J.H. Dixon, Ancient Poems, Ballads,
and Songs of the Peasantry of England, p. 71,
Percy Society, vol. xvii, 1846.
| 1 |
There chanced to be a pedlar bold,
A pedlar bold he chanced to be;
He rolled his pack all on his back,
And he came tripping oer the lee.
Down a down a down a down,
Down a down a down |
| 2 |
By chance he met two troublesome blades,
Two troublesome blades they chanced to be;
The one of them was bold Robin Hood,
And the other was Little John so free. |
| 3 |
'O pedlar, pedlar, what is in thy pack?
Come speedilie and tell to me:'
'I've several suits of the gay green silks,
And silken bow-strings two or three.' |
| 4 |
'If you have several suits of the gay green silk,
And silken bow-strings two or three,
Then it's by my body,' cries Little John,
'One half your pack shall belong to me.' |
| 5 |
'O nay, o nay,' says the pedlar bold,
'O nay, o nay, that never can be;
For there's never a man from fair Nottingham
Can take one half my pack from me.' |
| 6 |
Then the pedlar he pulled off his pack,
And put it a little below his knee,
Saying, If you do move me one perch from this,
My pack and all shall gang with thee. |
| 7 |
Then Little John he drew his sword,
The pedlar by his pack did stand;
They fought until they both did sweat,
Till he cried, Pedlar, pray hold your hand! |
| 8 |
Then Robin Hood he was standing by,
And he did laugh most heartilie;
Saying, I could find a man, of a smaller scale,
Could thrash the pedlar and also thee. |
| 9 |
'Go you try, master,' says Little John,
'Go you try, master, most speedilie,
Or by my body,' says Little John,
'I am sure this night you will not know me.' |
| 10 |
Then Robin Hood he drew his sword,
And the pedlar by his pack did stand;
They fought till the blood in streams did flow,
Till he cried, Pedlar, pray hold your hand! |
| 11 |
Pedlar, pedlar, what is thy name?
Come speedilie and tell to me:
'My name! my name I neer will tell,
Till both your names you have told to me.' |
| 12 |
'The one of us is bold Robin Hood,
And the other Little John so free:'
'Now,' says the pedlar, 'it lays to my good will,
Whether my name I chuse to tell to thee. |
| 13 |
'I am Gamble Gold of the gay green woods,
And travelled far beyond the sea;
For killing a man in my father's land
From my country I was forced to flee.' |
| 14 |
'If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods,
And travelled far beyond the sea,
You are my mother's own sister's son;
What nearer cousins then can we be?' |
| 15 |
They sheathed their swords with friendly words,
So merrilie they did agree;
They went to a tavern, and there they dined,
And bottles cracked most merrilie. |
