she was out of alle charitee.

10 Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;