Classic Poem

Sherwood Forest. Outside the cave. JENNY, MARIAN and WIDOW
SCARLET.

MARIAN

This dreadful waiting! How I wish that Robin
Had listened to the rest and stayed with me.
How still the woods are! Jenny, do you think
There will be fighting? Oh, I am selfish, mother;
You need not be afraid. Robin will bring
Will Scarlet safely back to Sherwood. Why,
Perhaps they are all returning even now!
Cheer up! How long d'you think they've been away,
Jenny, six hours or more? The sun is high,
And all the dew is gone.

JENNY

Nay, scarce three hours.
Now don't you keep a-fretting. They'll be back,
Quite soon enough. I've scarcely spoke with you,
This last three days and more; and even now
It seems I cannot get you to myself,
Two's quite enough.

[To WIDOW SCARLET.]


Come, widow, come with me.
I'll give you my own corner in the hut
And make you cosy. If you take a nap
Will Scarlet will be here betimes you wake.

[Takes her to the hut and shuts her in.]

There, drat her, for a mumping mumble-crust!

MARIAN

Come, Jenny, that's too bad; the poor old dame
Is lonely.

JENNY

She's not lonely when she sleeps,
And if I never get you to myself
Where was the good of trapesing after you
And living here in Sherwood like wild rabbits?
You ha'nt so much as let me comb your hair
This last three days and more.

MARIAN

Well, comb it, Jenny,
Now, if you like, and comb it all day long;
But don't get crabbed, and don't speak so crossly!

[JENNY begins loosening MARIAN'S hair and combing it.]

JENNY

Why, Mistress, it grows longer every day.
It's far below your knees, and how it shines!
And wavy, just like Much the Miller's brook,
Where it comes tumbling out into the sun,
Like gold, red gold.

MARIAN

Ah, that's provoking, Jenny,
For you forgot to bring me my steel glass,
And, if you chatter so, I shall soon want it.

JENNY

I've found a very good one at a pinch.
There's a smooth silver pool, down in the stream,
Where you can see your face most beautiful.

MARIAN

So that's how Jenny spends her lonely hours,
A sad female Narcissus, while poor Much
Dwines to an Echo!

JENNY

I don't like those gods.
I never cared for them. But, as for Much,
Much is the best of all the merry men.
And, mistress, O, he speaks so beautifully,
It might be just an Echo from blue hills
Far, far away! You see he's quite a scholar:
Much, more an' most (That's what he calls the three
Greasy caparisons--much, more an' most)!
You see they thought that being so very small
They could not make him grow to be a man,
They'd make a scholar of him instead. The Friar
Taught him his letters. He can write his name,
And mine, and yours, just like a missal book,
In lovely colours; and he always draws
The first big letter of JENNY like a tree
With naked Cupids hiding in the branches.
Mistress, I don't believe you hear one word
I ever speak to you! Your eyes are always
That far and far away.

MARIAN

I'm listening, Jenny!

JENNY

Well, when he draws the first big M of yours,
He makes it like a bridge from earth to heaven,
With white-winged angels passing up and down;
And, underneath the bridge, in a black stream,
He puts the drowning face of the bad Prince
Holding his wicked hands out, while a devil
Stands on the bank and with a pointed stake
Keeps him from landing--
Ah, what's that? What's that?

MARIAN

O Jenny, how you startled me!

JENNY

I thought
I saw that same face peering thro' the ferns
Yonder--there--see, they are shaking still.

[She screams.]

Ah! Ah!

[PRINCE JOHN and another man appear advancing across the
glade.]

JOHN

So here's my dainty tigress in her den,
And--Warman--there's a pretty scrap for you
Beside her. Now, sweet mistress, will you deign
To come with me, to change these cheerless woods
For something queenlier? If I be not mistaken,
You have had time to tire of that dark cave.
Was I not right, now? Surely you can see
Those tresses were not meant to waste their gold
Upon this desert. Nay, but Marian, hear me.
I do not jest.

[At a sign from MARIAN, JENNY goes quickly inside the cave.]

That's well! Dismiss your maid!
Warman, remove a little.

[His man retires.]

I see you think
A little better of me! Out in the wood
There waits a palfrey for you, and the stirrup
Longs, as I long, to clasp your dainty foot.
I am very sure by this you must be tired
Of outlawry, a lovely maid like you.

[He draws nearer.]

MARIAN

Wait--I must think, must think.

JOHN

Give me your hand!
Why do you shrink from me? If you could know
The fire that burns me night and day, you would not
Refuse to let me snatch one cooling kiss
From that white hand of yours.

MARIAN

If you be prince,
You will respect my loneliness and go.

JOHN

How can I leave you, when by day and night
I see that face of yours.
I'll not pretend
I do not love you, do not long for you,
Desire and hunger for your kiss, your touch!
I'll not pretend to be a saint, you see!
I hunger and thirst for you. Marian, Marian.

MARIAN

You are mad!

JOHN

Ay, mad for you.
Body and soul
I am broken up with love for you. Your eyes
Flash like the eyes of a tigress, and I love them
The better for it.
Ah, do not shrink from me!

[JENNY comes out of the cave and hands MARIAN a bow. She
leaps back and aims it at JOHN.]

MARIAN

Back, you wild beast, or by the heaven above us,
I'll kill you! Now, don't doubt me. I can shoot
Truly as any forester. I swear,
Prince or no prince, king or no king, I'll kill you
If you should stir one step from where you stand.

JOHN

Come, come, sweet Marian, put that weapon down.
I was beside myself, was carried away.
I cannot help my love for--

MARIAN

I'll not hear
Another sickening word: throw down your arms,
That dagger at your side.

JOHN

Oh, that's too foolish,
Marian, I swear--

MARIAN

You see that rusty stain
Upon the silver birch down yonder? Watch.

[She shoots. Then swiftly aims at him again.]

Now, throw your weapon down.

[He pulls out the dagger and throws it down, with a shrug of his
shoulders. One of his men steals up behind MARIAN.]

JENNY

Ah, Mistress Marian,
There's one behind you! Look!

[The man springs forward and seizes MARIAN'S arms.]

JOHN

[Coming forward and taking hold of her also.]

So, my sweet tigress,
You're trapped then, are you? Well, we'll waste no time!
We'll talk this over when we reach the castle.
Keep off the maid, there, Warman; I can manage
This turbulent beauty. Ah, by God, you shall
Come! Ah? God's blood, what's this?

[MARIAN has succeeded in drawing her dagger and slightly wounding
him. She wrests herself free.]

MARIAN

Keep back, I warn you!

JOHN

[Advancing slowly.]

Strike, now strike if you will. You will not like
To see the red blood spurting up your hand.
That's not maid's work. Come, strike!

[ROBIN HOOD appears at the edge of the glade behind him]

You see, you cannot!
Your heart is tenderer than you think.

ROBIN

[Quietly.]

Prince John!

JOHN

[Turns round and confronts ROBIN.]

Out with your blade, Warman; call up the rest!
We can strike freely now, without a fear
Of marring the sweet beauty of the spoil.
We four can surely make an end of him.
Have at him, lads, and swiftly, or the thieves
Will all be down on us.

[ROBIN draws his sword and sets his back to an oak. The other
two followers of PRINCE JOHN come out of the wood.]

ROBIN

Come on, all four!
This oak will shift its roots before I budge
One inch from four such howling wolves. Come on;
You must be tired of fighting women-folk.
Come on! By God, sir, you must guard your head
Better than that,

[He disarms WARMAN.]

Or you're just food for worms
Already; come, you dogs!

PRINCE JOHN

Work round, you three,
Behind him! Drive him out from that damned oak!

ROBIN

Oh, that's a princely speech! Have at you, sir!

[He strikes PRINCE JOHN'S sword out of his hand and turns suddenly
to confront the others. JOHN picks up a dagger
and makes as if to stab ROBIN in the back. At the same
instant, bugles are heard in the distance. The red-cross
knight flashes between the trees and seizing JOHN'S arm
in his gauntleted hand, disarms him, then turns to help
ROBIN.]

KNIGHT

What, four on one! Down with your blades, you curs,
Or, by Mahound!--

[The three men take to flight. JOHN stands staring at the newcomer.
The FORESTERS appear, surrounding the
glade.]

JOHN

[Muttering.]

What? Thou? Thou? Or his ghost?
No--no--it cannot be.

ROBIN

Let them yelp home,
The pitiful jackals. They have left behind
The prime offender. Ha, there, my merry lads,
All's well; but take this villain into the cave
And guard him there.

[The FORESTERS lead PRINCE JOHN into the cave.]

JOHN

[To the FORESTERS.]

Answer me one thing: who
Is yonder red-cross knight?

A FORESTER

No friend of thine,
Whoe'er he be!

KNIGHT

[To ROBIN.]

I need not ask his name.
I grieve to know it!

ROBIN

Sir, I am much beholden
To your good chivalry. What thanks is mine
To give, is all your own.

KNIGHT

Then I ask this!
Give me that prisoner! I think his life is mine.

ROBIN

You saved my own, and more, you saved much more
Than my poor life is worth. But, sir, think well!
This man is dangerous, not to me alone,
But to the King of England; for he'll yet
Usurp the throne! Think well!

KNIGHT

I ask no more.
I have more reasons than you know.

ROBIN

So be it.
Ho! Bring the prisoner back!

[The FORESTERS bring PRINCE JOHN back. He stares at
the KNIGHT as if in fear.]

Sir, you shall judge him.
This prisoner is your own.

KNIGHT

Then--let him go!

FORESTERS

What! Set him free?

ROBIN

Obey!

[They release PRINCE JOHN.]

KNIGHT

Out of my sight;
Go!

PRINCE JOHN

What man is this?

KNIGHT

Quickly, get thee gone!

[PRINCE JOHN goes out, shaken and white.]

ROBIN

We'll think no more of him! It is our rule
That whomsoe'er we meet in merry greenwood
Should dine with us. Will you not be our guest?

KNIGHT

That's a most happy thought! I have not heard
A merrier word than dinner all this day.
I am well-nigh starved.

ROBIN

Will you not raise your visor
And let us know to whose good knightly hand
We are so beholden?

KNIGHT

Sir, you will pardon me,
If, for a little, I remain unknown.
But, tell me, are you not that Robin Hood
Who breaks the forest laws?

ROBIN

That is my name.
We hold this earth as naturally our own
As the glad common air we breathe. We think
No man, no king, can so usurp the world
As not to give us room to live free lives,
But, if you shrink from eating the King's deer--

KNIGHT

Shrink? Ha! ha! ha! I count it as my own!

[The FORESTERS appear, preparing the dinner on a table of green
turfs, beneath a spreading oak. MARIAN and JENNY
appear at the door of the hut. JENNY goes across to help
at the preparations for dinner.]

ROBIN

Ah, there's my Lady Marian! Will you not come
And speak with her?

[He and the KNIGHT go and talk to MARIAN in the background.]

LITTLE JOHN

[At the table.]
The trenchers all are set;
Manchets of wheat, cream, curds and honey-cakes,
Venison pasties, roasted pigeons! Much,
Run to the cave; we'll broach our rarest wine
To-day. Old Much is waiting for thee there
To help him. He is growling roundly, too,
At thy delay.

MUCH

[Going towards the cave.]

Ah me, my poor old father!

JENNY

I've dressed the salt and strawed the dining hall
With flowers.

[Enter FRIAR TUCK with several more FORESTERS and WILL
SCARLET.]

ROBIN

Ah, good Will Scarlet, here at last!

FRIAR TUCK

We should ha' been here sooner; but these others
Borrowed a farmer's market cart and galloped
Ahead of us!

ROBIN

Thy mother is in the hut,
Sheer broken down with hope and fearfulness,
Waiting and trembling for thee, Will. Go in,
Put thy big arm around her.

[WILL SCARLET goes into the hut with a cry.]

SCARLET

Mother!

FRIAR TUCK

You see,
My sons, you couldn't expect the lad to run!
There is a certain looseness in the limbs,
A quaking of the flesh that overcomes
The bravest who has felt a hangman's rope
Cuddling his neck.

ROBIN

You judge him by the rope
That cuddles your slim waist! Oh, you sweet armful,
Sit down and pant! I warrant you were glad
To bear him company.

FRIAR TUCK

I'll not deny it!
I am a man of solids. Like the Church,
I am founded on a rock.

[He sits down.]

ROBIN

Solids, i' faith!
Sir, it is true he is partly based on beef;
He grapples with it squarely; but fluids, too,
Have played their part in that cathedral choir
He calls his throat. One godless virtue, sir,
They seem to have given him. Never a nightingale
Gurgles jug! jug! in mellower tones than he
When jugs are flowing. Never a thrush can pipe
Sweet, sweet, so rarely as, when a pipe of wine
Summers his throttle, we'll make him sing to us
One of his heathen ditties--The Malmsey Butt,
Or Down the Merry Red Lane!

FRIAR TUCK

Oh, ay, you laugh,
But, though I cannot run, when I am rested
I'll challenge you, Robin, to a game of buffets,
One fair, square, stand-up, stand-still, knock-down blow
Apiece; yo