ballads, about forty in number, dating from
about the beginning of the fifteenth century.
One of these old ballads is given below. They
were sung to a recurrent melody, which was as
much a part of them as the words of the story.
Other ballads in the group that are likely to
be very interesting to children are "Robin Hood
and Little John," "Robin Hood and Maid Marian,"
"Robin Hood Rescuing the Three Squires," "Robin
Hood's Death and Burial." The best source for
these ballads is Child's _English and Scottish
Popular Ballads_ (ed. Sargent and Kittredge).
Tennyson dramatized the Robin Hood story in
_The Foresters_, as did Alfred Noyes in
_Sherwood_. Reginald De Koven made a very
successful comic opera out of it, while Thomas
Love Peacock's _Maid Marian_ is an interesting
novelization of the theme.

ALLEN-A-DALE

Come listen to me, you gallants so free,
All you that love mirth for to hear,
And I will tell you of a bold outlaw,
That lived in Nottinghamshire.

As Robin Hood in the forest stood,
All under the greenwood tree,
There was he ware of a brave young man,
As fine as fine might be.

The youngster was clothed in scarlet red,
In scarlet fine and gay,
And he did frisk it over the plain,
And chanted a roundelay.

As Robin Hood next morning stood,
Amongst the leaves so gay,
There did he spy the same young man
Come drooping along the way.

The scarlet he wore the day before,
It was clean cast away;
And every step he fetched a sigh,
"Alack! and well-a-day!"

Then stepped forth brave Little John.
And Nick, the miller's son,
Which made the young man bend his bow,
When as he saw them come.

"Stand off! stand off!" the young man said;
"What is your will with me?"
"You must come before our master straight,
Under yon greenwood tree."

And when he came bold Robin before,
Robin asked him courteously,
"O hast thou any money to spare
For my merry men and me?"

"I have no money," the young man said,
"But five shillings and a ring;
And that I have kept this seven