The Merry Adventures Of Robin Hood: A Collection, And Some Ballads

Here is my modest collection of Robin Hood books and a record with the album title of 'A Tapestry of Music for Robin Hood & his King' by Early Music group St. George's Canzona. The two books on the left are both editions of  'The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood' by Howard Pyle, a delightful book with fine illustrations, for Howard Pyle was one of the greatest illustrators of all time, and wrote great storybooks too; I highly recommend it, it's one of my favourite books.  This is part of the wonderful preface to that story:

 'You who so plod amid serious things that you feel it shame to give yourself up even for a few short moments to mirth and joyousness in the land of Fancy; you who think that life hath nought to do with innocent laughter that can harm no one; these pages are not for you. Clap to the leaves and go no farther than this, for I tell you plainly that if you go farther you will be scandalized by seeing good, sober folks of real history so frisk and caper in gay colours and motley, that you would not know them but for the names tagged to them...there are a whole host of knights, priests, nobles, burghers, yeomen, pages, ladies, lasses, landlords, beggars, pedlars, and what not, all living the merriest of merry lives, and all bound by nothing but a few odd strands of certain old ballads...which draw these jocund fellows here and there, singing as they go.'

Most of us strongly disapprove of robbery and law breaking, yet these old tales and ballads continue to be loved and are eternally popular; most everyone loves Robin Hood!  We tend to think that the Sheriff of Nottingham was a bad fellow who deserved what he got, and the same goes for those other naughty types who also received the same treatment.  The struggle between liberty and the oppression of the peasants in these tales grip people, and the adventures of those hearty, robust men living hearty robust lives in the forest, nearly always being clever enough to be a step ahead of the tyrants, and we mustn't forget the humour, the jolly good times they have and the tricks they heartily laughed at; the manly comradeship the characters enjoyed.   There are many appealing elements in these tales, whatever version you encounter (though I imagine one should probably steer clear of any new modern retellings).

Since the above photo was taken, some time ago, three more Robin Hood books were later added to the collection (though I haven't read these yet):

For your enjoyment, here is a selection of good recordings of Robin Hood-themed songs:

'Robin Hood and the Tanner' by St. George's Canzona:

'Gamble Gold/Robin Hood' by Steeleye Span:

'Robin Hood and the Pedlar' by Barry Dransfield:

'Robin Hood & the Bold Pedlar' by The Owl Service:

Here Be Dragons

 As Sunday was St. George's Day, it brought to mind two very interesting books on dragons that I read last year, both being started at the same time.  'British Dragons', from 1980 by renowned folklorist Jacqueline Wilson had me annoyed at the beginning, with the scepticism (of any at all ever existing) and unnecessary theories in the opening chapter.  There are actual descriptions of dragons in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, which she did not seem to credit, but I do. Getting past that though, the book is quite in-depth and full of interest, containing such chapters and sections on:

Serpents and Sea-monsters in Classical Myths; The Northern Dragons; Treasure Guardians; The Cockatrice; Saints as Heroes; Heroes From Medieval Romances; Village Heroes; Heroic Combats; Dragons In Plays and Pageants, etc...  There is also a very funny tale of 'The Knucker of Lyminster', where a greedy dragon gets his comeuppance via a big pudding or "pudden" from a clever peasant. 

Here's a bit of the book description from the inner jacket: 

"Over 70 villages and towns in Britain still have a tale or a song about a dragon.  The Lambton Worm, the Dragon of Wantley, the Knucker of Lyminster and the Muckle Mester Stoor Worm are among the most celebrated, but there are many others, ranging in form and temperament from the benevolent King Snake in Wales to the voracious monster with a taste for maidens at Cnoc-na-Cnoimh.  Most dragon tales involve a dragon slayer.  It might be a saint, a knight or a local lad who saves the day by despatching the dragon, either, like St. George, in a straight fight, or by an underhand trick: a piece of treacle gingerbread put an end to the dragon at Filey."

From a humourous old Sussex tale:  Thisyer ole dragon, you know, he uster go spanneling (traipsing) about the Brooks by night to see what he could pick up for supper, like- few horses, or cows maybe- he'd snap 'em up as soon as look at 'em.  Then bimeby (by-and-by) he took to sitting atop o' Causeway, and anybody come along there, he'd lick 'em up, like a toad licking flies off a stone.

This book made a great addition to the other Jacqueline Wilson books I've collected.

The other book is 'Here Be Dragons' by Ralph Whitlock, a prolific writer on country life and folklore.  This one, from 1983,  also went into the history and wild, fanciful tales of lore and legend, but a large section of the book is a Gazetteer of nearly 200 places, mentioning sites all over Britain, giving the historical insight into carvings, sculptures, and monuments. 

A bit from the inner jacket:

"Dragons are everywhere in the British countryside!  They are woven into the folk history of villages and hamlets, they snarl from church decorations and they survive in mumming plays and other pageants.  Tracing their remains, in whatever form they are to be found, is not only a fascinating pastime but a glimpse into how our rural forefathers thought and behaved, for dragons played the vital role of representing evil and destruction in the pantheon of the country dweller."

Both books are quite good and worth looking for for anyone interested in folklore and legendary beasts!

  

A Christmas Scene From 'Sir Gawain And The Green Knight'

This king lay at Camelot one Christmastide
With many mighty lords, manly liegemen,
Members rightly reckoned of the Round Table,
In splendid celebration, seemly and carefree.
There tussling in tournament time and again
Jousted in jollity these gentle knights,
Then in court carnival sang catches and danced;
For fifteen days the feasting there was full in like measure
With all the meat and merry-making men could devise,
Gladly ringing glee, glorious to hear,
A noble din by day, dancing at night!
All was happiness in the height in halls and chambers
For lords and their ladies, delectable joy...

Then the first course came in with such cracking of trumpets,
(Whence bright bedecked blazons in banners hung)
Such din of drumming and a deal of fine piping,
Such wild warbles whelming and echoing
That hearts were uplifted high at the strains.
Then delicacies and dainties were delivered to the guests,
Fresh food in foison, such freight of full dishes
That space was scarce at the social tables
For the several soups set before them in silver on the cloth.
Each feaster made free with the fare,
Took lightly and nothing loth;
Twelve plates were for every pair,
Good beer and bright wine both.


Wishing a Merry Christmas to all!

Brasses and Brass Rubbing

 

This is a handsome little hardcover book with a beautiful cover image of medieval brasses of a knight and lady.