Robin Hood

Week 9: Medieval Heroes - Assignments - Reading - Resources - Images


DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD (Ballad 120)

Reading time: (5 minutes)

The ballad of Robin Hood's death is a surprising one - Robin is sick, and he falls into the clutches of a scheming relative to whom he innocently turned for help.

1 When Robin Hood and Little John
Down a down a down a down
Went oer yon bank of broom,
Said Robin Hood bold to Little John,
We have shot for many a pound.
Hey down a derry derry down.

2 But I am not able to shoot one shot more,
Down a down a down a down
My broad arrows will not flee;
But I have a cousin lives down below,
Please God, she will bleed me.
Hey down a derry derry down.

3 Now Robin he is to fair Kirkly gone,
Down a down a down a down
As fast as he can win;
But before he came there, as we do hear,
He was taken very ill.
Hey down a derry derry down.

4 And when he came to fair Kirkly-Hall,
Down a down a down a down
He knockd all at the ring,
But none was so ready as his cousin herself
For to let bold Robin in.
Hey down a derry derry down.

5 'Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin,' she said
Down a down a down a down
'And drink some beer with me?'
'No, I will neither eat nor drink,
Till I am blooded by thee.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

6 'Well, I have a room, cousin Robin,' she said,
Down a down a down a down
'Which you did never see,
And if you please to walk therein,
You blooded by me shall be.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

7 She took him by the lily-white hand,
Down a down a down a down
And let him to a private room,
And there she blooded bold Robin Hood,
While one drop of blood would run down.
Hey down a derry derry down.

8 She blooded him in a vein of the arm,
Down a down a down a down
And locked him up in the room;
Then did he bleed all the live-long day,
Until the next day at noon.
Hey down a derry derry down.

9 He then bethought him of a casement there,
Down a down a down a down
Thinking for to get down;
But was so weak, he could not leap,
He could not get him down.
Hey down a derry derry down.

10 He then bethought him of his bugle-horn,
Down a down a down a down
Which hung lown down to his knee;
He set his horn unto his mouth,
And blew out weak blasts three.
Hey down a derry derry down.

11 Then Little John, when hearing him,
Down a down a down a down
As he sat under a tree,
'I fear my master is now near dead,
He blows so wearily.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

12 Then Little John to fair Kirkly is gone,
Down a down a down a down
As fast as he can dree;
But when he came to Kirkly-hall,
He broke locks two or three:
Hey down a derry derry down.

13 Until he came bold Robin to see,
Down a down a down a down
The he fell on his knee;
'A boon, a boon,' cries Little John,
'Master, I beg of thee.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

14 'What is that boon,' said Robin Hood,
Down a down a down a down
'Little John, [thou] begs of me?'
'It is to burn fair Kirkly-hall,
And all their nunnery.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

15 'Now nay, now nay,' quoth Robin Hood,
Down a down a down a down
'That boon I'll not grant thee;
'I never hurt woman in all my life,
Nor men in woman's company.
Hey down a derry derry down.

16 'I never hurt fair maid in all my time,
Nor at mine end shall it be;
But give me my bent bow in my hand,
And a broad arrow, I'll let flee;
And where this arrow is taken up,
There shall my grave digged be.

17 'Lay me a green sod under my head,
And another at my feet;
And lay my bent bow by my side,
Which was my music sweet.
And make my grave of gravel and green,
Which is most right and meet.

18 'Let me have length and breadth enough,
Down a down a down a down
With a green sod under my head;
That they may say, when I am dead
Here lies bold Robin Hood.'
Hey down a derry derry down.

19 These words they readily granted him,
Down a down a down a down
Which did bold Robin please:
And there they buried bold Robin Hood,
Within the fair Kirkleys.
Hey down a derry derry down.

20 Thus he that never feard bow nor spear
Down a down a down a down
Was murderd by letting blood;
And so, loving friend, the story it ends
Of valiant Robin Hood.
Hey down a derry derry down.


Questions. Make sure you can answer these questions about what you just read:

  • why did Robin go to his cousin in Kirkly?
  • what did Little John ask permission for from the dying Robin? Why did Robin refuse?
  • what instructions did Robin give to John for his burial?

Source: Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898). Weblink.


Modern Languages / Anthropology 3043: Folklore & Mythology. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one.
Page last updated: October 9, 2004 12:52 PM