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004 - Allen-a-dale And Friar Tuck · Story of Robin Hood

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  Speaker 1: Chapter four of the Story of Robin Hood. This is
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  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: The Story of Robin Hood by Bertha Evangeline Bush, Alan
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  Speaker 1: Adale and Friar Tuck. This is the story of a
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  Speaker 1: merry friar and how he came to belong to Robin
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  Speaker 1: Hood's band. But it begins with the story of a
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  Speaker 1: sad youth with a harp in his hand, who could
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  Speaker 1: sing as sweetly as a thrush, but who thought that
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  Speaker 1: he would never sing again, for his heart was breaking.
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood and his men found him in the forest,
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  Speaker 1: lying prone on the ground and sobbing as if he
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  Speaker 1: would weep his eyes out. Get up, Get up, shouted
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  Speaker 1: will Stuteley, poking him with his foot. I do hate
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  Speaker 1: to see a tall young fellow sniveling like a girl
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  Speaker 1: of fourteen over a dead bird. But Robin Hood bade
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  Speaker 1: the other stand back and touched the boy kindly. You
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  Speaker 1: are in trouble, he said, Do not mind what these
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  Speaker 1: fellows say. They are rough, but their hearts are kind.
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  Speaker 1: Come with me and tell me what is wrong. Everything
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  Speaker 1: is wrong, said Allan and Dale miserably. And it was
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  Speaker 1: true that things were going very badly with him, for
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  Speaker 1: his true love had promised bride had been forced to
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  Speaker 1: give him up and promise her hand to a rich
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  Speaker 1: old knight who won her father's favor by means of
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  Speaker 1: his money. She will marry the old Knight if her
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  Speaker 1: father bids it, cried Allan and Dale, for she thinks
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  Speaker 1: it right to be an obedient daughter. But I know
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  Speaker 1: it will break her heart and she will die. Now
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  Speaker 1: this thing shall not be cried little John starting forward, Master,
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  Speaker 1: can we not prevent such a wrong? We will see,
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  Speaker 1: answered robin Hood. But she is to be married in
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  Speaker 1: two days. Then we will go to the church and
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  Speaker 1: see that she is married to you instead of the
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  Speaker 1: old Knight. But we will need to find a priest
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  Speaker 1: who will marry you. Then I know the very priest,
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  Speaker 1: said Will Scarlet. It is jolly friar Tuck, who lives
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  Speaker 1: in the Fountain Dale. Then let us go and get
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  Speaker 1: him at once. We have no time to lose, said
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood, and out they started without delay, Little John
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  Speaker 1: will Scarlett, Young David of Doncaster, and Arthur of Bland
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  Speaker 1: went with him, they wore their best clothes, for, said
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  Speaker 1: robin Hood, we must look brave when we go to
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  Speaker 1: a wedding. After they had walked the whole morning, they
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  Speaker 1: came to a bend in the river beyond which Friar
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  Speaker 1: tuck dwelt. But his cell was across the river, and
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  Speaker 1: to get to it they would have to wade through. Well,
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  Speaker 1: said robin Hood. Had I known I would have had
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  Speaker 1: to wade the river, I would not have put on
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  Speaker 1: my best clothes. Then he left his men, bidding them
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  Speaker 1: listen if his bugle should sound, and went on alone.
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  Speaker 1: As soon as he was out of sight of them,
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  Speaker 1: he thought he heard voices. There seemed to be two
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  Speaker 1: men talking on the river bank below, but the voices
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  Speaker 1: were wondrously alike. Robin Hood slipped to the edge and
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  Speaker 1: looked over. With his broad back against a willow tree,
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  Speaker 1: sat a stout, brawny fellow in the robe of a friar,
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  Speaker 1: but no other man was by. He held a great
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  Speaker 1: pie in his lap, made of tender juicy meats, compounded
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  Speaker 1: with young onions and other toothsome vegetables, which he munched
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  Speaker 1: at sturdily. As he ate. He talked and listened to him.
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood almost died of laughing, for the merry Friar
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  Speaker 1: was pretending to be two people. He would offer a
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  Speaker 1: piece of the pastry first to his right hand and
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  Speaker 1: then to his left, with much politeness, and go through
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  Speaker 1: the same actions with a bottle of drink that he had.
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  Speaker 1: Robin looked and listened till the pie was all gone
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  Speaker 1: and the bottle empty. Then the monk began to urge
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  Speaker 1: his imaginary companion to sing. Now, sweet lad, he said
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  Speaker 1: to himself, canst thou not tune me a song? And
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  Speaker 1: then he answered himself bashfully, law I know not I
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  Speaker 1: am but an ill voice this day, prithee, ask me
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  Speaker 1: not dost thou not hear how I croak like a frog?
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  Speaker 1: And he spoke again as the first one, Nay, nay,
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  Speaker 1: thy voice is as sweet as any bullfinch. Come sing, Prithee.
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  Speaker 1: I would rather hear thee sing than eat a fair beast.
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  Speaker 1: And so it went till he began singing, and that
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  Speaker 1: was as two persons too. The song he sang was
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  Speaker 1: a duet between a youth and a maid, and he
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  Speaker 1: sung the maiden's part very high and squeaky, and the
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  Speaker 1: youths very deep, and gruff. It was the funniest thing
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  Speaker 1: you could imagine. And when the last chorus was reached,
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood could hold in no more but with the
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  Speaker 1: lusty singing. Then the friar leaped forth, crying, what spy
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  Speaker 1: halfway here? And from beneath his monk's robe he drew
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  Speaker 1: forth his sword, as heavy and stout as any that
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  Speaker 1: Robin Hood's band carried. But up thy sword, friend, called Robin,
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  Speaker 1: folks that have sung together should not fight. And then
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  Speaker 1: he leaped down beside the friar. Do you know the
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  Speaker 1: country round about? Good and holy man? He asked, Yes, somewhat,
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  Speaker 1: answered the friar cautiously. And do you know a spot
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  Speaker 1: called fountain Dale and a certain monk who was called
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  Speaker 1: the Kertel Friar of Fountain Abbey. Yes, somewhat. Is it
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  Speaker 1: across the river, asked Robin Hood. Yes, answered the monk.
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  Speaker 1: Do you know whether this friar is now on the
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  Speaker 1: other side of the river or on this side? Asked
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  Speaker 1: Robin that answered the friar very deliberately. Is something you
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  Speaker 1: will have to find out for yourself. This angered Robin,
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  Speaker 1: and indeed it was not at all civil. Well, he said,
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  Speaker 1: if I must cross the river. I must ask you
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  Speaker 1: to carry me across, for you can see that my
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  Speaker 1: clothes are such as the water would injure. At first
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  Speaker 1: the friar was angry at the request, but soon a
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  Speaker 1: different thought seemed to come to him, and he laughed. Well.
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  Speaker 1: He said, if the Holy Saint Christopher carried pilgrims across
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  Speaker 1: the river, perhaps I ought to do so. Also, give
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  Speaker 1: me your sword that it may not get wet, and
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  Speaker 1: I will carry you. So he tucked his own sword
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  Speaker 1: and Robin's under his arm, and bent his back for
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  Speaker 1: Robin to get on it, and waded across the water.
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  Speaker 1: He put Robin down very gently on the other bank,
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  Speaker 1: but he did not give him back his sword. Thanks,
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  Speaker 1: good father, said Robin. Give me my sword and I
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  Speaker 1: will away. Nay, good youth, answered the friar, pointing to
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  Speaker 1: the sword at Robin. You see I got wet crossing
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  Speaker 1: the river. It is necessary for me to cross again.
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  Speaker 1: But I fear if I got wet once more, I
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  Speaker 1: might get a crick in my back that would hinder
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  Speaker 1: my prayers. I pray thee carry me back. He had
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  Speaker 1: the sword, and there was nothing for Robin to do
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  Speaker 1: but obey. So he carried the friar back, and it
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  Speaker 1: was harder than for the friar to carry him. But
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  Speaker 1: while they were in the stream, he managed to loosen
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  Speaker 1: Friar Chuck's sword belt, so that when they got to land,
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  Speaker 1: he snatched it off. Now Robin Hood had two swords.
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  Speaker 1: Now carry me across again, he said. It is a
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  Speaker 1: long story, but the end of it is that Friar
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  Speaker 1: Tuck carried Robin Hood half way across the river, and
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  Speaker 1: there dumped him into the water to cool off. As
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  Speaker 1: he said. Then Robin fought with him, But though they
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  Speaker 1: fought together with might and main for hours, neither could
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  Speaker 1: overcome the other. And so they ceased to fight and
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  Speaker 1: became friends. And Friar Tuck willingly consented to go with
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  Speaker 1: him and performed the marriage between Alan Adale and his
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  Speaker 1: fair Ellen, no matter what a pother it raised. So
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  Speaker 1: now Robin Hood and a score of his merry men
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  Speaker 1: set out to the wedding, which was to be held
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  Speaker 1: in Emmett Church. Robin Hood was dressed as a strolling minstrel,
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  Speaker 1: and across his shoulders he had slung a harp. Leaving
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  Speaker 1: the most of his followers and hiding a little distance
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  Speaker 1: from the church. He went boldly. It was to be
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  Speaker 1: a very grand wedding, and the Bishop of Hereford himself
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  Speaker 1: was to perform the ceremony. He came with a long
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  Speaker 1: train of followers, and as he entered he saw Robin
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  Speaker 1: with his heart beside the door. Now who are you,
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  Speaker 1: he asked, well pleased, for everybody loved to see a minstrel.
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  Speaker 1: I am a harper from the North Country, answered Robin. Hood.
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  Speaker 1: I can play such music as never another in all
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  Speaker 1: England can do, for there is magic in my harvey.
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  Speaker 1: And if I play at this wedding, it will ensure
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  Speaker 1: that the fair bride shall love the man she marries
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  Speaker 1: with her whole heart all her life long. Marry then
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  Speaker 1: let them play, said Sir Stephen, the old bridegroom. He
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  Speaker 1: knew that it was her father's will instead of her
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  Speaker 1: own wish, that made the fair Ellen marry him, But
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  Speaker 1: he did not know that she loved another, for her
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  Speaker 1: father had concealed that from him. And now the bride's
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  Speaker 1: father brought in the bride, and she was the most
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  Speaker 1: beautiful maiden they had ever seen. But she was pale
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  Speaker 1: and wan and she drooped on her father's arm like
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  Speaker 1: a broken lily. How is this, cried robin Hood. A
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  Speaker 1: bride should be like a blushing rose maiden. Is it
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  Speaker 1: of your own free will that you wed with this knight? No,
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  Speaker 1: no sobbed fair ellen. I wish to wed no one
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  Speaker 1: but my own true love, Allan Adale, the minstrel. Then
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  Speaker 1: a a dale shall ye wed, cried robin Hood, and
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  Speaker 1: he set his bugle to his lips in blue. The
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  Speaker 1: followers who had entered the church and Friar Tuck came
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  Speaker 1: running down the aisles and gathered around him. Then came
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  Speaker 1: a scene of confusion. The Bishop of Hereford, prior of Emmett,
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  Speaker 1: and all his train commanded the people to seize robin Hood,
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  Speaker 1: but they would not do it. The old knight, who
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  Speaker 1: was the bridegroom, sought to draw his sword, but he
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  Speaker 1: wore no sword on his wedding day. At them and
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  Speaker 1: slay them, he cried to his men of arms. But
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  Speaker 1: just at that minute there came a running up at
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  Speaker 1: the double quick the rest of robin Hood's men, with
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  Speaker 1: swords strong, and bows and arrows hanging at their backs.
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  Speaker 1: I will depart, said the bridegroom to the bride's father.
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  Speaker 1: I would not marry your daughter now for all the
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  Speaker 1: kingdom of England. He spoke angrily, for he felt that
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  Speaker 1: he had been cheated, not knowing that the maiden loved
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  Speaker 1: some one else. The Prior of Emmett, calling his train,
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  Speaker 1: also departed in high displeasure, and the Bishop of Hereford
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  Speaker 1: would have gone too, but Robin bade him stay. Now.
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  Speaker 1: He said, we will have a wedding, and fair Ellen
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  Speaker 1: shall marry allan Adale. You cannot. The Prior of Emmet
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  Speaker 1: turned his back to say, you have no priest to
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  Speaker 1: marry them? Am I not a priest? Bellowed Friar Tuck
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  Speaker 1: so fiercely that the prior shook in his pointed shoes
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  Speaker 1: and made haste to get away. But the bands have
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  Speaker 1: not been published, said the bride's father. I will publish them,
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  Speaker 1: roared Friar Tuck. And the old song says that he
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  Speaker 1: cried them three times the number required by law, and then,
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  Speaker 1: lest they should not be enough, he cried them six more.
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  Speaker 1: But I cannot be married without my father's blessing, sobbed Ellen,
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  Speaker 1: for she was ever an obedient daughter. There there, don't cry,
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  Speaker 1: said Robin Hood gently. I will get your father's blessing.
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  Speaker 1: Then he called to will Stuteley, give me the two
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  Speaker 1: bags of gold I bade you bring. He strode up
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  Speaker 1: to Helen's father with a bag of gold in each hand.
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  Speaker 1: Here are two hundred golden angels. He said, if you
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  Speaker 1: give your daughter your blessing on this her wedding day,
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  Speaker 1: I will give you these as her dower. If you
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  Speaker 1: give her not the blessing, she shall be married just
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  Speaker 1: the same. But not a cracked farthing, shalt thou have.
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  Speaker 1: The father looked at the gold, and then at Robin Hood.
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  Speaker 1: He knew the night was gone and would not come back. Well,
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  Speaker 1: he said, but not happily. I will give her my blessing.
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  Speaker 1: So the wedding went on, and after it was over
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  Speaker 1: they went to Sherwood Forest and held the merriest feast
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  Speaker 1: that ever was held in that merry place. And allan
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  Speaker 1: Adale and his bride lived happily all the rest of
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  Speaker 1: their lives. And he sang such beautiful songs that his
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  Speaker 1: fame went all over England. And as for friar talk,
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  Speaker 1: he liked Robin Hood and his band so much that
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  Speaker 1: he never went back to the Fountain Dale, but became
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  Speaker 1: one of Robin Hood's merry men, end of Chapter four,