It is full merrie in fair forest
To hear the foulës’ song,
“To see the deere draw to the dale,
And leave the hillës hie,
And shelter them in the levës greene,
Under the greenwood tree.”
A verse of another Danish Ballad might have been spoken by Little John, who bids his “dere master” pluck up heart, “and think this is a merrie time, all in a morning of May”:
“Os fry der Aarsens Tid og Tag
det Maj i Morgen er;
den kommer os alle til Behag