It was a beautiful day in May. In Sherwood Forest the birds sang. The bees buzzed. A band of the Sheriff’s men rode along. They did not even notice the beauty of the day. They were busy searching for Robin Hood.
The Sheriff was tired of Robin Hood making a fool of him. He doubled the reward on Robin’s head.
The Sheriff’s men were eager for riches. They would search until they found Robin Hood. But so far all they had found were birds and deer and rabbits.
Why hadn’t they seen anyone? After all, Sherwood Forest was the home of Robin Hood and his men. Where were they? Even now they were watching the Sheriff’s men from their hiding places.
Robin knew about the Sheriff’s reward. He was afraid it might lead to bloodshed. Robin liked adventure. He liked playing tricks. But he did not like bloodshed. He did his best to avoid it.
So he said to his men, “Hide. When they get tired of looking for us, they will give up and go home.”
No one knew how to hide in Sherwood Forest better than Robin and his men. They blended into the leaves in their forest-green suits. They sent messages to one another in bird calls. They moved with the silence of rabbits. Some said they had even dug tunnels beneath the earth, like moles!
This went on for some time. The Sheriff’s men riding and searching. Robin and his men hiding and watching.
Then one day the Sheriff’s men left the forest.
What was going on? Was it a trick to lure Robin and his men into the open? Robin sent out a spy.
“Will Stutely,” he said. “Wear a disguise. Go to the inn and find out what our friend the Sheriff is up to.”
Will Stutely was more than happy to go. Like the others, he hated hiding. He ached for an adventure. Little did he know what awaited him!
He put a hooded monk’s robe over his suit of forest green and his sword.
He went to the inn called the Blue Boar. At the Blue Boar, Robin’s men were welcome. So were the Sheriff’s men. It was an ideal place to spy.
Sure enough, Will found a band of the Sheriff’s men. They were drinking and talking loudly.
Will Stutely sat nearby. He kept his mouth shut and his ears open. Just a monk minding his own business.
But the innkeeper’s cat knew he was no monk. He was her old pal who fed her table scraps.
She rubbed up against his leg. She mewed for scraps, pushing Will’s robe up and up … until the forest-green suit showed beneath the robe.
One of the Sheriff’s men saw it. His eyes narrowed. He came over.
“Hello, good father. Would you like a drink of ale?” he asked.
Will Stutely shook his head. He pulled down the hem of the robe. And shooed the cat away. He did not know it, but he was too late.
“Where are you going, good father?” the Sheriff’s man asked.
“I am a pilgrim,” said Will softly. “On my way to Canterbury.”
The Sheriff’s man said, “Oh? And since when do pilgrims wear green?”
With that, he yanked the robe right off poor Will Stutely!
Will reached for his sword. But the Sheriff’s men had already surrounded him.
They were all smiles. Wait until the Sheriff heard! They might not have found Robin Hood. But now they had someone almost as good. One of his not-so-merry men!
Marian was at home when she heard the news. A knight was visiting. He wanted to marry her. But Marian wanted to marry Robin Hood. Robin Hood did not think Marian should marry an outlaw. But Marian had ideas of her own!
The knight was shy. He did not know what to talk about. So he talked about the latest news.
“Have you heard? The Sheriff has captured one of Robin Hood’s men.”
Marian choked on the apple she was eating. Her father pounded her back. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“No,” Marian said. “I feel a little sick. May I be excused?”
Marian’s father wanted her to stay and be nice to the knight. But Marian was already out the door.
A few minutes later she was saddling her horse. And on the way to Sherwood Forest.
“Faster! Faster!” she urged the horse. She had to tell Robin!
When Robin heard, he cried out, “Poor Will! If they hurt him, I will never forgive myself.”
“Hurt him!” said Marian. “They are going to hang him tomorrow at sunset.”
“Not if I can help it,” said Robin.
He blew his silver horn. He told his men the bad news.
“Will risked his life for us,” said Robin. “It’s our turn to risk ours to rescue him. What do you say, men?”
“Let’s do it!” the men shouted.
The sun was low in the sky. A big crowd had gathered in Nottingham to see the hanging.
Most people did not really want it to happen. Most people were poor and honest. The Sheriff was no friend of theirs. But Robin Hood and his men were.
The town gates swung open. The Sheriff’s men rode out with the Sheriff leading them. They all wore heavy armor.
Will Stutely came next. He was riding in a wooden cart. His hands and feet were tied with ropes. How pale he looked! And how very sad.
Will searched the crowd for a face he knew. Not one did he see. His heart sank. There were tears in his eyes. He hung his head so no one would see.
The last rays of the sun glinted on the armor. The men passed through the town gates. On the other side the gallows stood ready.
An even bigger crowd had gathered out there. Will Stutely looked up. In the distance he saw his beloved Sherwood Forest. And to think he would never be seeing it again!
Once again his eyes scanned the crowd. What was this? Little John! And over there was Will Scarlet. And who was standing not three feet away from him? Robin Hood himself! Will hung his head again. But this time he hid a big smile.
“Stand back!” the Sheriff shouted. “Give us a little room to hang this scoundrel.”
“Stand back yourself!” Robin said. He thrust past two guards. Into the cart he leaped. He drew his sword and, in a flash, cut Will free of his ropes.
“Get him!” the Sheriff sputtered. He drew his sword. Little John lifted his staff and knocked the Sheriff right off his horse. The crowd cheered.
Then a battle broke out between the Sheriff’s men and Robin’s.
The crowd cheered and whooped as Robin’s men beat back the Sheriff and his men. Back, back, back within the town gates. When the last man was in, Robin’s men swung the gates closed. And pinned them shut from the outside with staffs.
The Sheriff and his men beat on the gates. They were locked inside. And it would be some time before they would be able to get out.
But neither the Sheriff nor his men really wanted to get out. They had had quite enough of Robin Hood and his merry men for now.
That night the merry men celebrated. Will Stutely was safe. Sherwood Forest was theirs to roam free in once again!