The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

“Thou pratest like an ass […] for I could send this shaft clean through thy proud heart before a curtal friar could say grace over a roast goose at Michaelmastide.” 

This quote offers good example of Pyle’s extravagant and fanciful medievalesque dialogue, which often references religion, food, and holidays. Pyle carefully constructs the colorful language and sometimes it’s just as much a central focus as the plot. Often-used words include “merry,” “lusty,” “jolly,” “buxom,” and “stout.”

“I will be mine own, and no man in all merry England shall be my master.” 

This quote is spoken to the Sheriff of Nottingham after the latter invites Robin to become one of his servants. It is a strong statement of Robin’s independent and democratic nature, which he lives out in Sherwood Forest with the Merry Men.

“Once I slew a man, and never do I wish to slay a man again, for it is bitter for the soul to think thereon.” 

Robin comments on his killing of the forester at the age of 18 and how it has deeply stricken his conscience. He stays true to his vow never to kill until the slaying of the Sheriff and some of his men in a skirmish, which deeply upsets him and leads to his final illness (Epilogue, 322-323).

“These men fear neither God nor man, nor King nor King’s officers. I would sooner lose mine office than my life, so I will trouble them no more.” 

This passage is from the Sheriff’s internal monologue as he decides how to deal with the Merry Men and the social menace they represent. He does not keep his promise, and his attempts to capture them fill much of the book. The Sheriff’s image of the Merry Men as irreverent and immoral is colored by his own point of view as a lawman. 

“But to the Sheriff it seemed as if every clink of the bright money was a drop of blood from his veins.” 

A number of characters in the book—both secular and religious leaders—are motivated by greed or the love of money, a value which they place above human kindness or justice. Robin specializes in cutting these people down to size and foiling their plans.

“For thus men sometimes overreach themselves through greed and guile.” 

The narrator is commenting on the Sheriff’s backfiring plot to cheat Robin, in his guise as a butcher, out of the cattle he is selling at market. It illustrates the author’s habit of moralizing in the narration, as well as the key theme of greed and deceit practiced by those in authority.

“[…] gin the belly go not cold/The heart will cease to grieve.” 

This quote is from a song sung by the Cook to Little John while the two men feast together in the Sheriff’s house. The moral illustrates a recurring theme of the book, the restorative powers of feasting and companionship.

“Therefore, take thou thine own again, nor will I dispossess thee today of so much as one farthing.” 

Robin gives the Sheriff back the silverware that Little John had stolen from him because the Sheriff did nothing to deserve this theft. With this quote, Robin shows himself a man of principle, integrity, and true justice, who corrects his fellow Merry Men when they violate these principles. 

“[A] duty which seemeth to us sometimes ugly and harsh, when we do kiss it fairly upon the mouth, so to speak, is no such foul thing after all.” 

Will Scarlet interprets the moral of a song sung by the Tanner, illustrating the importance of meeting difficulties head on. This moral is relevant to the difficulties the Merry Men face throughout the book and their habit of vigorously and joyously confronting them.

“He who jumps for the moon and gets it not leaps higher than he who stoops for a penny in the mud.” 

This adage quoted by Robin shows his idealism and impulsiveness. He is a person who performs daring deeds for their own sake and for the sheer fun and challenge they present. He would rather be daring and heroic than safe, cautious, and mediocre. 

“[D]oes an old weazen think that tender lasses are to be bought like pullets o’ a market day?” 

An angry Little John comments on the arrogance of Sir Stephen of Trent in seeking to marry Ellen, a much younger woman, against her will. The quote shows a concern for women’s dignity in keeping with the chivalrous ideals of the Merry Men, as stated in Prologue, Page 9.

“By my faith […] I do verily believe that this is the merriest feast, the merriest wight, the merriest place, and the merriest sight in all merry England.”

Pyle uses superlatives with abandon throughout the book, especially with reference to food or drink, a visual scene, or the physical appearance of characters. This adds to the colorful, joyous, enthusiastic qualities of the story world he is creating. 

“Folk who have sung so sweetly together should not fight hereafter.”

Robin says this to make peace with Friar Tuck after the two nearly come to blows on the river bank after they meet. It could serve as a slogan for Robin Hood’s amicable and conciliatory nature and builds the theme of “Fellowship destroys enmity.” 

“Bishop, bishop, thy pride may have a fall ere thou wottest of it.” 

Part of Robin’s internal monologue upon seeing the Bishop of Hereford, an “overgaudy […] holy man,” arriving at Ellen’s wedding with fancy clothes and a rich parade. Robin delights in taking the proud and powerful down a peg and sees himself as a public avenger.

“So passed the seasons then, so they pass now, and so they will pass in time to come, whilst we come and go like leaves of the tree that fall and are soon forgotten.”

This elegiac passage, following a description of the passing of summer to fall, provides a change of pace and foreshadows Robin’s death at the end of the book. 

“One man calleth me kind, another calleth me cruel; this one calleth me good, honest fellow, and that one vile thief. Truly, the world hath as many eyes to look upon a man withal as there are spots on a toad; so, with what pair of eyes thou regardest me lieth entirely with thine own self. My name is Robin Hood.” 

This quote sums up the ambiguity of Robin Hood’s character. He seems to dwell in a gray area between good and evil, and his true identity depends to a large extent on one’s point of view. 

“The proud I strive to bring low, but those that walk in sorrow I would aid if I could.” 

This quote is clear statement of Robin’s mission as a public avenger and righter of wrongs. He says this to Sir Richard of the Lea as a pledge of his desire to help him in his troubles. As a knight who performs daring deeds, Sir Richard is someone the Merry Men would be likely to feel close to. 

“These […] are some of my merry men. They share and share alike with me all joys and troubles, gains and losses.” 

Also spoken to Sir Richard, this quote illustrates the solidarity and comradeship among the Merry Men, who form a community based on friendship, compassion and self-sacrifice as well as fun and feasting.

“But when the oak falls in the forest the swine run from beneath it lest they should be smitten down also.”

Sir Richard implies that his fair-weather friends, who loved him while he was rich, deserted him when he was brought low by misfortune. There is a strong moral undercurrent in the book that how human beings treat others reveals much about their character. 

“[W]e are all equal here in the greenwood, for there are no bishops nor barons nor earls among us, but only men[.]” 

This quote is a statement of the democratic and egalitarian nature of the Merry Men, who are defined, not by rank, but by their individual personalities and what each contributes to the common good. 

“I have never harmed harmless man yet [.]” 

As Robin redistributes the packages belonging to the Bishop of Hereford’s friar companions to the poor and needy, he promises not to harm the friars. Robin lives by a code of never doing evil to the innocent. His targets are always those in positions of power who are arrogant and rapacious. 

“…we of Sherwood do no business till after we have eaten and drank.” 

Sir Richard wishes to pay Robin back his debts; but Robin insists that they have dinner together first. This sums up the easygoing lifestyle of the Merry Men and that their priorities are toward fellowship and the joy of living.  

“[F]or dogs know an honest man by his smell, and an honest man Robin was—in his own way.” 

Here is another quote that points to the morally ambiguous character of Robin Hood. Although he is disguised as a dirty beggar, the dogs are friendly toward him because they recognize his honest character. Yet Robin defines morality and justice in a different way from society’s institutions and the law.