Robin Hood And His Audio Books

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Welcome back to Chapter XIIId for the continuation of Robin Hood by J. Walker McSpadden,

There have been many books written about Robin Hood and McSpadden has been one that I have really enjoyed. I hope you like it as much.

If you would like to find more books on Robin Hood go to the upper right corner of this site and click on the link that says “history of audio books” or you can read along as I will bring as many as I can to this blog. It will take a while though as I have no intention of boring you with long selections from the books.

Each selection I put on the blog will be no more than 20 minutes and most will be between 10 and 15 minutes for a fairly quick read. Enjoy and let me know what you think by using the comments below each selection.

Titled “Robin Hood”

Please make sure you BOOKMARK this sight for easy access. If you are not sure how to do it,
go to the page titled “How to Bookmark” at the top right hand of this page.

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CHAPTER XIII

Part 4 of 4

HOW THE OUTLAWS SHOT IN KING HARRY’S TOURNEY

…”The score is tied, my lord,” said the Queen; “we have still to see Gilbert and Robin Hood.”

Gilbert now took his stand and slowly shot his arrows, one after another, into the bull’s-eye. ‘Twas the best shooting he had yet done, but there was still the smallest of spaces left–if you looked closely–at the very center.

“Well done, Gilbert!” spoke up Robin Hood. “You are a foeman worthy of being shot against.” He took his own place as he spoke. “Now if you had placed one of your shafts _there_”–loosing one of his own–”and another _there_”–out sped the second–”and another _there_”–the third was launched–”mayhap the King would have declared you the best bowman in all England!”

But the last part of his merry speech was drowned in the wild tumult of applause which followed his exploit. His first two shafts had packed themselves into the small space left at the bull’s-eye; while his third had split down between them, taking half of each, and making all three appear from a distance, as one immense arrow.

Up rose the King in amazement and anger.

“Gilbert is not yet beaten!” he cried. “Did he not shoot within the mark thrice? And that is allowed a best in all the rules of archery.”

Robin bowed low.

“As it please Your Majesty!” quoth he. “But may I be allowed to place the mark for the second shooting?”

The King waved his hand sullenly.. Thereupon Robin prepared another old trick of the greenwood, and got him a light, peeled willow wand which he set in the ground in place of the target.

“There, friend Gilbert,” called he gaily; “belike you can hit that!”

“I can scarce see it from here,” said Gilbert, “much less hit it. Nathless, for the King’s honor, I will try.”

But this final shot proved his undoing, and his shaft flew harmlessly by the thin white streak. Then came Robin to his stand again, and picked his arrow with exceeding care, and tried his string. Amid a breathless pause he drew the good yew bow back to his ear, glanced along the shaft, and let the feathered missile fly. Straight it sped, singing a keen note of triumph as it went. The willow wand was split in twain, as though it had met a hunter’s knife.

“Verily, I think your bow is armed with witchcraft!” cried Gilbert. “For I did not believe such shooting possible.”

“You should come to see our merry lads in the greenwood,” retorted Robin lightly. “For willow wands do not grow upon the cobblestones of London town.”

Meanwhile the King in great wrath had risen to depart, first signing the judges to distribute the prizes. Never a word said he, of good or ill, to the Queen, but mounted his horse and, followed by his sons and knights, rode off the field. The archers dropped upon one knee as he passed, but he gave them a single baleful look and was gone.

Then the Queen beckoned the outlaws to approach, and they did so and knelt at her feet.

“Right well have ye served me,” she said, “and sorry am I that the King’s anger is aroused thereby. But fear ye not. His word and grace hold true. As to these prizes ye have gained, I add others of mine own–the wagers I have won from His Majesty the King and from the lord Bishop of Hereford. Buy with some of these moneys the best swords ye can find in London, for all your band, and call them the swords of the Queen. And swear with them to protect all the poor and the helpless and the women–kind who come your way.”

“We swear,” said the five yeomen solemnly.

Then the Queen gave each of them her hand to kiss, and arose and departed with all her ladies. And after they were gone, the King’s archers came crowding around Robin and his men, eager to get a glimpse of the fellows about whom they had heard so much. And back of them came a great crowd of the spectators pushing and jostling in their efforts to come nearer.

“Verily!” laughed Little John, “they must take us for a Merry Andrew show!”

Now the judges came up, and announced each man his prize, according to the King’s command. To Robin was give the purse containing twoscore golden pounds; to Little John the twoscore silver pennies; and to Allan-a-Dale the fine inlaid bugle, much to his delight, for he was skilled at blowing sweet tunes upon the horn hardly less than handling the harp strings. But when the Rhenish wine and English beer and harts of Dallom Lea were spoken of, Robin said:

“Nay, what need we of wine or beer, so far from the greenwood? And ‘twould be like carrying coals to Newcastle, to drive those harts to Sherwood! Now Gilbert and Tepus and their men have shot passing well. Wherefore, the meat and drink must go to them, an they will accept it of us.”

“Right gladly,” replied Gilbert grasping his hand. “Ye are good men all, and we will toast you every one, in memory of the greatest day at archery that England has ever seen, or ever will see!”

Thus said all the King’s archers, and the hand of good-fellowship was given amid much shouting and clapping on the shoulder-blades.

And so ended King Harry’s tourney, whose story has been handed down from sire to son, even unto the present day.

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This concludes Chapter XIIId. A 4 part chapter.

Next post will be Chapter XIV.

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To Get the various collections of Robin Hood Audio Books,
CLICK on Robin Hood Audio Books web site.

For even more great Audio Books Like this, go to the
GREAT AUDIO BOOKS LIST store for more enjoyment.

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