Interactive Literature Selections Robin Hood & Allen a Dale

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Robin Hood & Allen a Dale

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Vocabulary from the Selection
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Guided Reading Question 1
What sort of person is Robin Hood?
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	Come listen to me, you gallants so free,
		All you that love mirth for to hear,
	And I will you tell of a bold outlaw,
		That lived in Nottinghamshire.

5	As Robin Hood in the forest stood,
		All under the greenwood tree,
	There was he aware of a brave young man,
		As fine as fine might be.

	The youngster was clothed in scarlet red,
10		In scarlet fine and gay,
	And he did frisk it over the plain,
		and chanted a roundelay¹.

	As Robin Hood next morning stood,
		Among the leaves so gay,
15	There did he spy the same young man
		Come drooping along the way.

	The scarlet he wore the day before,
		It was clean cast away;
	And every step he fetched a sigh,
20		“Alack and a well a day!”

	Then stepped forth brave Little John,
		And Nick the miller’s son,
	Which made the young man bend his bow,
		When as he saw them come.

25	“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,
30		Robin asked him courteously,
	“O hast thou any money to spare
		For my merry men and me?”

	“I have no money,” the young man said,
		“But five shillings and a ring;
35	And that I have kept this seven long years,
		To have it at my wedding.

	“Yesterday I should have married a maid,
		But she is now from me tane²,
	And chosen to be an old knight’s delight,
40		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.”

45	“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?”

Guided Reading Question 2
Why will Allen not marry?
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	“I have no money,” then quoth the young man,
50		“No ready gold nor fee,
	But I will swear upon a book
		Thy true servant for to be.”

	“How many miles is it to thy true love?
		Come tell me without any guile.”
55	“By the faith of my body,” then said the young man,
		“It is but five little mile.”

	Then Robin he hastened over the plain,
		He did neither stint nor lin³,
	Until he came unto the church
60		Where Allen should keep his wedding.

	“What dost thou do here?” the bishop he said,
		“I prithee now tell to me.”
	“I am a bold harper,” quoth Robin Hood,
		“And the best in the north country.”

Guided Reading Question 3
What does Allen promise in return for Robin’s help?
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65	“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 the bridegroom I see.”

	With that came in a wealthy knight,
70		Which was both grave and old,
	And after him a finikin⁴ lass,
		Did shine like glistering⁵ gold.

	“This is no fit match,” quoth bold Robin Hood,
		“That you do seem to make here;
75	For since we are come unto the church,
		The bride she shall choose her own dear.”

Guided Reading Question 4
How does Robin talk his way into the church?
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	Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth,
		And blew blasts two or three;
	When four and twenty bowmen bold
80		Come leaping over the lee⁶.

	And when they came into the churchyard,
		Marching all in a row,
	The first man was Allen a Dale,
		To give bold Robin his bow.

85	“This is thy true love,” Robin he said,
		“Young Allen, as I hear say;
	And you shall be married at this same time,
		Before we depart away.”

	“That shall not be,” the bishop he said,
90		“For thy word shall not stand;
	They shall be three times asked in the church,⁷
		As the law is of our land.”

	Robin Hood pulled off the bishop’s coat,
		And put it upon Little John;
95	“By the faith of my body,” then Robin said,
		“This cloth doth make thee a man.”

Guided Reading Question 5
Who had come with Robin?
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	When Little John went into the choir,
		The people began for to laugh;
	He asked them seven times in the church,
100	Lest three times should not be enough.

	“Who gives me this maid,” then said Little John;
		Quoth Robin, “That do I,
	And he that doth take her from Allen a Dale
		Full dearly⁸ he shall her buy.”

105	And thus having ended this merry wedding,
		The bride looked as fresh as a queen,
	And so they returned to the merry greenwood,
		Among the leaves so green.

Guided Reading Question 6
Who performed the marriage ceremony?
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