Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods backe;65
Robin Hood said to him againe,
"Carry me over this water, thou curtall fryer,
Or it shall breede thy pain."
The fryer tooke Robin on's backe againe,
And stept in to the knee;70
Till he came at the middle streame
Neither good nor bad spake he.
And comming to the middle streame,
There he threw Robin in;
"And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow,75
Whether thou wilt sink or swim."
Robin Hood swam to a bush of broome,
The fryer to a wigger wand;
Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore,
And took his bow in his hand.80
One of his best arrowes under his belt
To the fryer he let fly;
The curtall fryer with his steel buckler
Did put that arrow by.
"Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow,85
Shoot as thou hast begun,
If thou shoot here a summers day,
Thy marke I will not shun."
Robin Hood shot passing well,
Till his arrows all were gane;90
They tooke their swords and steele bucklers,
They fought with might and maine;
From ten o'th' clock that [very] day,
Till four i'th' afternoon;
Then Robin Hood came to his knees,95
Of the fryer to beg a boone.
"A boone, a boone, thou curtall fryer,
I beg it on my knee:
Give me leave to set my horne to my mouth,
And to blow blasts three."100
"That I will do," said the curtall fryer,
"Of thy blasts I have no doubt;
I hope thou'lt blow so passing well,
Till both thy eyes fall out."