And among the ballads published, the Robin Hood ballads are of special significance. Robin Hood, the famous outlaw welcomed by the poor was a half-historical and half-legendary hero. He and his men lived in the forest, fighting with the oppressors and

1
Popular Ballad
And among the ballads published, the Robin Hood
ballads are of special significance. Robin Hood,
the famous outlaw welcomed by the poor was a
half-historical and half-legendary hero. He and
his men lived in the forest, fighting with the
oppressors and protecting the poor and the
oppressed.
2
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Notes1. It is one of the more effective among
the Robin Hood ballads, showing how Robin Hood
disguised himself and saved the lives of the
three squires who had been sentenced to death
because of their killing of the king's deer. The
stanza used here is typical of most ballads, i.e.
quatrains with the first and third lines
containing four stresses and the first and the
second and forth lines three stresses, and with
rimes occurring in the even-numbered lines.
Robin Hood and the Three Squires1There are
twelve months in all the year,As I hear many men
say,But the merriest month in all the yearIs
the merry month of May.
3
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Notes
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a
link-a-down and a-day2,And there he met a silly3
old woman,Was weeping on the way.
2. With a link-a-down and a-day From the second
stanza to the last, the ballad is divided into
three parts, and each part begins with almost the
same two lines Now Robin Hood and a-day .
With a link-a-down and a-day is a refrain, sung
by the audience together with the ballad
singer.3. silly poor, innocent
4
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Notes
What news? what news, thou silly old woman?What
news hast thou for me? Said she, There's three
squires in Nottingham town,Today is condemned to
dee4.
4. dee die
5
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O have they parishes burnt? he said,Or have
they ministers5 slain?Or have they robbed any
virgin,Or with other men's wives have lain6?
Notes
5. minister clergyman6. lain past participle
of lie . The phrase lie with means to make love
with.
6
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O what have they done? said bold Robin Hood,I
pray thee tell to me.It's for slaying of the
king's fallow7 deer,Bearing their longbows with
thee8.
Notes
7. fallow brown-red8. Bearing their longbows
with thee carrying long bows like you
7
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
8
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Dost thou not mind9, old woman, he
said,Since10 thou made me sup and dine?By the
truth of my body, quoth11 bold Robin Hood,You
could not tell it in better time.
Notes
9. Dose thou not mind don't you remember10.
Since Before11. quoth said
9
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a
link-a-down and a-day,And there he met with a
silly old palmer12,Was walking along the
highway.
Notes
12. a silly old palmer a poor old pilgrim
10
Robin Hood and the Three Squires

• What news? what news, thou silly old man?What
  news, I do thee pray?Said he, Three squires in
  Nottingham townAre condemned to die this day. 

11
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Come change thine13 apparel with me, old
man,Come change thine apparel for mine.Here is
forty shillings in good silver,Go drink it in
beer or wine.  
Notes
13. thine your. Thine is used before vowels
and thy before consonance.
12
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O thine apparel is good, he said,And mine is
ragged and torn.Wherever you go, wherever you
ride,Laugh ne'er an old man to scorn14.
Notes
14. laugh ne'er an old man to scorn Never to
jeer at an old man.
13
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Come change thine apparel with me, old
churl15,Come change thine apparel with
mineHere are twenty pieces of good broad
gold,Go feast thy brethren16 with wine.
Notes
15. old churl old fellow16. brethren the
plural form for brother
14
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then he put on the old man's hat,It stood full
high on the crown17The first bold bargain that
I come at,It shall made thee18 come down.
Notes
17. on the crown on the head 18. thee the hat
15
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then he put on the old man's cloak,Was patched19
black, blue, and redHe thought it no shame, all
the day longTo wear the bags of bread20. 
Notes
19. Was patched which was patched20. the bags
of bread The black, blue, and red patches sewed
to the old man's cloak serve as bags to carry
bread.
16
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then he put on the old man's breeks21,Was
patched from ball up22 to sideBy the truth of
my body, bold Robin can say23,This man loved
little pride!
Notes
21. breeks underbreeches22. ball up center23.
can say did say
17
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then he put on the old man's hose24,Were patched
from knee to wrist25By the truth of my body,
said bold Robin Hood,I'd laugh if I had any
list26!
Notes
24. hose a covering for the leg or foot25.
wrist (here) ankle26. list desire
18
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then he put on the old man's shoes,Were patched
both beneath and aboon27The Robin Hood swore a
solemn oath,It's good habit28 that makes a
men. 
Notes
27. aboon above28. habit clothing
19
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,With a
link-a-down and a-down,And there he met with the
proud Sheriff,Was walking along the town.
20
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O Christ you save29, O Sheriff, he said,O
Christ you save and seeAnd what will you give
to a silly old manToday will your hangman be? 
Notes
29. O Christ you save O Christ save you.
21
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Some suits30, some suits, the Sheriff he
said,Some suits I'll give to theeSome suits,
some suits, and pence thirteen,Today's a
hangman's fee.  
Notes
30. Some suits suits from the condemned
22
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
Then Robin he31 turns him round about,And jumps
from stock32 to stoneBy the truth of my body,
the Sheriff he said,That's well jumped, thou
nimble old man.
Notes
31. he Robin Hood. then Robin he turns shows
the case of pleonasm in rhetoric.32. stock stump
23
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,Nor yet
intends to trade33.But cursed be he, said bold
Robin,That first a hangman was made. 
Notes
33. to trade to be engaged in the trade of
hanging people
24
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,And a
bag for barley and cornA bag for bread, and a
bag for beef,And a bag for my little small
horn. 
25
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
I have a horn in my pocket,I got it from Robin
HoodAnd still when I set it to my mouth,For
thee it blows little good.
26
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O wind thy horn34, thou proud fellow,Of thee I
have no doubt35I wish that thou give such a
blastTill both thy eyes fall out.  
Notes
34. wind thy horn blow your horn35. Of thee I
have no doubt I have no fear of you.
27
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
The first loud blast that he did blow,He blew
both loud and shrillA hundred and forty of
Robin Hood's menCame riding over the hill. 
28
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
The next loud blast that he did give,He blew
both loud and amain36And quickly sixty of Robin
Hood's menCame shining37 over the plain.
Notes
36. amain with main force, violently37.
shining making a brave show
29
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
O who are yon, the Sheriff he said,Come
tripping over the lea38? They're my
attendants, brave Robin did say,They'll pay a
visit to thee. 
Notes
38. lea meadow
30
Robin Hood and the Three Squires
They took the gallows from the slack39,They set
it in the glen40They hanged the proud Sheriff
on that,Released their own three men. 
Notes
39. slack a small shallow dell40. glen a
narrow valley