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The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |SOE 020 – 5-26-2023 – Fortress Fiction
Join MJ in this inaugural edition of Skimming Leaves as he has a casual chat about Sir Howard Pyle’s The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.
If you have not had the pleasure of reading this book, I urge you to listen to it or read it for free from Librivox or Project Guttenberg.
Librivox Audiobook – https://librivox.org/the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood-by-howard-pyle/
Ebook – https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/964
Basics of the Book
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Sir Howard Pyle, with illustrations by the author
Published 1883
110,000 Words
22 Chapters
11 Hours
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merry_Adventures_of_Robin_Hood
Preface
“Clap to the leaves and go no farther”
Chapter 1 – Outlaw
Hart’s blood VS heart’s blood and the loss of innocence
Outlaw heroes
7 foot tall John Little fought off 20 Merry Men and Robin fought HIM off for over one hour!
Baptism by Beer
Chapter 2 – Tinker
Robin is a trickster. I like that. Is it honor or regret that keeps him from killing the Tinker? Either way I like how he folds these people into his band of Merry Men. Also, I like that the Tinker is a singer for the group. That’s fun.
Chapter 3 – Shooting
The Sherrif has a wife! That’s interesting
Why did Robin have a costume on over his clothes? Isn’t that weird? Too hot?
I find it exciting that there are untold tales of Merry Men from their adventures going to the Shooting Match. Leaving little avenues like that open for more stories is nice.
Robin’s pettiness at being called a coward by the Sherrif is funny. Him taunting the Sherrif was a good way to end the chapter.
Chapter 4 – Rescue
The Palmer mentioned something about Normans and Bishops when speaking up for Will Stutely. He had called himself a Saxon and a Yoemen in his youth. Robin Hood and the Merry Men are called Yoemen. I don’t know what all those terms mean, but it sounds like there is some sort of class warfare and ethnic divide at play. It may seem odd, being that all these people are “White” but remember the French and English fought a lot with each other and even the Irish fought with England and the there is the IRA conflict I know little of in Ireland as well. To bottom line it, 1) as long as the characters have a clear understanding of what divides them, the audience does not need to fully understand the context of conflict and 2) People may fracture or ally themselves in a variety of ways and it is silly to dismiss out of hand the differences in a conflict.
I love Robin’s regret over killing the Sherrif’s kinsmen. This book is more episodic than serial, but that thread of remorse is being actively woven through these “merry adventures” and it didn’t have to be. I think it is moral without being preachy.
As Robin says, “Now let us get straightway into Nottingham Town and mix ourselves with the people there; but keep ye one another in sight, pressing as near the prisoner and his guards as ye can, when they come outside the walls. Strike no man without need, for I would fain avoid bloodshed, but if ye do strike, strike hard, and see that there be no need to strike again. Then keep all together until we come again to Sherwood, and let no man leave his fellows.”
Stutley’s acceptance of death and desire for an honorble death is interesting. Honor is so important, that it is desirable to die with honor when death comes, as it must for all.
The brotherly love between Will and Little John is great. They are men and brothers in arms and that is a beautiful thing.
Chapter 5 – Butcher
This is so fun.
Robin in factual but not truthful when tricking the Sherrif, the brothers, the cattle, the acreage, the danger of Robin Hood to the Sherrif being the same as the danger to Robert “the Buthcer” O’ Locksley.
Chapter 6 – Nottingham Fair
Is Eric o’ Lincoln someone we should know?
Reynold Greenleaf is a cool false name for Little John
I can’t believe Little John went to work for the Sherrif!
Chapter 7 – The Sherrif’s house
The mental image of fat Little John running 5 miles is hilarious
The Sherrif’s cook defected
Chapter 8 – Tanner
Little John getting thrashed is fun
Chapter 9 – Will Scarlet
Another Outlaw
Robin’s nephew and Little John’s leverage
Why is Will SO STRONG?!
Chapter 10 – Midge
They say that tragedy plus time equals comedy. They also say that laughter comes from the unexpected or unbelievable becoming real. Either way, I suppose that means the best punchline is the one you never saw coming. The vaunted Robin Hood and three of the mightiest men he knows being outfoxed and outclassed by a Miller’s son named after a tiny fly can certainly be called an unseen haymaker.
Funniest chapter yet?
Chapter 11 – Allen a Dale The Minstrel
Allen and Ellen are in love, but kept apart
Pyle name dropped Pope Joan! How cool!
May Ellen’s Wedding is a lovely song
Chapter 12 – Holy Tuck
Holy Hounds and Will Scarlet Surprise
Chapter 13 – Mawage
Ellen’s dad surprised me with how he valued station over sentiment
Chapter 14 – Sad Knight
Sir Richard of the Lea is a good man. He cares so deeply for his wife and son and his honor and the peril of losing his land is an injustice that hurts them all. Robin and his Men helping him was stirring and lovely.
Chapter 15 – Payback of a Sad Knight
There is a clear, but not preachy moral here: Rich and poor, small and great alike can be petty and spiteful and selfish, if they lose themselves. The corrupt clergyman and the mob both lost themselves.
Chapter 16 – Faux Friar
Little John names it and claims it with the aid of Saint Dunstan
Chapter 17 – Bonny Beggar
Here we have only the second mention of Maid Marian. It will be the final.
What was that about “Kain’s wife” releasing misfortunes?!?!?!
There’s a Beggar King?!
Chapter 18 – Haill to the Queen
The royal shooting match was a lot of fun. I don’t know if Queen Eleanor was flirting with the King Henry or needling him with it, but I sure liked it. Robin Hood and his Men stole the hearts of so many that day.
Chapter 19 – One Bad Bishop
I know noone is perfect, and I know I am defending a robber here, but the Bishop is not what I would call a godly man with him poisoning King Henry against Robin. It is petty and vindictive.
Chapter 20 – Deadly Guy
Robin’s righteous killing is an interesting turn for him.
Chapter 21 – The Lion’s Heart
I almost want a book about King Richard after this chapter
Chapter 22 – Mercy
Robin had become a man of war and he brought war to the Greenwood. In his pride and anger he fought and killed, as he did as a youth. It is poetic and tragic and sobering. His heart’s blood was leached from him in fear and bad humor, but it was stayed, as he stayed Little John’s hand and he acted with mercy in his death as he had for much of his life.
What do you think about this Robin Hood?
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MJ Muñoz 