Z's Myth-folklore Blog

  Story source:  The English and Scottish Popular Ballads  by Francis James Child (1882-1898). Robin Hood is in disguise once again, this time as a shepherd. Barnsdale is a real place in South Yorkshire, England, and its association with the Robin Hood legend is one of its claims to fame. To disguise himself as a beggar, Little John needs "palmer's weed." The word " palmer " refers to a pilgrim who had visited the holy places of the Middle East and brought back a palm leaf as a token of the pilgrimage. Meanwhile, the word "weed" here refers to clothing, as in the phrase "widow's weeds." The word comes from the Old English  waed , meaning "garment." You will also see the word "carel" (carril, carl) in this ballad, which means a low-born person. The story: ALL you that delight to spend some time With a hey down down a down down A merry song for to sing, Vnto me draw neer, and you shall hear How Little John went a begging...

  As his career first takes shape, he's more like a defiant gangster Story source:  The English and Scottish Popular Ballads  by Francis James Child (1882-1898). Phoebus refers to Phoebus Apollo, the god of the sun, so Phoebus stands for the sun. haracteristic of Scotland and northern English: mickle, which means much, a large amount. You can read more about the word at Robin meets the mother of three poachers, and in order to rescue them, Robin once again disguises himself, this time as a beggar, paying a beggar an extravagant amount of money (forty shillings) to take his place. There are many different versions of this story; in some the boys are brothers (as here), while in other stories they are members of Robin Hood's own band of Merry Men: BOLD Robin Hood ranging the forest all round, The forest all round ranged he; O there did he meet with a gay lady, She came weeping along the highway. ‘Why weep you, why weep you?’ bold Robin he said, ‘What, weep you for gold or f...