The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

- By Howard Pyle
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American illustrator and author (1853–1911) For the 1950s Arizona governor, see John Howard Pyle.Howard PyleBorn(1853-03-05)March 5, 1853Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.DiedNovember 9, 1911(1911-11-09) (aged 58)Florence, Kingdom of ItalyKnown forIllustration, writing for childrenNotable work The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Otto of the Silver Hand Men of Iron The Story of King Arthur and His Knights The Story of the Grail and the Passing of King Arthur StyleBrandywine SchoolSpouseAnne PooleRelativesKatharine Pyle (sister)Signature Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator, painter, and author, primarily of books for young people. He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894, he began teaching illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry (now Drexel University). Among his students there were Violet Oakley, Maxfield Parrish, and Jessie Willcox Smith.[1] After 1900, he founded his own school of art and illustration named the Howard Pyle School of Illustration Art. Scholar Henry C. Pitz later used the term Brandywine School for the illustration artists and Wyeth family artists of the Brandywine region, several of whom had studied with Pyle.[2] He had a lasting influence on a number of artists who became notable in their own right; N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Thornton Oakley, Allen Tupper True, Stanley Arthurs, and numerous others studied under him. His 1883 classic publication The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood remains in print, and his other books frequently have medieval European settings, including a four-volume set on King Arthur. He is also well known for his illustrations of pirates, and is credited with creating what has become the modern stereotype of pirate dress.[3] He published his first novel Otto of the Silver Hand in 1888. He also illustrated historical and adventure stories for periodicals such as Harper's Magazine and St. Nicholas Magazine. His novel Men of Iron was adapted as the movie The Black Shield of Falworth (1954). Pyle travelled to Florence, Italy in 1910 to study mural painting. He died there in 1911 of a sudden kidney infection (Bright's disease). Life[edit] The Battle of Bunker Hill, Howard Pyle, 1897, showing the second British advance up Breed's Hill. This painting's whereabouts are unknown as it was probably stolen from the Delaware Art Museum in 2001.[4] Pyle was born in Wilmington, Delaware, the son of William Pyle and Margaret Churchman Painter. As a child, he attended private schools[5] and was interested in drawing and writing from a very young age. He was an indifferent student, but his parents encouraged him to study art, particularly his mother.[1] He studied for three years at the studio of F. A. Van der Wielen in Philadelphia,[6] and this constituted the whole of his artistic training, aside from a few lessons at the Art Students League of New York.[1] In 1876, he visited the island of Chincoteague off Virginia and was inspired by what he saw. He wrote and illustrated an article about the island and submitted it to Scribner's Monthly. One of the magazine's owners was Roswell Smith, who encouraged him to move to New York and pursue illustration professionally.[1] Pyle initially struggled in New York; his lack of professional experience made it difficult for him to translate his ideas into forms for publication. He was encouraged by several working artists, however, including Edwin Austin Abbey, A. B. Frost, and Frederick S. Church. The Battle of Nashville, c. 1906, Governor’s Reception Room at the Minnesota State Capitol He finally published a double-paged spread in the Harper's Weekly issue of March 9, 1878 and was paid $75—five times what he had expected.[6] He became increasingly successful and was an established artist by the time that he returned to Wilmington in 1880.[1] Pyle continued illustrating for magazines. He also collaborated on several books, particularly in American history. He wrote and illustrated his own stories, beginning with The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood in 1883. This book won international attention from critics such as William Morris.[1] Over the following decades, he published many more illustrated works for children, many of which are still in print today. Pyle married singer Anne Poole on April 12, 1881, and the couple had seven children.[6] In 1889, he and his wife sailed to Jamaica, leaving their children in the care of relatives. While they were overseas, their son Sellers died unexpectedly. This loss likely inspired his children's book The Garden Behind the Moon, which is about death and bears the dedication: "To the little Boy in the Moon Garden This Book is dedicated by His Father."[6][7] From 1894 to 1900, he taught illustration at the Drexel Institute. In 1900, he created his own school in Wilmington where he taught a small number of students in depth. In 1903, Pyle painted his first murals for the Delaware Art Museum. He took up mural painting more seriously in 1906 and painted The Battle of Nashville in Saint Paul, as well as two other murals for courthouses in New Jersey[1] (the Essex and Hudson County Courthouses). Pyle developed his own ideas for illustrating pirate dress, as few examples existed of authentic pirate outfits and few, if any, drawings had been preserved. He created a flamboyant style incorporating elements of Gypsy dress. His work influenced the design of costumes for movie pirates from Errol Flynn to Johnny Depp. It has been noted as highly impractical for working sailors.[3] In 1910, Pyle and his family went to Italy where he planned to study the old masters. Suffering poor health, he felt depressed and drained of energy. After one year in the country, he suffered a kidney infection and died in Florence at the age of 58.[1] In 1937, his niece Caroline Ashton Pyle married his student N. C. Wyeth's son Nathaniel Convers Wyeth.[8] Major works[edit] Sir Kay breaketh his sword at ye Tournament, one of Pyle's Arthurian illustrations Pyle wrote and illustrated a number of books, in addition to numerous illustrations done for Harper's Weekly, other periodical publications, and various works of fiction for children and young adults. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood[edit] Main article: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Pyle synthesized many traditional Robin Hood legends and ballads in this work, while toning them down to make them suitable for children. For instance, he modified the late 17th century ballad "Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham", changing it from Robin killing fourteen foresters for not honoring a bet to Robin defending himself against an attempt on his life by one of the foresters. Pyle has Robin kill only two men, one who shoots at him first when he was a youth, the other a hated assassin named Guy of Gisborne whom the Sheriff sent to slay him. Tales are changed in which Robin steals all that an ambushed traveler carried, such as "Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford", so that the victim keeps a third and another third is dedicated to the poor. Pyle did not have much concern for historical accuracy, but he renamed the queen in the story "Robin Hood and Queen Katherine" as Eleanor (of Aquitaine). This made her compatible historically with King Richard the Lion-Hearted, with whom Robin eventually makes peace. Many of the tales in the Robin Hood book dated to the late Middle Ages. His achievement was to integrate them into a unified story, which he also illustrated. For example, he included "Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar" in the narrative order to reintroduce Friar Tuck. He needed a cooperative priest for the wedding of outlaw Allan a Dale to his sweetheart Ellen. In the original "A Gest of Robyn Hode", the life is saved of an anonymous wrestler who had won a bout but was likely to be murdered because he was a stranger. Pyle adapted it and gave the wrestler the identity of David of Doncaster, one of Robin's band in the story "Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow". In his novelistic treatment of the tales, he thus developed several characters who had been mentioned in only one ballad, such as David of Doncaster or Arthur a Bland. Men of Iron[edit] Men of Iron is an 1891 novel about squire Myles Falworth who hopes to become a knight, thereby redeeming his family's honor. His father was falsely implicated in a plot to kill King Henry IV. The adventure tale follows Myles through his intensive training for knighthood and ends with him becoming a knight and challenging the wicked Lord Brookhurst Alban to trial by combat. The novel was adapted into the 1954 film The Black Shield of Falworth starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Other works[edit] Otto of the Silver Hand, about the son of a robber baron during the medieval period. Rejected of Men:[9] A Story of To-day (1903), setting the story of Jesus as if it had occurred during early twentieth-century America. Portfolio of Etchings:[10] In 1903 the Bibliophile Society of Boston commissioned Pyle to create a series of paintings of scholars and bibliophiles for a limited, four-volume set of books titled The bibliomania, or book-madness. The paintings proved popular and the Bibliophile Society commissioned American engraver William H. W. Bicknell [d] to create copper etched copies of Pyle's five oil paintings from The Bibliomania books. The etched prints in the Portfolio of Etchings from the Special Collections and Archives at Albertsons Library, BSU,[11] portray the following literary figures: Richard de Bury and the Young Edward III Caxton at his Press Erasmus reading to Colet and More The remaining etchings are titled: “Friar” Bacon in His Study, and "Izaak" Walton The Wonder Clock (1887), a collection of twenty-four tales, one for each hour of the day. Each tale was prefaced by a whimsical verse telling of traditional household goings-on at that hour. His sister Katharine Pyle wrote the verses. Pyle created the tales based on traditional European folktales. Pepper and Salt, or Seasoning for Young Folk, traditional tales for younger readers which he also illustrated. After his death, a publisher collected a number of his pirate stories and illustrations and published them as Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates (1921). Buccaneer of the Caribbean, from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates Pirates fight in Who Shall Be Captain?, 1911, from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates Critical response[edit] He lost his hold and fell, taking me with him from "The Grain Ship" by Morgan Robertson, in Harper's Monthly Magazine, March 1909 Pyle was widely respected during his life and continues to be well regarded by illustrators and fine artists. His contemporary Vincent van Gogh wrote in a letter to his brother Theo that Pyle's work "struck me dumb with admiration."[12] Pyle's reputation stems from his innovation in form and illustration, creating an American school of illustration and art, and for the revival of children's books. His illustrations are vivid and imaginative, yet not overly fantastic or contrived, lending them an air of colorful realism. Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism notes: As time passed, Pyle's historical position as the founder of a distinctly American school of illustration and art, as the innovator who introduced the total-design approach, and as the great reinventor of children's books, would outshine any single work he did, so that he is remembered less for any one project than for his total stance.[6] He had a lasting influence on a number of artists who became notable in their own right. Some of his more notable students were N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Elenore Abbott, Ethel Franklin Betts, Anna Whelan Betts, Harvey Dunn, Clyde O. DeLand, Philip R. Goodwin, Thornton Oakley, Violet Oakley, Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle, Olive Rush, Blanche Grant, Ethel Leach, Allen Tupper True, Elizabeth Shippen Green, Arthur E. Becher, William James Aylward, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Charlotte Harding. Pyle taught his students at his home and studio in Wilmington, which is still standing and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pyle was an early member of The Franklin Inn Club in Philadelphia. According to Robert Vitz, the Howard Pyle School of Art developed a common set of themes in its work: attention to realism and expression of optimism and a faith in the goodness of America.[6] His work also continued to inspire well after his death; for example, comic book artist Tony Harris (born 1969) has cited Pyle as a major influence on his work.[13] Pyle is remembered primarily as an illustrator, but his books have also been analyzed for their literary qualities, particularly The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Taimi M. Ranta and Jill P. May have examined their influence on children's literature. May writes from a feminist sensibility.[6] Susan F. Beegel has studied his influence on Ernest Hemingway.[6] Alethia Helbig has reviewed his poetry, which since his death has not been as highly valued as it was in his own time.[6] Malcolm Usrey wrote that Otto of the Silver Hand has all the marks of a good historical novel: it has an exciting plot, with ample conflict and believable characters; it uses language and dialect appropriate to its setting and the characters; it has a significant, universal theme, and it presents the details of daily life in Germany of the thirteenth century accurately and unobtrusively, making the period real and alive.[6] Selected bibliography[edit] Drawing desk on which Pyle produced his King Arthur drawings, at the Delaware Art Museum Unless noted otherwise, all titles are listed in The Dictionary of American Biography.[1] The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883) Within the Capes (1885) Pepper and Salt; or, Seasoning for Young Folk (1886) The Rose of Paradise (1888) The Wonder Clock (1888), with his sister Katharine Pyle Otto of the Silver Hand (1888) A Modern Aladdin (1892) Men of Iron (1892) Twilight Land (1895) The Story of Jack Ballister's Fortunes (1895) The Garden Behind the Moon (1895) The Ghost of Captain Brand (1896) Washington (Text by Woodrow Wilson, then a history professor; published in 1897) Story of the Revolution (Text by Henry Cabot Lodge; published in 1898) The Price of Blood (1899) History of the American People (Text by Woodrow Wilson; published in 1902) Rejected of Men (1903) The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (1903) The Story of the Champions of the Round Table (1905) The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions (1907) The Story of the Grail and the Passing of King Arthur (1910) Stolen Treasure (1907) The Ruby of Kishmoor (1908) Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates (A collection of previously published material, assembled in 1921) See also[edit] Children's literature portalEngland portalHistory portalVisual arts portal Delaware Art Museum Le Trésor de Rackham le Rouge National Museum of American Illustration References[edit] ^ a b c d e f g h i Abbott, Charles David (1935). "Howard Pyle". In Malone, Dumas (ed.). Dictionary of American Biography. Vol. V. 15. pp. 287–290. OCLC 1256465953. ^ McDonald, Edward D.; Edward M. Hinton (1942). Drexel Institute of Technology 1891–1941. Haddon Craftsmen, Inc. pp. 126–130. ISBN 1-4067-6374-8. ^ a b Crimmins, Peter (November 16, 2011). "Pirates of pizazz: Delaware Art Museum celebrates century with Pyle's iconic images". Newsworks. WHYY. Archived from the original (text and video) on December 10, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2011. ^ Fishman, Margie (2014-05-18). "First painting auctioned by museum could bring $13.4 million". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE, US. Retrieved 2021-11-24. ^ Willard S. Morse; Gertrude Brinckle (1921). Howard Pyle: A Record of His Illustrations and Writings. Wilmington, Delaware: Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts. p. v. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Baise, Jennifer (1999), Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (print), vol. 81, Gale ^ "The Garden Behind the Moon". C. Scribner's Sons. 1895. ^ "Milestones, Jan. 25, 1937". Time. 1937-01-25. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2023-02-16. ^ The title is from Isaiah 53:3 (KJV), "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." ^ "Etchings by W. H. W. Bicknell after Original Paintings by Howard Pyle". AbeBooks. Archived from the original on 2024-02-01. ^ Cordova, Memo (2016-04-01). "The Father of Illustration: From Boston to Boise". ScholarWorks - Boise State University Scholarship and Research. Library Faculty Publications and Presentations. The Albertsons Library, BSU. Retrieved 2024-03-27. ^ Malyon, John (2015). "Howard Pyle Online". Artcyclopedia. Alberta, Canada: Specifica, Inc. Retrieved 2021-11-18. ^ Shapiro, Marc (August 1997). "Wizard Profile: Tony Harris". Wizard. No. 72. p. 208. Further reading[edit] Coyle, Heather C. (2011). Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Art Museum. ISBN 9780977164431. May, Jill P.; Robert E. May; Howard Pyle (2011). Howard Pyle: Imagining an American School of Art. University of Illinois Press. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-252-03626-2. Philadelphia Art Alliance (1923). Report of the private view of the exhibition of works by Howard Pyle, at the Art Alliance, Philadelphia, January 22, 1923. Printed for the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Ad-Service Print. Co. OCLC 34340261. Etext of Twilight Land Pyle biography and etext of Robin Hood External links[edit] Wikisource has original text related to this article: Howard Pyle Wikimedia Commons has media related to Howard Pyle. Wikiquote has quotations related to Howard Pyle. Online Books by Howard Pyle at Online Books Page Works by Howard Pyle at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Howard Pyle at Internet Archive Works by Howard Pyle at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) Howard Pyle artwork at American Art Archives Thor and Hymir's Fishing. Illustration for Harper's Magazine, 1902. vteNovels by Howard PyleNovels The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883) Otto of the Silver Hand (1888) Men of Iron (1891) The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (1903) The Story of the Champions of the Round Table (1905) The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions (1907) The Story of the Grail and the Passing of King Arthur (1910) Adaptations The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) vteSociety of Illustrators' Hall of Fame1958–19591958 Norman Rockwell 1959 Dean Cornwell Harold von Schmidt 1960–19691960 Fred Cooper 1961 Floyd Davis 1962 Edward A. Wilson 1963 Walter Biggs 1964 Arthur William Brown 1965 Al Parker 1966 Albert Dorne 1967 Robert Fawcett 1968 Peter Helck 1969 Austin Briggs 1970–19791970 Rube Goldberg 1971 Stevan Dohanos 1972 Ray Prohaska 1973 Jon Whitcomb 1974 Charles Dana Gibson Tom Lovell N. C. Wyeth 1975 Bernie Fuchs Maxfield Parrish Howard Pyle 1976 Harvey Dunn John Falter Winslow Homer 1977 J. C. Leyendecker Wallace Morgan Robert Peak 1978 Norman Price Frederic Remington Coby Whitmore 1979 Edwin Austin Abbey Lorraine Fox Ben Stahl 1980–19891980 Howard Chandler Christy James Montgomery Flagg Saul Tepper 1981 Stan Galli John Gannam Frederic R. Gruger 1982 John Clymer Carl Erickson Henry P. Raleigh 1983 Franklin Booth Mark English Noel Sickles 1984 John La Gatta Neysa McMein James Williamson 1985 Arthur Burdett Frost Charles Marion Russell Robert Weaver 1986 Al Hirschfeld Rockwell Kent 1987 Maurice Sendak Haddon Sundblom 1988 René Bouché Pruett Carter Robert T. McCall 1989 Erté John Held Jr. Arthur Ignatius Keller 1990–19991990 Robert Riggs Morton Roberts Burt Silverman 1991 Jessie Willcox Smith William Arthur Smith Donald Teague 1992 Joe Bowler Edwin A. Georgi Dorothy Hood 1993 Robert McGinnis Thomas Nast Coles Phillips 1994 Harry Anderson Elizabeth Shippen Green Ben Shahn 1995 James Avati McClelland Barclay Joseph Clement Coll Frank Schoonover 1996 Anton Otto Fischer Winsor McCay Violet Oakley Mead Schaeffer Herbert Tauss 1997 Chesley Bonestell Joe DeMers Diane Dillon Leo Dillon Maynard Dixon Harrison Fisher Frank McCarthy 1998 Boris Artzybasheff Robert M. Cunningham Kerr Eby Frank Frazetta Edward Penfield Martha Sawyers 1999 Mitchell Hooks Andrew Loomis Antonio Lopez Stanley Meltzoff Thomas Moran Rose O'Neill Adolph Treidler 2000–20092000 James Bama Nell Brinkley Charles Livingston Bull David Stone Martin Alice and Martin Provensen J. Allen St. John 2001 John James Audubon Will H. Bradley Howard Brodie F. O. C. Darley Charles R. Knight Franklin McMahon 2002 E. Simms Campbell Milton Glaser Jean-Leon Huens Daniel Schwartz 2003 Elaine Duillo David Levine Bill Mauldin Jack Potter 2004 John Berkey John Groth Robert Andrew Parker Saul Steinberg 2005 Jack Davis Brad Holland Herbert Paus Albert Beck Wenzell 2006 Gilbert Bundy Bradshaw Crandell Keith Ferris Harold Foster Frank H. Netter Alvin J. Pimsler Jack Unruh 2007 David Grove Gary Kelley Edward Windsor Kemble Russell Patterson George Stavrinos 2008 Benton Clark Matt Clark Kinuko Y. Craft Naiad Einsel Walter Einsel 2009 Mario Cooper Paul Davis Laurence Fellows Arnold Roth Herbert Morton Stoops 2010–20192010 Charles Edward Chambers Earl Oliver Hurst Orson Lowell Wilson McLean Chris Van Allsburg 2011 Kenneth Paul Block Alan E. Cober Robert Heindel Fred Otnes Jerry Pinkney 2012 Ludwig Bemelmans R. O. Blechman John Collier Edward Gorey John Sloan Nancy Stahl 2013 Ted CoConis George Herriman Sanford Kossin Arthur Rackham Charles M. Schulz Murray Tinkelman 2014 Mary Blair Walter Everett Al Jaffee Syd Mead William Cameron Menzies Alex Raymond Edward Sorel 2015 Bernard D'Andrea Walter M. Baumhofer Will Eisner Virgil Finlay Ted Lewin and Betsy Lewin Pat Oliphant Arthur Szyk 2016 Marshall Arisman Rolf Armstrong Guy Billout Peter de Sève William Glackens Beatrix Potter Richard M. Powers 2017 Mort Drucker Bart Forbes Anita Kunz Ralph Steadman Burne Hogarth George Petty Gustaf Tenggren 2018 Robert Crumb Kate Greenaway René Gruau Jack Kirby Heinrich Kley Hilary Knight James McMullan Kay Nielsen C. F. Payne 2019 Alice Barber Stephens Mary Petty Frank Godwin Mark Summers Vincent Di Fate Roz Chast 2020–20292020 Thomas Blackshear Edmund Dulac Jean Henri Gaston Giraud (Mœbius) Jeffrey Catherine Jones Barbara Nessim Drew Struzan 2021 Braldt Bralds Margaret Brundage Walter Percy Day Dale Messick Craig Mullins Floyd Norman 2022 Charles Addams George Booth Emory Douglas Brian and Wendy Froud Reynold Ruffins Sarah S. 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The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town
THEN THE SHERIFF was very wroth because of this failure to take jolly Robin, for it came to his ears, as ill news always does, that the people laughed at him and made a jest of his thinking to serve a warrant upon such a one as the bold outlaw. And a man hates nothing so much as being made a jest of; so he said: "Our gracious lord and sovereign King himself shall know of this, and how his laws are perverted and despised by this band of rebel outlaws. As for yon traitor Tinker, him will I hang, if I catch him, upon the very highest gallows tree in all Nottinghamshire."
Then he bade all his servants and retainers to make ready to go to London Town, to see and speak with the King. At this there was bustling at the Sheriff's castle, and men ran hither and thither upon this business and upon that, while the forge fires of Nottingham glowed red far into the night like twinkling stars, for all the smiths of the town were busy making or mending armor for the Sheriff's troop of escort. For two days this labor lasted, then, on the third, all was ready for the journey. So forth they started in the bright sunlight, from Nottingham Town to Fosse Way and thence to Watling Street; and so they journeyed for two days, until they saw at last the spires and towers of great London Town; and many folks stopped, as they journeyed along, and gazed at the show they made riding along the highways with their flashing armor and gay plumes and trappings.
In London King Henry and his fair Queen Eleanor held their court, gay with ladies in silks and satins and velvets and cloth of gold, and also brave knights and gallant courtiers. Thither came the Sheriff and was shown into the King's presence. "A boon, a boon," quoth he, as he knelt upon the ground. "Now what wouldst thou have?" said the King. "Let us hear what may be thy desires."
"O good my Lord and Sovereign," spake the Sheriff, "in Sherwood Forest in our own good shire of Nottingham, liveth a bold outlaw whose name is Robin Hood." "In good sooth," said the King, "his doings have reached even our own royal ears. He is a saucy, rebellious varlet, yet, I am fain to own, a right merry soul withal."
"But hearken, O my most gracious Sovereign," said the Sheriff. "I sent a warrant to him with thine own royal seal attached, by a right lusty knave, but he beat the messenger and stole the warrant. And he killeth thy deer and robbeth thine own liege subjects even upon the great highways."
"Why, how now," quoth the King wrathfully. "What wouldst thou have me do? Comest thou not to me with a great array of men-at-arms and retainers, and yet art not able to take a single band of lusty knaves without armor on breast, in thine own county! What wouldst thou have me do? Art thou not my Sheriff? Are not my laws in force in Nottinghamshire? Canst thou not take thine own course against those that break the laws or do any injury to thee or thine? Go, get thee gone, and think well; devise some plan of thine own, but trouble me no further. But look well to it, Master Sheriff, for I will have my laws obeyed by all men within my kingdom, and if thou art not able to enforce them thou art no sheriff for me. So look well to thyself, I say, or ill may befall thee as well as all the thieving knaves in Nottinghamshire. When the flood cometh it sweepeth away grain as well as chaff."
Then the Sheriff turned away with a sore and troubled heart, and sadly he rued his fine show of retainers, for he saw that the King was angry because he had so many men about him and yet could not enforce the laws. So, as they all rode slowly back to Nottingham, the Sheriff was thoughtful and full of care. Not a word did he speak to anyone, and no one of his men spoke to him, but all the time he was busy devising some plan to take Robin Hood.
"Aha!" cried he suddenly, smiting his hand upon his thigh "I have it now! Ride on, my merry men all, and let us get back to Nottingham Town as speedily as we may. And mark well my words: before a fortnight is passed, that evil knave Robin Hood will be safely clapped into Nottingham gaol."
But what was the Sheriff's plan? As a usurer takes each one of a bag of silver angels, feeling each coin to find whether it be clipped or not, so the Sheriff, as all rode slowly and sadly back toward Nottingham, took up thought after thought in turn, feeling around the edges of each but finding in every one some flaw. At last he thought of the daring soul of jolly Robin and how, as he the Sheriff knew, he often came even within the walls of Nottingham.
"Now," thought the Sheriff, "could I but persuade Robin nigh to Nottingham Town so that I could find him, I warrant I would lay hands upon him so stoutly that he would never get away again." Then of a sudden it came to him like a flash that were he to proclaim a great shooting match and offer some grand prize, Robin Hood might be overpersuaded by his spirit to come to the butts; and it was this thought which caused him to cry "Aha!" and smite his palm upon his thigh.
So, as soon as he had returned safely to Nottingham, he sent messengers north and south, and east and west, to proclaim through town, hamlet, and countryside, this grand shooting match, and everyone was bidden that could draw a longbow, and the prize was to be an arrow of pure beaten gold. When Robin Hood first heard the news of this he was in Lincoln Town, and hastening back to Sherwood Forest he soon called all his merry men about him and spoke to them thus:
"Now hearken, my merry men all, to the news that I have brought from Lincoln Town today. Our friend the Sheriff of Nottingham hath proclaimed a shooting match, and hath sent messengers to tell of it through all the countryside, and the prize is to be a bright golden arrow. Now I fain would have one of us win it, both because of the fairness of the prize and because our sweet friend the Sheriff hath offered it. So we will take our bows and shafts and go there to shoot, for I know right well that merriment will be a-going. What say ye, lads?"
Then young David of Doncaster spoke up and said, "Now listen, I pray thee, good master, unto what I say. I have come straight from our friend Eadom o' the Blue Boar, and there I heard the full news of this same match. But, master, I know from him, and he got it from the Sheriff's man Ralph o' the Scar, that this same knavish Sheriff hath but laid a trap for thee in this shooting match and wishes nothing so much as to see thee there. So go not, good master, for I know right well he doth seek to beguile thee, but stay within the greenwood lest we all meet dole and woe."
"Now," quoth Robin, "thou art a wise lad and keepest thine ears open and thy mouth shut, as becometh a wise and crafty woodsman. But shall we let it be said that the Sheriff of Nottingham did cow bold Robin Hood and sevenscore as fair archers as are in all merry England? Nay, good David, what thou tellest me maketh me to desire the prize even more than I else should do. But what sayeth our good gossip Swanthold? Is it not 'A hasty man burneth his mouth, and the fool that keepeth his eyes shut falleth into the pit'? Thus he says, truly, therefore we must meet guile with guile. Now some of you clothe yourselves as curtal friars, and some as rustic peasants, and some as tinkers, or as beggars, but see that each man taketh a good bow or broadsword, in case need should arise. As for myself, I will shoot for this same golden arrow, and should I win it, we will hang it to the branches of our good greenwood tree for the joy of all the band. How like you the plan, my merry men all?"
Then "Good, good!" cried all the band right heartily. A fair sight was Nottingham Town on the day of the shooting match. All along upon the green meadow beneath the town wall stretched a row of benches, one above the other, which were for knight and lady, squire and dame, and rich burghers and their wives; for none but those of rank and quality were to sit there. At the end of the range, near the target, was a raised seat bedecked with ribbons and scarfs and garlands of flowers, for the Sheriff of Nottingham and his dame. The range was twoscore paces broad. At one end stood the target, at the other a tent of striped canvas, from the pole of which fluttered many-colored flags and streamers. In this booth were casks of ale, free to be broached by any of the archers who might wish to quench their thirst.
Across the range from where the seats for the better folk were raised was a railing to keep the poorer people from crowding in front of the target. Already, while it was early, the benches were beginning to fill with people of quality, who kept constantly arriving in little carts or upon palfreys that curveted gaily to the merry tinkle of silver bells at bridle reins. With these came also the poorer folk, who sat or lay upon the green grass near the railing that kept them from off the range. In the great tent the archers were gathering by twos and threes; some talking loudly of the fair shots each man had made in his day; some looking well to their bows, drawing a string betwixt the fingers to see that there was no fray upon it, or inspecting arrows, shutting one eye and peering down a shaft to see that it was not warped, but straight and true, for neither bow nor shaft should fail at such a time and for such a prize. And never was such a company of yeomen as were gathered at Nottingham Town that day, for the very best archers of merry England had come to this shooting match. There was Gill o' the Red Cap, the Sheriff's own head archer, and Diccon Cruikshank of Lincoln Town, and Adam o' the Dell, a man of Tamworth, of threescore years and more, yet hale and lusty still, who in his time had shot in the famous match at Woodstock, and had there beaten that renowned archer, Clym o' the Clough. And many more famous men of the longbow were there, whose names have been handed down to us in goodly ballads of the olden time.
But now all the benches were filled with guests, lord and lady, burgher and dame, when at last the Sheriff himself came with his lady, he riding with stately mien upon his milk-white horse and she upon her brown filly. Upon his head he wore a purple velvet cap, and purple velvet was his robe, all trimmed about with rich ermine; his jerkin and hose were of sea-green silk, and his shoes of black velvet, the pointed toes fastened to his garters with golden chains. A golden chain hung about his neck, and at his collar was a great carbuncle set in red gold. His lady was dressed in blue velvet, all trimmed with swan's down. So they made a gallant sight as they rode along side by side, and all the people shouted from where they crowded across the space from the gentlefolk; so the Sheriff and his lady came to their place, where men-at-arms, with hauberk and spear, stood about, waiting for them.
Then when the Sheriff and his dame had sat down, he bade his herald wind upon his silver horn; who thereupon sounded three blasts that came echoing cheerily back from the gray walls of Nottingham. Then the archers stepped forth to their places, while all the folks shouted with a mighty voice, each man calling upon his favorite yeoman. "Red Cap!" cried some; "Cruikshank!" cried others; "Hey for William o' Leslie!" shouted others yet again; while ladies waved silken scarfs to urge each yeoman to do his best.
Then the herald stood forth and loudly proclaimed the rules of the game as follows: "Shoot each man from yon mark, which is sevenscore yards and ten from the target. One arrow shooteth each man first, and from all the archers shall the ten that shooteth the fairest shafts be chosen for to shoot again. Two arrows shooteth each man of these ten, then shall the three that shoot the fairest shafts be chosen for to shoot again. Three arrows shooteth each man of those three, and to him that shooteth the fairest shafts shall the prize be given."
Then the Sheriff leaned forward, looking keenly among the press of archers to find whether Robin Hood was among them; but no one was there clad in Lincoln green, such as was worn by Robin and his band. "Nevertheless," said the Sheriff to himself, "he may still be there, and I miss him among the crowd of other men. But let me see when but ten men shoot, for I wot he will be among the ten, or I know him not." And now the archers shot, each man in turn, and the good folk never saw such archery as was done that day. Six arrows were within the clout, four within the black, and only two smote the outer ring; so that when the last arrow sped and struck the target, all the people shouted aloud, for it was noble shooting.
And now but ten men were left of all those that had shot before, and of these ten, six were famous throughout the land, and most of the folk gathered there knew them. These six men were Gilbert o' the Red Cap, Adam o' the Dell, Diccon Cruikshank, William o' Leslie, Hubert o' Cloud, and Swithin o' Hertford. Two others were yeomen of merry Yorkshire, another was a tall stranger in blue, who said he came from London Town, and the last was a tattered stranger in scarlet, who wore a patch over one eye.
"Now," quoth the Sheriff to a man-at-arms who stood near him, "seest thou Robin Hood among those ten?" "Nay, that do I not, Your Worship," answered the man. "Six of them I know right well. Of those Yorkshire yeomen, one is too tall and the other too short for that bold knave. Robin's beard is as yellow as gold, while yon tattered beggar in scarlet hath a beard of brown, besides being blind of one eye. As for the stranger in blue, Robin's shoulders, I ween, are three inches broader than his."
"Then," quoth the Sheriff, smiting his thigh angrily, "yon knave is a coward as well as a rogue, and dares not show his face among good men and true." Then, after they had rested a short time, those ten stout men stepped forth to shoot again. Each man shot two arrows, and as they shot, not a word was spoken, but all the crowd watched with scarce a breath of sound; but when the last had shot his arrow another great shout arose, while many cast their caps aloft for joy of such marvelous shooting.
"Now by our gracious Lady fair," quoth old Sir Amyas o' the Dell, who, bowed with fourscore years and more, sat near the Sheriff, "ne'er saw I such archery in all my life before, yet have I seen the best hands at the longbow for threescore years and more." And now but three men were left of all those that had shot before. One was Gill o' the Red Cap, one the tattered stranger in scarlet, and one Adam o' the Dell of Tamworth Town. Then all the people called aloud, some crying, "Ho for Gilbert o' the Red Cap!" and some, "Hey for stout Adam o' Tamworth!" But not a single man in the crowd called upon the stranger in scarlet.
"Now, shoot thou well, Gilbert," cried the Sheriff, "and if thine be the best shaft, fivescore broad silver pennies will I give to thee beside the prize." "Truly I will do my best," quoth Gilbert right sturdily. "A man cannot do aught but his best, but that will I strive to do this day." So saying, he drew forth a fair smooth arrow with a broad feather and fitted it deftly to the string, then drawing his bow with care he sped the shaft. Straight flew the arrow and lit fairly in the clout, a finger's-breadth from the center. "A Gilbert, a Gilbert!" shouted all the crowd; and, "Now, by my faith," cried the Sheriff, smiting his hands together, "that is a shrewd shot."
Then the tattered stranger stepped forth, and all the people laughed as they saw a yellow patch that showed beneath his arm when he raised his elbow to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye. He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft; so short was the time that no man could draw a breath betwixt the drawing and the shooting; yet his arrow lodged nearer the center than the other by twice the length of a barleycorn.
"Now by all the saints in Paradise!" cried the Sheriff, "that is a lovely shaft in very truth!" Then Adam o' the Dell shot, carefully and cautiously, and his arrow lodged close beside the stranger's. Then after a short space they all three shot again, and once more each arrow lodged within the clout, but this time Adam o' the Dell's was farthest from the center, and again the tattered stranger's shot was the best. Then, after another time of rest, they all shot for the third time. This time Gilbert took great heed to his aim, keenly measuring the distance and shooting with shrewdest care. Straight flew the arrow, and all shouted till the very flags that waved in the breeze shook with the sound, and the rooks and daws flew clamoring about the roofs of the old gray tower, for the shaft had lodged close beside the spot that marked the very center.
"Well done, Gilbert!" cried the Sheriff right joyously. "Fain am I to believe the prize is thine, and right fairly won. Now, thou ragged knave, let me see thee shoot a better shaft than that."
Nought spake the stranger but took his place, while all was hushed, and no one spoke or even seemed to breathe, so great was the silence for wonder what he would do. Meanwhile, also, quite still stood the stranger, holding his bow in his hand, while one could count five; then he drew his trusty yew, holding it drawn but a moment, then loosed the string. Straight flew the arrow, and so true that it smote a gray goose feather from off Gilbert's shaft, which fell fluttering through the sunlit air as the stranger's arrow lodged close beside his of the Red Cap, and in the very center. No one spoke a word for a while and no one shouted, but each man looked into his neighbor's face amazedly.
"Nay," quoth old Adam o' the Dell presently, drawing a long breath and shaking his head as he spoke, "twoscore years and more have I shot shaft, and maybe not all times bad, but I shoot no more this day, for no man can match with yon stranger, whosoe'er he may be." Then he thrust his shaft into his quiver, rattling, and unstrung his bow without another word.
Then the Sheriff came down from his dais and drew near, in all his silks and velvets, to where the tattered stranger stood leaning upon his stout bow, while the good folk crowded around to see the man who shot so wondrously well. "Here, good fellow," quoth the Sheriff, "take thou the prize, and well and fairly hast thou won it, I bow. What may be thy name, and whence comest thou?"
"Men do call me Jock o' Teviotdale, and thence am I come," said the stranger. "Then, by Our Lady, Jock, thou art the fairest archer that e'er mine eyes beheld, and if thou wilt join my service I will clothe thee with a better coat than that thou hast upon thy back; thou shalt eat and drink of the best, and at every Christmastide fourscore marks shall be thy wage. I trow thou drawest better bow than that same coward knave Robin Hood, that dared not show his face here this day. Say, good fellow, wilt thou join my service?"
"Nay, that will I not," quoth the stranger roughly. "I will be mine own, and no man in all merry England shall be my master." "Then get thee gone, and a murrain seize thee!" cried the Sheriff, and his voice trembled with anger. "And by my faith and troth, I have a good part of a mind to have thee beaten for thine insolence!" Then he turned upon his heel and strode away.
It was a right motley company that gathered about the noble greenwood tree in Sherwood's depths that same day. A score and more of barefoot friars were there, and some that looked like tinkers, and some that seemed to be sturdy beggars and rustic hinds; and seated upon a mossy couch was one all clad in tattered scarlet, with a patch over one eye; and in his hand he held the golden arrow that was the prize of the great shooting match. Then, amidst a noise of talking and laughter, he took the patch from off his eye and stripped away the scarlet rags from off his body and showed himself all clothed in fair Lincoln green; and quoth he, "Easy come these things away, but walnut stain cometh not so speedily from yellow hair." Then all laughed louder than before, for it was Robin Hood himself that had won the prize from the Sheriff's very hands.
Then all sat down to the woodland feast and talked among themselves of the merry jest that had been played upon the Sheriff, and of the adventures that had befallen each member of the band in his disguise. But when the feast was done, Robin Hood took Little John apart and said, "Truly am I vexed in my blood, for I heard the Sheriff say today, 'Thou shootest better than that coward knave Robin Hood, that dared not show his face here this day.' I would fain let him know who it was who won the golden arrow from out his hand, and also that I am no coward such as he takes me to be."
Then Little John said, "Good master, take thou me and Will Stutely, and we will send yon fat Sheriff news of all this by a messenger such as he doth not expect." That day the Sheriff sat at meat in the great hall of his house at Nottingham Town. Long tables stood down the hall, at which sat men-at- arms and household servants and good stout villains,[Bond-servants.] in all fourscore and more. There they talked of the day's shooting as they ate their meat and quaffed their ale. The Sheriff sat at the head of the table upon a raised seat under a canopy, and beside him sat his dame.
"By my troth," said he, "I did reckon full roundly that that knave Robin Hood would be at the game today. I did not think that he was such a coward. But who could that saucy knave be who answered me to my beard so bravely? I wonder that I did not have him beaten; but there was something about him that spoke of other things than rags and tatters."
Then, even as he finished speaking, something fell rattling among the dishes on the table, while those that sat near started up wondering what it might be. After a while one of the men-at-arms gathered courage enough to pick it up and bring it to the Sheriff. Then everyone saw that it was a blunted gray goose shaft, with a fine scroll, about the thickness of a goose quill, tied near to its head. The Sheriff opened the scroll and glanced at it, while the veins upon his forehead swelled and his cheeks grew ruddy with rage as he read, for this was what he saw:
"Now Heaven bless Thy Grace this day Say all in sweet Sherwood For thou didst give the prize away To merry Robin Hood."
"Whence came this?" cried the Sheriff in a mighty voice. "Even through the window, Your Worship," quoth the man who had handed the shaft to him.

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Word Lists:

Archer : a person who shoots with a bow and arrows, especially at a target for sport.

Tattered : old and torn; in poor condition

Knave : a dishonest or unscrupulous man.

Shaft : a long, narrow part or section forming the handle of a tool or club, the body of a spear or arrow, or a similar implement

Yeoman : a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder.

Archery : the sport or skill of shooting with a bow and arrows, especially at a target.

Clout : a heavy blow with the hand or a hard object

Hauberk : a piece of armor originally covering only the neck and shoulders but later consisting of a full-length coat of mail or military tunic.

Retainer : a thing that holds something in place

Bedeck : decorate

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Additional Information:

Rating: C Words in the Passage: 4266 Unique Words: 1,036 Sentences: 181
Noun: 1083 Conjunction: 499 Adverb: 305 Interjection: 11
Adjective: 333 Pronoun: 407 Verb: 625 Preposition: 432
Letter Count: 17,494 Sentiment: Positive / Positive / Positive Tone: Neutral (Slightly Conversational) Difficult Words: 607
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