Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The word "gest" is old English, and a bit of a pun. It could mean a "jest" or a "guest" and it
has an ancient meaning as a "heroic deed".
Normally Robin likes to entertain his guests in Sherwood Forest with food and wine, before
relieving them of their gold. But in this story his guest is a sad Knight who has no money to
surrender. Instead, Robin lends him money so that he can repay a loan to the cruel Abbot.
As in all Robin Hood stories, anybody in authority is a baddie (except King Richard) - and that
includes the leaders of the church who are abusing their power.
Of all the thieves and highway robbers who have ever lived, by far the politest was Robin
Hood. He liked to entertain those he robbed as guests in his own home. Although his home
was a rough camp in Greenwood, which was in the thickest and darkest part of Sherwood
forest. His table was always heavy with rich food and wine. He was very choosy about those
whom he invited to his lair. He only liked to rob the best sort of people; nobles, knights,
barons, and leading figures of the church. He treated his victims with such great courtesy
and hospitality that afterwards some of them said that it had been a privilege to have been
robbed by Robin Hood.
One day Robin and his men had been out shooting game in the King’s forest. It was this habit
that had made them outlaws in the first place – for the King’s brother, John, had declared
that all the forests belonged to him – and anyone who hunted there without his permission
would face severe punishment. King Richard himself would not have deprived the foresters
of food, but he was away fighting wars overseas. While he was away, his brother John ruled
England with cruelty and injustice.
On this day the hunting had been good, and Robin Hood and his men were looking forward
to a fine dinner.
But let us not be greedy and keep all this fine food for ourselves,” said Robin. “I will “
not eat until I have a worthy guest at my table. Little John, go and find me a fitting
”.guest and invite him to dine with us
Little John’s real name was John Little, but everyone called him Little John because he was
so huge. He was six foot five inches tall and as broad as a tree. He was Robin’s most trusted
partner in crime, and feared nothing and nobody – not even Robin. Although he was hungry,
he agreed to go and find a guest. He took two of the best men – Will Scarlet and Much the
miller’s son. They went up to the highway to wait for a suitable guest to come along.
The road was quiet and they waited an hour or more for a suitable victim. At last a knight
came riding down the road. As he drew near they saw that he was lost in thought, and there
was a look of great sadness on his face. The three men jumped out and pointed their arrows
at his chest. Their long bows were so powerful that they could easily pass through any
armoured breast plate or chain mail.
Cheer up gentle Sir Knight,” called out Little John. “You are invited to the table of my “
”.master for dinner tonight
The knight was startled and replied, “But I plan to dine in Barnslydale tonight, for tomorrow I
must go to see the Abbot on urgent business.”
Tis a pity,” said Little John, still aiming his arrow at the knight’s chest, “For my “
”.master will take great offence should you refuse his kind invitation
His name should be known to all who pass by Sherwood Forest, for it is Robin “
”.Hood
”.In that case I shall come,” said the knight, “For I have heard much about him“
Will Scarlet placed a blindfold over the knight’s eyes, and they led him through the forest to
the hideaway. Robin greeted the knight with great courtesy;
Welcome to Greenwood gentle Sir Knight, all ours is yours.” They washed their “
hands together in the stream, and then they dined on pheasant, trout, cuts of
.venison, and barley bread, then swilled it down with plenty of red wine
I have not eaten such a dinner in these last three months,” declared the knight, “and “
”.if you visit my castle, I shall make you a fine feast in return
Ah,” said Robin, “I would much prefer, kind sir, that you paid before you leave – for it “
is the custom in Greenwood that a peasant’s son such as I should not pay for a
”.knight
Robin had not entertained such a poor guest at his table before.
If what you say is true,” he said, “I will not take one penny off you. Indeed, I shall “
”.lend you money from my own coffers
Robin sent Little John to look through the Knight’s belongings. When he had checked them
he said, “Our gentle knight is indeed a pauper.”
But the Abbot did not become rich by showing mercy,” said the knight, “and “
therefore I fully expect that by tomorrow evening I will truly be a landless pauper. I
”.plan to take a ship and join King Richard who is fighting in the Holy Lands
Too many good knights are overseas," said Robin, "which is why there is so much "
injustice at home. No, by St. Mary who is dear to me, I shall make you a loan of four
".hundred pounds and you shall repay the Abbot
The next day at the Monastery of St. Mary, a monk spoke to the Abbot:
”.Your Worshipful Grace... Today the knight must repay his loan or forfeit his lands“
He will surely forfeit,” replied the Abbot, “for I do not think he will find four hundred “
”.pounds in so short a time
When the knight and Little John arrived outside the Monastery, they changed into their poor
clothes again, before entering and asking to see the Abbot.
The porter at the gate said, “That surely is the shabbiest and saddest looking Knight that I
ever did see.”
Inside the main hall, the knight knelt down before Abbot. The Abbot did not greet him, but
said straight out, “Well, have you brought my money?”
The monk said, "Then why did you come to waste His Grace’s time like this? Your lands are
lost. Go away."
”.I came,” said the knight, “to ask for mercy and more time to pay“
”.You shall not have a minute more,” said the Abbot. “Your lands are mine. Be off“
If you give me more time, I shall serve you faithfully,” said the knight. “Show mercy, “
”.for it is good to help one who has need
At this the Abbot swore a great oath and roundly cursed him.
The Abbot had no choice but to hand back the deeds to the knight’s land – although he was
sorry to do so, for it was worth a good deal more than four hundred pounds in gold.
Two day’s later, the knight returned to his castle wearing his sad expression. “Are we
paupers?” Asked his wife. “No,” said he, brightening up, "we are saved. God bless Robin
Hood!”
A year passed, and the knight gathered together four hundred pounds to repay his debt to
Robin. He also made 100 arrows and had them plumbed with peacock feathers as a gift to
show his gratitude.
A good friar arranged a meeting with Robin beneath a great oak tree in Greenwood. On the
way, the knight stopped to watch a wrestling match between the son of a nobleman and a
peasant. The two men pushed, grappled, arm locked, tripped, and threw each other, but the
peasant was the stronger, and he soon had the nobleman’s son pinned to the ground and
unable to move. He claimed his prize – a pound in gold – but the nobleman’s friends would
not pay. Instead, the judge of the contest drew his sword and was about to kill the peasant
for his impudence.
Seeing this, the knight rode up and declared, “The man that harms the victor of this match
will have to contend with me!” The nobleman’s friends did not want to take on a knight, and
they released the peasant.
”.Follow me,” said the knight, “and I will take you to join Robin Hood and his men“
The peasant agreed, for he knew that if he did not, the noblemen would get him later.
The knight arrived late for his meeting with Robin, and when he explained what had delayed
him on the way, Robin said, “Gentle Sir Knight, consider the four hundred pounds a gift, for I
will not accept a penny from a man who stands up for justice.”
Then take these,” said the knight, and he showed Robin the 100 arrows plumbed “
.with peacock feathers
That evening the gentle knight was a guest at Robin’s table for a second time, and they
feasted until they could eat no more.