"Sir, thou must lend me some money
Till we two meet again:"50
The beggar answer'd cankerdly,
"I have no money to lend.
"Thou art as young a man as I,
And seems to be as sweir;
If thou fast till thou get from me,55
Thou shalt eat none this year."
"Now, by my truth," says good Robin,
"Since we are 'sembled so,
If thou have but a small farthing,
I'll have it e'er thou go.60
"Therefore, lay down thy clouted cloak,
And do no longer stand,
And loose the strings of all thy pocks,
I'll ripe them with my hand.
"And now to thee I make a vow,65
If thou make any din,
I shall see if a broad arrow,
Can pierce a beggar's skin."
The beggar smil'd, and answer made,
"Far better let me be;70
Think not that I will be afraid
For thy nip crooked tree.
"Or that I fear thee any whit
For thy curn nips of sticks;
I know no use for them so meet75
As to be pudding-pricks.
"Here I defy thee to do me ill,
For all thy boisterous fare;
Thou'st get nothing from me but ill,
Would'st thou seek evermair."80
Good Robin bent his noble bow,
He was an angery man,
And in it set a broad arròw;
Yet erst was drawn a span,
The beggar, with his noble tree,85
Reach'd him so round a rout,
That his bow and his broad arròw
In flinders flew about.