Week 12: The Bold Pedlar

The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood

Pedlar bold, THREE chanced to be,

One pedlar bold to be he chanced;
His pack on his back that he rolled,
Tripping he came oer the lee.
Down a down a down a down,
Down a down a down.

Two troublesome blades he met by chance,
They chanced to be two troublesome blades;
Robin Hood was one of them and bold,

And the other was so free, he was Little John.

'O pedlar, pedlar, what is within the pack?
Come towards me to tell me.'
'I've got several suits that are gay green silks,
And silken bow-strings maybe have two or three.'

'If you have several suits of the gay green silk,
And silken bow-strings two or three,
Little John cries, hoping they're his.
'One half your pack shall belong to me.'

'O nay, o nay,' pedlar bold says,
'O nay, o nay, never can that be;
Nottingham, a far away place,
It can take my pack for me.'

Then Pedlar pulled off his pack,
He put it below, just a little, his knee,
Says, 'If you do move me one perch from this,
My pack and all shall gang with thee.'

Then Little John grabbed his sword,
Pedlar was by his pack;
They both fought until they both broke a sweat,
Little John cried, 'Pedlar, pray hold your hand!'

Then Robin Hood appeared in the darkness,
Robinhood laughed a little;
He said, 'I could find a man, of a smaller scale,
Could thrash the pedlar and also thee.'

'Go you try, master,' Little John says,
'Go you try, master, most speedilie,
Or by my body,' Little John says,
'I am sure this night will make you not know me.'

Suddenly Robin Hood drew his sword,
And the pedlar did stand by his pack;
They fought till until blood in streams flowed,
Robin Hood cried, 'Pedlar, pray hold your hand!

Pedlar, pedlar, whom's name?
Come speedilie and let me know.'
'My name! My name I won't tell,
You have to tell both names.'

'Robin Hood is the bold one,
And the other who is free Little John.'
'Now,' says the pedlar, 'my good will,
I decide if I tell the name.

'I am from the gay green woods I am Gamble God,
And have travelled far beyond the sea;
In my father's land, I killed a man,
From my country, I was forced out.'

'If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods,
And have travelled far beyond the sea,
You must be my mother’s sister's son;
Are we cousins?'

They touched their swords together with friendly words,
So merrilie they smiled;
They went to a tavern and dined,
And bottles cracked of cheer.

Bibliography: 

This story is part of the Robin Hood unit. Story source: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898).

The Bold Pedlar

Robin Hood and the Little John.

Robin Hood and Little John