The Legend of Robin Hood

N1: Robin Hood and his Merry Men stand in Sherwood forest.

N2: Together, they loudly chant. 

Merry Men: Prince John is as greedy as the forest is green. A meaner ruler has never been seen.

Robin Hood: The prince is raising the taxes he collects again!

Little John: Even the poorest people must pay him more money!

Will Scarlet: The prince gets richer, and his people get poorer!

N3: They see a young man digging in the dirt with his hands. 

Robin: What are you looking for, lad? 

Villager 1: Wild onions.

Robin: You are hungry?   

Villager 1: My father could not pay the prince his taxes. So the sheriff took everything we owned. 

N1: Robin gives him bread and meat from his bag. 

Robin: I will not let your family starve.

Villager 1: Thank you, Robin Hood! Thank you! 

N2: The young man runs off. 

Robin: That greedy sheriff!

N3: Friar Tuck comes rushing in.

Friar Tuck: One of the sheriff’s knights is collecting taxes today. His name is Sir Guy. He will pass through here soon.

Will: His pouch will be heavy with coins.

Robin: Time for an adventure, boys! 

Merry Men (chanting): The sheriff is cruel; we’ll take this no more. We’ll steal from the rich and give to the poor!

N1: Sir Guy and Lady Marian ride through Sherwood Forest with their guards.

N2: Sir Guy holds out a necklace. 

Sir Guy: My lady, I would like you to have this.

Lady Marian: Didn’t it belong to a villager?

Guy: She couldn’t pay her taxes, so I took it.

Marian: She was not born rich as we were. Should she be punished for being poor? 

Guy: Do not pity people like her. If they worked harder, they would have plenty. 

N3: Lady Marian frowns. Sir Guy looks at the dark path ahead.

Guy: These woods are full of robbers. 

Marian: Is that Robin Hood as dangerous as they say? 

N1: Robin drops from a tree. 

Robin: You called?

N2: Sir Guy and his guards draw their swords. 

N3: Robin whistles. Dozens of Merry Men appear, ready to fire their arrows. 

Marian: Sir Guy, we are outnumbered. 

Robin: The lady is both beautiful and wise. 

N1: Marian tries not to smile. 

Guy: Let us go!

Robin: You must be hungry after a long day of robbing the poor. Join us for a feast. 

N2: Sir Guy and Lady Marian don’t have time to answer.

N3: Robin’s men quickly blindfold them and lead them away to their secret camp. 

N1: At the feast, Sir Guy and Lady Marian sit unhappily. 

N2: Little John raises his cup to make a toast.

Little John: To the sheriff! His heart is empty, but his pockets are full.

Merry Men: Ha! Ha! Ha!

N3: After the feast, Will steps forward.

Will: Before you go, Sir Guy, we ask a small fee for the meal.

Guy: I must pay for a meal I’m forced to eat? I have only three gold coins.

Friar Tuck: Truly?

N1: Friar Tuck finds a pouch in Sir Guy’s saddlebag. Hundreds of coins pour out.

Robin: It’s too bad. If you had been honest, we would have taken nothing. But you lie, so we take all.

Guy: Thief!

N2: Robin bows deeply.

Robin (smiling): Until we meet again, good lady. 

N3: Lady Marian looks back at Robin as she rides off. 

N1: When they get back, the sheriff is very angry at Sir Guy. 

Sheriff of nottingham: You fool! 

Guy: I was helpless.

Sheriff: That money was for the prince. When I catch Robin Hood, his head will roll. 

Guy: You cannot beat him in the forest. You must lure him out into the open.

Sheriff: How?

Guy: He thinks he is the finest archer in the land. Plan a shooting match. Offer a prize. Robin Hood loves showing off.

N2: Hungry villagers crowd around Robin. 

N3: He hands out bread, meat, and cheese. 

Villager 2: Bless you, Robin Hood! This will keep my family alive for a month. 

N1: A messenger arrives and blows his trumpet. 

Herald: In three days, an archery contest will be held in Nottingham. The winner will receive a silver arrow.

Robin: A shooting match! 

Little John: Robin, this is surely a trap!

Robin: All the more reason to attend.

N2: Archers from far and wide gather in Nottingham for the contest. 

N3: A hunched-over beggar arrives. A dirty, torn cape hides his face. 

N1: The sheriff, Sir Guy, and Lady Marian sit on a platform. 

Herald (shouting): Each archer will shoot one arrow. 

N2: Arrows fly. 

Sheriff: My lead archer, Gilbert, has hit the center! That will be tough to beat!

Crowd: Hoorah!

Herald: Final archer, you’re up!

N3: The beggar shoots. He splits Gilbert’s arrow in half and hits the bull’s-eye.

Crowd (louder): Hoorah!!!

N1: Lady Marian hands him the silver arrow. 

Marian: For our winner.

Robin: Please keep it, my lady. You might need it the next time you’re passing through Sherwood Forest. 

N2: Lady Marian’s eyes grow wide. The sheriff walks up.

Sheriff: Hello, sir. You are better than the coward Robin Hood. He dared not show his face today.

N3: The beggar throws back his hood.

Robin: Coward, you say?

Guy: Get him!

Will: Run, Robin! 

Robin: And miss all the fun? 

N1: Robin fights bravely, but he is overpowered. 

Sheriff: Tomorrow, Robin Hood will hang! 

N2: Lady Marian holds the silver arrow as Robin is taken to the dungeon. 

N3: Lady Marian sneaks into the dungeon. 

Marian: Robin, is it true you are really a rich knight who could be living in luxury? 

Robin: Yes, my lady.

Marian: Why do you choose to be a criminal?

Robin: I hate unfair laws. The sheriff is cruel.

Marian: But without laws, there is no justice.

Robin: Justice? Tell that to the father who was jailed for stealing to feed his family! 

Marian: You support stealing?

Robin: People would not have to steal if the sheriff did not steal from them. 

Marian: And you are willing to die for these poor people? 

Robin: I must stand up for what is right!  

N1: A large crowd has gathered.

N2: Robin is dragged out of the dungeon onto a platform. 

Sheriff (smiling): Goodbye, Robin Hood. 

N3: Suddenly, Lady Marian appears on horseback. She raises her bow and draws a silver arrow to her cheek.

N1: Snap! The arrow whizzes through the air. It slices the hangman’s rope. Robin drops. 

Merry Men: Hooray!

Sheriff: Catch him! 

N2: Lady Marian rides up to Robin Hood. 

Marian: Jump, Robin!

N3: Robin leaps onto her horse.

Guy: You shall regret this, Marian!

Marian: I only regret I did not join them sooner!

N1: They ride away with the Merry Men close behind.

Marian: To the forest?

Merry Men: To Sherwood Forest!