Robin Hood Chapter 2
Robin Hood Meets Little John
(Story 1)
One day Robin Hood went into the forest alone. He came to a bridge across the river. He began to cross the bridge. As he did so a man began to cross the bridge from the other side of the river. The two men met in the middle of the bridge. There was not enough room for them to pass.
“I was on the bridge first,” Robin said.
“You were not,” the other man said. He was much taller than Robin. “I was on the bridge first.”
Robin put an arrow in his bow.
“Move or I shall shoot you!” Robin demanded.
“Move or I shall hit you with my staff,” the tall man said. He had a long, thick staff.
Robin laughed, “My arrow will kill you. Your staff won't kill me.”
“You are a coward to fight me with a bow and arrow,” the tall man said. “Fight me with a staff like mine.”
“I am not a coward,” Robin said. “I will fight you with a staff. Stay where you are.”
Robin walked away to a tree. He cut a long, thick staff from the tree. He walked back to the middle of the bridge.
“Now I will fight you,” he said. “We will find out who is stronger.”
The two men fought for a long time. They hit one another hard with their staffs.
Then the tall man hit Robin very hard. He fell off the bridge and into the river.
“Now who is the stronger man?” the tall man shouted.
At this moment Will and some of Robin's men came out of the forest. Will saw Robin in the river.
“Shall we kill this man, Robin?” Will shouted.
“No,” Robin answered as he climbed out of river. “I want to talk to him.”
“Who are you?” Robin asked the tall man. “What are you doing in the forest?”
“I am looking for Robin Hood,” the tall man said.
“Oh? Why are you looking for him?”
“I want to join his band of outlaws. I want to be one of his men.”
“Why do you want to become an outlaw?” Robin asked him.
“I am already an outlaw,” the tall man said. “Prince John took my lands and gave them to one of his men. Now I have no home.”
Robin shook his hand. “Welcome. I am Robin Hood.” he said. “I need strong and brave men like you. You may join my band of outlaws.”
“What is your name?” Will asked him. “John Little,” the tall man said.
Robin laughed. “You are so tall,” he said. “We will call you Little John!”
And this was how Little John became one of Robin's best friends.
(Story 2)
Not long after Little John joined the band of outlaws, a knight rode through the forest. Robin saw him coming and said to Little John, “That knight looks sad. Ask him to join us for dinner. It is good to have a guest, sometimes.”
Little John walked out of the trees and held up his hand.
“Stop, Sir Knight,” he said. “My leader, Robin Hood invites you to have dinner with us.”
“I shall be pleased to,” the knight said. “I heard about Robin Hood. He is a good man who takes from the rich and gives to the poor.”
The knight followed Little John to the outlaws' camp. “Welcome,” Robin Hood said. “What is your name?”“I am Sir Richard of Legh,” the knight answered.
“Why do you look so sad?” Robin asked him.
“Tomorrow, I shall lose my lands. My wife and young children will have nowhere to live.” “Come and eat with us,” Robin Hood said. “And tell us your story.”
Sir Richard joined the outlaws around their camp fire. As he ate, he told them his story.
“My eldest son left home to fight with King Richard. Soon after he left, I received some bad news. The enemy captured him. They asked for a ransom of one thousand pound.”
“That's a large sum of money,” Little John said.
“Yes. And far more than I had, which was only six hundred pounds. I went to the abbot and asked him to lend me four hundred pounds. His abbey is very rich. It owns many farms, and the farmers all pay a high rent.”
“And what did this rich abbot say?” Robin asked Sir Richard.
“He agreed to lend me the four hundred pounds. My son was returned to me, but if I do not repay the money tomorrow, the abbot will take all my lands. I need more time to save this amount of money.”
“I pleaded with the abbot, but he just laughed and would not listen to me.”
“The man is a rogue!” Little John shouted.
“How much money do you have?” Robin asked.
“Only a few pounds.”
“Search him,” Robin said.
Little John and Will searched the knight. They found only two pounds.
“The knight is telling the truth, Robin,” Little John said.
“Then we shall lend him the money. Go to the shop, Will, and get four hundred pounds for this good knight.”
“How can I thank you?” the knight asked.
“Come back to us in a year's time and repay the loan,” Robin said. “I trust you.”
The knight stayed with the outlaws that night and the next morning rode off to the abbey. The abbot was waiting for him.
“Do you have the money?” he demanded.
“I need more time,” the knight answered.
“I have given you enough time! You agreed to give me your lands in exchange for the loan.” The abbot smiled. He was a greedy and cruel man.
“Your abbey is rich,” the knight said. “Why can't you give me more time to get the money?”
The abbot turned to some soldiers who were awaiting his orders.
“Go to this man's home,” he commanded. “Make sure that his wife and children leave. Everything he owns is now mine!”
“Oh no, it isn't!” Sir Richard shouted. He took a bag of gold out of his pocket and threw it on the ground in front of the abbot.
Then he turned and went away. The abbot was very angry, but there was nothing he could do.