Ballads of Robin Hood

Scene Four - Sherwood Forest at Fountainsdale, near Blidworth

Cast: Maid Marian, Eleanor Dale, Friar Tuck

Robin Hood has been captured by the Sheriff and his men at St. Mary's Church, Nottingham, and is imprisoned in Nottingham Castle. Eleanor Dale is waiting to meet Marian and Friar Tuck who they hope to persuade to help them rescue Robin.

Eleanor sings The Ballad of the Beggar

Marian enters and greets and Eleanor.

Marian: Good tidings to you both. I'm obliged that you have arranged for me to meet Friar Tuck. Perhaps he can help us to rescue Robin from the Sheriff’s hands with a little luck.

Eleanor: Robin should never have gone alone and unarmed to St. Mary's in Nottingham . Little John and Scarlet warned him and now he's languishing in the Castle prison.

Marian: The Sheriff had sworn to help Robin and all his men but he arrested Robin inside St. Mary’s. The Sheriff has now shown his true colours.

Eleanor: The Sheriff is probably still seething from when Robin made him walk home from the greenwood in the winter. Robin had disguised himself as a potter and stood at Nottingham market selling his pots at so low a price the Sheriff's wife invited him home to dinner. Even when Robin showed how well he could shoot a bow, the Sheriff couldn't guess he was Robin Hood. So taken he was by Robin’s disguise that he asked him to help find himself in the greenwood. When they reached Sherwood, the potter revealed himself as Robin Hood, relieved the Sheriff of his money and sent him home on foot. Robin sent a white palfrey as a gift to the Sheriff’s wife who had to laugh because the Sheriff had paid full fee for all Robin’s cheap pottery.

Marian: Even though the Sheriff is a fool he can be very cruel.

Eleanor: The Sheriff is a man not to be trusted for long. While we are waiting for Friar Tuck to arrive would you like me to sing a song - a sad song that turns out happily.

Marian: That would be pleasing.

Eleanor sings The Ballad of Alan a Dale

Marian to Eleanor: You must be the young lady in the ballad?

Eleanor: Yes.

Marian: Do you both live in the forest?

Eleanor: Yes we live in a cottage near the lodge.

Marian: Lodge?

Eleanor: Robin Hood's lodge.

Marian: Where is that?

Eleanor: Deep in the greenwood. It’s lovely in the summer when the leaves are springing and there are blossoms on every bough. So merry do the birdies sing - the greenwood is so merry now.  

Friar Tuck arrives and Eleanor introduces him to Marian.

Tuck: I don't know how I can do you a favour, young lady; you know I am a hermit friar?

Marian: You live here on your own in the woods?

Tuck: A cell of one suits me fine I have few goods though I keep a few dogs for hunting.

Marian: You must be of the Cistercian order who believe in solitude. Forgive me if upon your privacy I intrude, but is it not true that you are very friendly with Robin Hood?

Tuck: I wouldn't say very friendly, acquainted - yes. We had an argument when we first met and the liberties he takes now are less. Must be three winters past since we first crossed paths at Fountainsdale - or streams to be more precise. Would you like to hear the tale?

Marian nods her head.

Tuck: Eleanor will sing it to you.

Tuck motions towards Eleanor who sings The Ballad of Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar

Tuck: And that's how we came to agree.

Marian: Do you know that Robin has been captured by his foe, the dastardly Sheriff?

Tuck: No, I did not know.

Marian: Would you like to help him escape?

Tuck: I have no regard for the Sheriff so I will try to help him out of his scrape.

Marian: The uncle of Much the miller's son, who lives in Nottingham , knows the black monk who betrayed Robin to the Sheriff at St. Mary's church causing Robin to be waylaid. And now that Robin is imprisoned in the castle this same black monk, who is in some rapture, claiming the honour of carrying the Sheriff's letter to Prince John informing him of Robin's capture. Little John and Much are going to intercept him and they’ll need your help when they relieve him of his letter and its Royal Seal.

Tuck: Of course I will help. To prevent a man attending Mass I can have no part.

Marian: I thank you with all my heart.

Marian, left alone, sings Dear Robin

 Scene Closes

Interval (Ballad of Robin Hood)