US & Can. Versions: 143. Robin Hood & the Bishop
[There are two possible US or Canadian versions reported by Niles and Flanders, one is a one line fragment (Edwards) of this ballad and the other a related story.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
CONTENTS:
From: Four Rare Child Fragments
Tristram P. Coffin
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 130-131
FOUR RARE CHILD FRAGMENTS:- In the Vermont Historical Society, Proceedings, New Series, VII, pp. 73-98 I noticed that seven Child ballads that have not to my knowledge been printed in America are now in the Helen Hartness Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury College. Feeling such material to be of sufficient general interest that it should appear in a national publication, I wrote Mrs. Flanders for permission to edit the texts for the Journal.
"Robin Hood and the Bishop" (Child 143):
And as he walked the forest through.
Edwards' line is from Stanza 3 of Child's text and undoubtedly has a broadside origin. In Child the line reads "And as he walkd the forest along," and with its two variations that come later in the poem "But as they were riding the forest along" and "And then (when) they brought him through the wood" serves as a sort of incremental vestige in the development of the story. That is to say, Edwards has recalled the one line that he might be expected to recall after all others have been forgotten.
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According to Niles, the ballad he collected in Asheville, NC from Vital Bean in 1934 titled "Robin Hood and the Old Woman," is a version of Child No. 140 and also Child No. 143 (Robin Hood and the Bishop).
Robin Hood and the Old Woman
1. Oh why, oh why do you weep old woman?
Or is that you're an old maid?
Or do you want the gold I've got,
Or are you sore afraid,
Or are you sore afraid?
2. "I am no maid, but I am a widow.
My man was a soldier brave.
And now I weep for my three fine sons,
Who soon will be in the grave."
(repeat last line of each verse)
3. "Come give me your dress and give me your jump,[1]
And give me your worn-out shoes
And pray give me a piece of leathern
To make me a pair of thews."[2]
4. He's off to town, he's off to jail,
He's begging all the way.
He's begging the sheriff for three young men
Who were to die today.
5. He's blowing his horn by one, two, and three,
He's calling his men to bide,
And there they took the cruel sheriff
And tied him well inside.
6. They've left the jailhouse far behind,
And this is what they tell:
The widow's weepy eyes were dry,
She thanked bold Robin well.
7. The people in the city
Did cry with joy and glee.
The sheriff was the only one
To shine on the gallows tree.
1 Jumper or jacket.
2 Laces.