Robin Hood's Death

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Robin Hood's Death is Child ballad 120. It is one of the oldest existing tales of Robin Hood and is similar in many details to another old ballad, A Gest of Robyn Hode, that also tells of his death, but exists only in fragmentary form.^[1]

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

After Robin Hood's wife Maid Marian either is killed or died of natural causes, he goes to get himself bled (a common medieval medical practice) by his cousin, a prioress. He refuses a bodyguard that Will Scarlet offers and takes only Little John. The prioress treacherously lets too much blood, killing him, or her lover Sir Roger of Doncaster stabs him while he's weak. Robin Hood claims some consolation though in that he mortally wounds Roger prior to his own demise. Little John wishes to avenge him, but Robin forbids it, because he has never harmed women. The story ends with Robin Hood's final arrow determining the location where his grave is to be made.

In a fragmentary form, a woman appears early on the journey "banning" Robin Hood. That manuscript breaks off with the outlaws asking why she is doing it. It is often taken as "cursing" him, but may mean "lamenting" -- predicting his death and weeping in advance.

[edit] See also

This is the most common ending to tales of Robin Hood, although in a few other tales, such as Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight, other villains appear, to perform the bleeding that is his usual end.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Robin Hood's Death
• Discussion
• THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD: INTRODUCTION
• miniclip.com