ROBIN HOOD AND ALAN-A-DALE 

Glossory

 

 Gallant: Brave, Heroic

 Mirth: Amusement especially expressed in laughter

 Outlaw: A person who has broken the law.

 Clad: Dressed, Clothed

 Scarlet: A Bright red

 Frisk: Playful, full of Energy

 Drooping: Bend or hang downwards

 Scarlet: Bright Red colour

 Courteously: Politely

 Finikin Lass: Delicate Girl

Short Question

 

Q1: Who was Robin Hood?

Ans: A gentleman outlaw.

Q2: Who did Robin Hood see one day when he was standing under a green wood tree?

Ans: Alan, a young man.

Q3: Who was little John?

Ans: A follower of Robin Hood.

Q4: Who was the miller’s son in the poem?

Ans: Much.

Q5: To whom was Alan’s beloved going to be married?

Ans: To an old knight.

Q6: In what disguise did Robin Hood go to the church?

Ans: In the disguise of a harper.

Q7: Who gave the maid in the marriage?

Ans: Robin Hood.

Q8: How many times did little John ask the people if they had any objection to Alan’s marriage?

Ans: Seven times.

INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM

 

ROBIN HOOD AND ALAN- A-DALE Robin Hood And Alan-a-Dale is a traditional English Ballad, catalogued as a child Ballad no 138 as Roud Folk Song index no 3298. The ballad uses the kinds of rhyme, rhythm and metre commonly found in English ballads of 13th and 14th centuries, It has from six to ten syllables per line, and no strict metrical scheme, but the rhyme scheme is throughout of ABCB.

 

 

ROBIN HOOD AND ALAN- A-DALE

 

Robin Hood was a bold outlaw, who lived in the time of King john (1199-1216).He was one of the King’s noblemen, but he did not like the tyrannical ways of king. He collected a band of brave warriors. He started living with them in a forest. He used to rob the rich and help the poor.

Alan–A–Dale is a figure in the Robin Hood Legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a member of Robin’s band of outlaws, the Merry Men.

 

 

Come listen to me, you gallants so free,

All you that love mirth for to hear,

And I will tell you of a bold outlàw,

That lived in Nottinghamshire.

As Robin Hood in the forest stood

All under the greenwood tree,

There he was aware of a brave young man,

As fine as fine might be.

The youngster was clad in scarlet red,

In scarlet fine and gay

And he did frisk it over the plain,

And chaunted a roundelay.

 

Explanation OF THE POEM

 

Reference to the context These lines have been taken from the poem Robin Hood and Alan–a-Dale. This poem is an old ballad. It tells one of the adventures of Robin Hood who was a gentleman outlaw.

 Explanation The poem is in narrative form and tells how Robin Hood rescues Alan’s beloved from an old Knight. A singer, who is actually Alan A Dale is singing the poem and telling the people an amusing story about a bold outlaw who used to live in Nottinghamshire.

 Robin Hood was sitting under a green wood where he saw a brave young man who was looking very cheerful.

 The young man was dressed in bright red colour and he was looking very happy. He was dancing and singing a song full of love.

 

 

As Robin Hood next morning stood

Amongst the leaves so gay,

There did he espy the same young man

Come drooping along the way.

The scarlet he wore the day before

It was clean cast away;

And at every step he fetched a sigh,

"Alas! and a well-a-day!"

Then steppèd forth brave Little John,

And Midge, the miller's son;

Which made the young man bend his bow,

When as he see them come.

"Stand off! stand off!" the young man said,

"What is your will with me?"

"You must come before our master straight,

Under yon greenwood tree."

And when he came bold Robin before,

Robin asked him courteously,

O, hast thou any money to spare,

For my merry men and me?

 

Explanation: The next day the Robin hood was again standing under the green and lovely shade of the tree and he saw the same young man but now he looked gloomy and dejected. He had taken off his bright dress. He was taking a deep sigh at every step.

Robin Hood then sent Little John and Much, who is the miller’s son, to the young man. As he saw two men coming towards him, he immediately picked up his bow and arrow and shouted on them to stay away. They instructed that Alan had to present himself before their master. Alan went to Robin hood very boldly. Robin hood asked him politely if he had spare money for him and his merry men.

 

“I have no money, “the young man said,

“But five shillings and a ring;

And that I have kept this seven long years,

To have at my wedding.

“Yesterday I should have married a maid,

But she was from me ta’en,

And chosen to be and old knight’s delight,

Whereby my poor heart is slain.”

"What is thy name?" then said Robin Hood,

"Come tell me, without any fail."

"By the faith of my body," then said the young man,

"My name it is Allen-a-Dale."

"What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood,

"In ready gold or fee,

To help thee to thy true love again,

And deliver her unto thee?"

"I have no money," then quoth the young man,

"No ready gold nor fee,

But I will swear upon a book

Thy true servant for to be."  

 

Explanation

Robin hood asked Alan for money but he explained that he had only five shillings and a ring which he had kept since seven years for his wedding and that wedding would never happen because his bride had been taken away from him.

She was going to be married to an old Knight. The knight was very rich and a powerful man. Now poor Alan’s heart was broken. Robin Hood then asked what he would give him if he helped Alan to get his beloved back to which Alan replied that though he had no money to give him but he would be his true servant throughout his life.

 

"How many miles is it to thy true love?

Come tell me without guile."

"By the faith of my body," then said the young man,

"It is but five little mile."

Then Robin he hasted over the plain,

He did neither stint nor lin,

Until he came unto the church

Where Allen should keep his weddin'.

"What hast thou here?" the bishop then said,

"I prithee now tell unto me."

"I am a bold harper," quoth Robin Hood,

"And the best in the north countrỳ."

"O welcome, O welcome," the bishop he said,

"That music best pleaseth me."

"You shall have no music," quoth Robin Hood,

"Till the bride and bridegroom I see."

With that came in a wealthy knight,

Which was both grave and old;

And after him a finikin lass,

Did shine like the glistering gold.

Explanation: - Robin Hood asked Alan-a-Dale, how far his beloved was. He must tell him without any hesitation. Then Alan-a-Dale replied very boldly that it was about five miles away from this place. Robin Hood along with his followers stepped forward. On the way he neither stopped nor slowed down until he reached the church where Alan’s beloved was going to be married.

Robin Hood put on the disguise of Harper. Bishop asked him what he was doing there to which Robin Hood replied that he was a bold Harper and he would give him the sweet music. The Bishop welcomed him and told that he was very fond of music.

Then a wealthy knight, who looked very old, came in the church who was accompanied by a beautiful girl. The girl was shining like gold.

 

This is not a fit match," quoth Robin Hood,

"That you do seem to make here;

For since we are come into the church,

The bride shall chuse her own dear."

Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth,

And blew blasts two and three;

When four-and-twenty bowmen bold

Came leaping over the lea.

And when they came into the church-yard,

Marching all in a row,

The first man was Allen-a-Dale,

To give bold Robin his bow.

"This is thy true love," Robin he said,

Young Allen, as I hear say;

And you shall be married this same time,

Before we depart away."

"That shall not be," the bishop he cried,

"For thy word shall not stand;

They shall be three times asked in the church,

As the law is of our land."

Explanation: - Robin Hood announced that it was not a proper match. Now as they had come into church so Bride had every right to chose her own husband. Then Robin Hood blew his harp two or three times. At once his twenty four bowmen appeared at the church and stood in a row. Alan-a-Dale was the first man who gave bow to Robin Hood.

Then he said to Alan that she was his beloved and he would be married with her at the same time. Bishop replied that it could not happen because it was not according to law. A wedding could take place only if it was proclaimed by the church three times. This was the law of the country.

 

“Robin Hood pulled off the bishop's coat,

And put it upon Little John;

"By the faith of my body," then Robin said,

"This cloth doth make thee a man."

When Little John went into the quire,

The people began to laugh;

He asked them seven times into church,

Lest three times should not be enough.

"Who gives me this maid?" said Little John,

Quoth Robin Hood, "That do I;

And he that takes her from Allen-a-Dale,

Full dearly he shall her buy."

And then having ended this merry wedding,

The bride looked like a queen;

And so they returned to the merry greenwood,

Amongst the leaves so green.

Explanation: - Robin Hood pulled off Bishop’s coat and put it on the John. Then Robin Hood said humorously that little John looked smart in Bishop’s coat. Bishop said that the could not be married to Alan until the wedding had to be announced thrice in the church. Then little John went into the quire. People began to laugh on seeing him.

He proclaimed seven times if anybody had any objection to Alan’s marriage.

Then he asked who would give the maid in marriage. Robin Hood himself came forward to give the maid. He said that none could dare to take away Alan’s bride. One who dared he would have to pay dearly for it. Thus Robin Hood restored Alan’s bride to him. Thus Alan’s marriage took place and the bride was looking like a queen. All the marry men returned to the green woods.