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Very many years ago England was ruled over by a king, who was called Richard. More than a hundred years before this king began to rule England, a French duke named William came to England, defeated the English in a great battle, and declared himself king of all that southern part of Britain called England.

He brought with him a great many Frenchmen, or Normans. These Normans were all poor though they were very proud. They came with Duke William to help him fight because he promised to give them money and lands as a reward. Now Duke William had not much money nor many lands of his own. So when he had beaten the English, he stole lands and houses, money and cattle from the English nobles and gave them to the Normans. The English nobles themselves had very often become the servants of these proud Normans. That is why two races lived in England, each speaking their own language, and each hating the other.

This state of things lasted for a very long time. Even when Richard became king, more than a hundred years after the coming of Duke William, there was still a great deal of hatred between the two races.

Richard was a brave and noble man. He loved danger; he loved brave men and noble deeds. He hated all bad and cruel acts, and the cowards who did them. He was ever ready to help the weak against the strong, and had he stayed in England after he became king he might have done much good. He might have taught the proud Norman nobles that true nobility lies in being kind and gentle to those less strong and less fortunate than ourselves, and not in being fierce or cruel.

Yet Richard himself was not gentle. He was indeed very fierce and terrible in battle. He loved to fight with people who were stronger or better armed than himself. He would have been ashamed to hurt the weak.

But Richard did not stay in England. Far, far over the seas there is a country called Palestine. There our Lord Jesus was born, lived, and died. But at this time it had fallen into the hands of people who were not Christians. It seemed to Christian people in those days that it would be terrible to allow those people to live in the Holy Land. So they gathered together great armies of brave men from every country in the world and sent them to try to win it back. Many terrible battles were fought, but still those people stayed.

Then brave King Richard of England said he too would fight for the city of our Lord. So he gathered together as much money as he could find, and as many brave men as would follow him, and set out for the Holy Land. Before he went away he called two bishops who he thought were good and wise men, and said to them: "Take care of England while I am gone. Rule my people wisely and well, and I will reward you when I return." The bishops promised to do as he asked. Then he said good-bye and sailed away.

Now King Richard had a brother who was called Prince John. Prince John was quite different from King Richard in every way. He was not at all a nice man. He was jealous of Richard because he was king, and angry because he himself had not been chosen to rule while Richard was in Palestine. As soon as his brother had gone, John went to the bishops and said, "You must let me rule the country while the king is away." And the bishops allowed him to do so. Deep down in his heart John meant to make himself king altogether, and never let Richard come back any more.

A sad time now began for the English people. John tried to please the proud Normans because they were great and powerful, and he hoped they would help to make him king. He thought the best way to please them was to give them land and money. So as he had none of his own, he took it from the English and gave it to the Normans. Thus many of the English people once more became homeless beggars, and lived a wild life in the forests, which covered a great part of England at this time.

Now among the few English nobles who still remained, and who had not been robbed of their lands and money, there was one called Robert, Earl of Huntingdon. He had one son also named Robert, but people called him Robin. He was a favourite with everyone. He was tall, strong, handsome, and full of fun, and he kept his father's house bright with songs and laughter. He was brave and fearless too, and there was no better archer in all the countryside. And although he shot the best in the country, he was gentle and tender, never hurting the weak nor looking down upon the poor.

But Robert of Huntingdon had a bitter enemy. One day this enemy came with many soldiers behind him. They were determined to kill the earl and take all his goods and lands. There was a fierce and terrible fight, but in the end Robert and all his men were killed. His house was burned to the ground and all his money stolen. Only Robin was saved, because he was such a fine archer that no soldier would go near him. They could neither kill him nor take him prisoner. He fought bravely till the last, but when he saw that his father was dead and his home in flames, he had no heart to fight any longer. So taking his bow and arrows, he fled to the great forest of Sherwood.

He had to run very fast, for Prince John's men were close behind him. Soon he reached the edge of the forest, but he did not stop there. On and on he went, going deeper and deeper under the shadow of the trees. At last he threw himself down under a great oak tree, burying his face in the cool, green grass.

His heart felt hot and bitter. He was full of anger and fierce thoughts of revenge. Cruel men in one day had robbed him of everything. His father, his home, servants, cattle, land, money, and even his name, were all gone. He was hurt, hungry, and tired out. Yet as he lay with his face against the cool, green grass, it was not sorrow or pain he felt, but only a bitter wish for revenge.

The great trees waved gently overhead in the summer wind, the setting sun sent golden light into the cool, blue shadows, birds sang their evening songs, deer walked softly through the under wood, and bright-eyed squirrels leaped quietly from branch to branch. Everywhere there was calm and peace except in poor Robin's angry heart.

Robin loved the forest. He loved the sights and smells, and the sounds and deep silences of it. He felt as if it were a kind mother who opened her wide arms to him. Soon it comforted him, and at last the tears came hot and fast. The bitterness and anger had all melted out of his heart; only sorrow was left.

In the weak evening light Robin took off his hat and knelt on the green grass to say his prayers. Then, he stood up and swore an oath. This was the oath:

"I swear to honour God and the King,

To help the weak and fight the strong,

To take from the rich and give to the poor,

So God will help me with His power."

Then he lay down on the grass under the trees with his long bow beside him, and fell fast asleep.

And this is how Robin Hood first came to live in the Green Wood and have all his wonderful adventures.