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The Legend of
Robin Hood Adventure awaits By Spencer Kayden | Art by Gary Hanna scope.scholastic.com • FEBRUARY 2015
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CHARACTERS Circle the character you will play.
Will Scarlet, one of the Merry Men
*Lady Marian, a noblewoman
*Starred characters are major roles.
Merry Men, to be read by all the
*Sheriff of Nottingham
*Narrators 1, 2, 3 (N1, N2, N3)
Merry Men, plus a few others
Bishop of Hereford
*Robin Hood, an outlaw
Much, the miller’s son
Villagers 1, 2, 3
Little John, one of the Merry Men
*Sir Guy of Gisbourne, a deputy
Herald, an announcer
Friar Tuck, one of the Merry Men
and a knight
Crowd, to be read by a large group
AS YOU READ, THINK ABOUT:
Robin: Nay, we can injure him using our brains as well Is Robin Hood a hero or a criminal?
as our brawn. As for you, young friend— N3: Robin takes a loaf of bread and a hunk of mutton from his satchel.
Prologue
Robin (handing it to Much): Tell your father that Robin
Robin Hood: In the year 1192, King Richard I is off
Hood will make sure your family does not starve.
fighting a war. In his place, the corrupt Prince John
Much: We are forever in your service, Master Robin!
rules England. He demands that everyone pay heavy
Scene 2
taxes, even the very poor. Little John: Where we live, the Sheriff of Nottingham
N1: The Merry Men practice archery in the forest.
collects these taxes—using threats and violence.
Merry Men: England is rotting from the top on down!
Friar Tuck: He sends some of the money to the Prince,
We pledge our revenge on Nottingham Town!
but he keeps much for himself.
N2: Friar Tuck rushes through the trees, sweating.
Will Scarlet: Since the laws have become unjust— Robin: —I, Robin Hood— Merry Men: —and we, his Merry Men— Robin:—live as outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Merry Men: We fight the rich to protect the poor!
Friars were religious men who took a vow of poverty. They had no possessions. They dedicated their lives to serving others.
Scene 1
Friar Tuck: I have just been to the village. Sir Guy is collecting taxes for the Sheriff today. Robin: Indeed? Friar Tuck: He must pass through our woods to get back to the castle. Little John: His purse will be heavy with coins. N3: Robin grabs his arrows.
Robin: Time for an adventure, boys!
N1: With bows and arrows slung over their shoulders,
N1: They run through the trees.
Robin and his men roam through Sherwood Forest.
N2: Meanwhile, Sir Guy and Lady Marian ride through
They begin to chant.
the forest with their guards.
Merry Men: The forest comes alive in the sweet green of
sir Guy: I thank you, milady, for accompanying me
spring. Apple buds blossom and cuckoo birds sing.
today. Take this necklace as a token of my appreciation.
N2: They come across a young man whose face and
lady Marian: That necklace belonged to one of the
clothes are covered in dirt.
villagers, did it not?
Robin: What has happened to you, lad?
Guy: Yes, but she could not pay her taxes, so I took this
Much (sniffling): My father could not pay the new taxes,
instead. And now I would like you to have it.
so the Sheriff of Nottingham burned down our mill.
Marian: I cannot accept it, Sir Guy. It’s not her fault she
Now we have nothing!
is poor. She was not born into nobility as we were. Why
Will: The Sheriff is a villain!
should she be punished for her poverty?
Little John: I’ll pummel that fiend!
Guy: I have no pity for commoners and peasants. If they
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worked harder, they would have plenty.
Guy: I would rather not.
N3: Lady Marian remains silent. Sir Guy looks at the
Robin: Oh, but I rather insist.
dark path ahead.
N3: Robin’s men blindfold Sir Guy and Lady Marian and
Guy: I hate passing through these woods. They are full
lead them to their hidden home deep in the forest.
of robbing hoodlums.
Scene 3
Marian: Is this Robin Hood as ruthless as they say? Guy: He stole from the Bishop of Hereford, taking his
N1: Sir Guy and Lady Marian sit uncomfortably on tree
money and his clothes!
stumps. A fire crackles as a deer roasts on a spit.
Marian: Can’t the Sheriff do something?
N2: Little John raises his goblet.
Guy: There is a bounty of 200 gold coins on his head,
Little John: To the Sheriff: Though his heart may be
but the people revere him as a saint.
empty, his pockets are always full!
Marian: Saint Robin Hood?
Merry Men: Ha ha!
N1: Robin drops from a tree and blocks their path.
Robin: And to Lady Marian, whose gray-blue
Robin: You called?
eyes will haunt me forever.
N2: Sir Guy and his guards draw their swords. Robin blows his bugle. N3: Scores of outlaws appear, arrows poised. Guy: Seize them! Merry Men: Ha! Ha! Ha! Marian: With respect, Sir
N SINISTER PLACES N
Forests were to be avoided. It was widely believed that the air in the woods was infested with evil spirits looking to harm anyone who strayed too far from home. And the woods were dangerous—but not because of evil spirits. Wild animals could make a meal of you. Outlaws could kidnap you for ransom. Or you could get hopelessly lost and die from starvation or cold. Most people never left their villages. Why might Robin Hood have chosen to live in the forest with his Merry Men?
Guy, we are heavily outnumbered. N1: Robin takes off his hat and bows to Lady Marian. Robin: The lady is as perceptive as she is lovely. N2: A smile twitches at the corners of Lady Marian’s mouth. Guy: Scoundrel! Let us pass. Robin: Why the hurry, Sir Guy? You must be hungry after a long day of robbing the poor. Join us for a feast.
N GETTING AROUND N
Travel was slow, expensive, and very uncomfortable in medieval England. Most roads were little more than muddy, overgrown trails. Wealthy travelers like Sir Guy and Lady Marian traveled on horseback and always with guards for protection. It could take an entire day to go a few miles.
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N FAVORITE SPORT N
Archery contests were all the rage in medieval England, but they served a purpose beyond providing entertainment. England’s archers helped win battles. Archers used longbows and could release as many as 12 arrows per minute. By 1252, all able-bodied men were required to have a bow. Archery was enormously difficult and required constant practice.
N DIRTY CLOTHES N
Unless you were wealthy, you probably did not have more than one or two outfits, which were likely made of wool. (Sheep were plentiful in England.) Because people wore the same dirty clothes day after day, skin diseases were common. It didn’t help that it was too time-consuming to heat water for bathing more than a few times a year— though people did wash their hands and faces daily.
Scene 4 N2: The Sheriff of Nottingham storms around the great hall of his enormous house. The heels of his boots echo off the high walls. Sheriff: You cowardly fool!
N3: Lady Marian blushes. Sir Guy rolls his eyes.
Guy: I was helpless.
N1: After the feast, Will steps forward.
Sheriff: That money was for the Crown.
Will: Before you go, Sir Guy, we ask a small donation
Bishop of hereford (muttering): Among others . . .
for the meal.
Sheriff: Now they will think I cannot control my
Guy: Why should I pay for a meal you forced me to eat?
own shire!
Will: Think of it as a tax for coming through our forest.
N3: The Sheriff lifts a sword off the wall and runs his
Guy: Very well, but I have only three gold coins.
fingers over the blade.
Friar Tuck: Is that so?
Sheriff: Hood, when I catch you, your head will roll.
N2: Friar Tuck searches Sir Guy’s saddlebag. He finds a
BISHOP: You cannot best him in the forest. You must
pouch and pours out hundreds of coins.
lure him out into the open.
Robin: Pity, Sir Guy. If you truly had but three, we
Sheriff: How?
would have taken nothing. But since you lied, we will
BISHOP: He fancies himself the finest archer in the
take it all.
kingdom. How about a shooting match with a valuable
Guy: You criminal.
prize for the winner?
Robin: Please allow my men to escort you to the road.
Sheriff: He will know it is a trap.
N3: Robin kisses Lady Marian’s hand.
BISHOP: Perhaps, but he is a show-off. He will not be
Robin: Until we meet again, good lady.
able to resist the opportunity for glory.
N1: Lady Marian glances at Robin as she rides away.
Guy: Especially if the lovely Lady Marian gives the prize.
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Scene 5
Crowd (louder): Hooray!
N1: Robin strolls through the village handing out wheels
N3: Lady Marian brings forward the silver arrow.
of cheese, slabs of deer meat, and whole chickens.
Marian: Sir Champion, you beat the unbeatable.
N2: Hungry villagers clutch his sleeves.
N1: The beggar’s eye twinkles as he declines the arrow.
Villager 1: Bless you, Robin Hood!
Robin: Please keep it, milady. The sparkle matches your
Villager 2: This will keep my family alive for a month.
gray-blue eyes of which I am so fond.
Villager 3: Robin Hood, hero of the people!
N2: Lady Marian’s eyes grow wide. The Sheriff
N3: A herald rides in and sounds his trumpet.
approaches, his purple robe flaring.
Herald: Three days hence, an archery contest will be
Sheriff: Your name?
held in Nottingham Town. An arrow of pure silver will
Robin: Jack o’ the Glen.
be awarded to the winner!
Sheriff: You are a better archer than the coward Robin
Robin: Gentlemen, let’s head to Nottingham for this
Hood, who dared not show his face.
merry shooting match.
N3: The beggar throws back his hood.
Little John: Master Robin, do you not see this is a trick
Robin: Coward, you say?
to capture you?
Guy: Guards! Capture him!
Robin: All the more reason to attend.
N1: Robin draws his sword from under his cloak.
Little John: Robin, it is certain death! Please stay here.
Will: Run, Master Robin!
Robin: And let some lesser archer walk off with my
Robin: And miss all the fun? I think not!
prize? Never!
N2: He sends one guard tumbling over backward.
Scene 6 N1: In Nottingham Town, cheers swell as archers stream
Another guard steps in. Their swords clash. N3: Robin fights valiantly, but he is overpowered. Sheriff: To the dungeon with him! We will hang
onto the field. Among them is a limping beggar with an eye patch, his tattered scarlet cloak obscuring his face.
informational text
Medieval Society
N2: The Sheriff, Sir Guy, and Lady Marian sit on a platform garlanded with flowers. Sheriff (scowling): Where is Hood? Guy: He will be here. Herald (shouting): Each archer will shoot one arrow. The 10 best will face off. N3: Arrows fly. The final 10 are chosen. Among them is the one-eyed beggar. Sheriff: Who is that varlet in scarlet? Guy: If he wins, we’ll find out.
Getty Images/iStockPhoto.com
N1: Each archer aims his arrow and lets fly. Crowd: Hooray! Sheriff: My head archer, Gilbert, has hit the center. He cannot be beaten. Ha! Herald: Final contestant, approach! N2: The beggar steps forward and fits his arrow. It splits Gilbert’s arrow in half and lodges in the very center of the bull’s-eye.
Great for the rich. Brutal for the poor.
F
or much of history, the people of England were divided into groups, or “classes.” People generally lived and married in the class they were born into. Royals, like King Richard I, ruled. Nobles, like Lady Marian, owned property, oversaw the lower classes, and supported the king and the royal government, called “the Crown.” Commoners, like merchants and millers, often lived in small villages and sold their goods in markets. Peasants had brutal lives. They lived and worked on big farms called manors, where they grew and harvested crops. They could not leave without permission from the lord of the manor and often lived on the brink of starvation. scope.scholastic.com • FEBRUARY 2015
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him tomorrow morning. It
N2: A noose is placed
will be a lesson for all who
around Robin’s neck.
think they are above the law.
N3: A man in a brown cloak
N1: Lady Marian clutches the
pushes his way forward.
silver arrow as she watches
Friar Tuck: Would you kill
Robin be dragged away.
this man without a blessing? BISHOP (grumbling): He
Scene 7
deserves no blessing.
N2: Lady Marian sneaks to
N1: Friar Tuck climbs the
the dungeon. She speaks to
platform and blesses Robin
Robin through the bars.
while furtively cutting the
Marian: Is it true you are an
rope binding his hands.
earl and could be living in
Friar Tuck (whispering):
luxury in Locksley? Robin: Yes, milady. Marian: Why have you chosen a criminal life? Robin: I loathe unjust laws and the Sheriff’s cruelties. Marian: But laws must be followed or there will be no justice.
N THE PUNISHMENTN
In medieval England, executions were public events. Crowds could number in the thousands. Executions were meant to strike fear into the hearts of would-be criminals and remind people of the absolute power of God and the king. Being an executioner was a risky job: If an execution went badly, a crowd could quickly turn into a mob and it would be the executioner, not the condemned, who was killed.
Robin: Justice? Tell that to
Fear not, master. Sheriff (smiling savagely): Good-bye, Robin Hood. N2: The hangman pulls the rope. Robin’s heels lift off the ground. N3: Suddenly, Lady Marian appears on horseback. She raises her bow and draws an arrow—a sparkling, silver
the widow whose son was hanged for stealing flour for
arrow—to her cheek.
his starving family.
N1: Snap! The arrow whizzes through the air and pierces
Marian: So you support stealing?
the rope above Robin’s head. Robin drops.
Robin: The poor would not have to steal if the Sheriff
Merry Men (throwing off their cloaks): Hooray!
did not steal from them. Do you not see what is
Sheriff: Catch him!
happening all around us, Marian? People are suffering.
N2: Lady Marian gallops to the edge of the gallows.
Marian: And you are willing to die for them?
Marian: Robin, jump!
Robin: Better to die fighting for what is right than to live
N3: Robin leaps onto the back of the horse.
an idle life of privilege and greed.
Guy: You shall regret this, Marian!
Scene 8
Marian: I only regret that I did not join them sooner! N1: They charge out of the gates of Nottingham with the
N3: Robin is dragged to the gallows, his hands bound.
Merry Men close behind.
N1: A large, somber crowd has gathered.
Marian: To Sherwood Forest, good Robin?
Robin: Give me a sword; let me fight to my death.
Robin: To Sherwood Forest!
Sheriff: No, you are a thief and shall die like one.
Merry Men: To Sherwood Forest!
•
writing contest Robin Hood is called both a hero and a criminal. Why? Which description best fits his character? Use details from the play to support your answer. Send your response to ROBIN HOOD CONTEST. Five winners will each receive a copy of Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody. Get this activity Online
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