Robin Hood set his home to his mouth,105
He blew out blasts three;
Halfe a hundreth yeomen, with bowes bent,
Came raking over the lee.
"Whose men are these," said the fryer,
"That come so hastily?"110
"These men are mine," said Robin Hood;
"Fryer, what is that to thee?"
"A boone, a boone," said the curtall fryer,
"The like I gave to thee;
Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth,115
And to whute whues three."
"That will I doe," said Robin Hood,
"Or else I were to blame;
Three whues in a fryers fist
Would make me glad and faine."120
The fryer set his fist to his mouth,
And whuted whues three;
Half a hundred good band-dogs
Came running over the lee.
"Here's for every man a dog,125
And I myselfe for thee:"
"Nay, by my faith," said Robin Hood,
"Fryer, that may not be."
Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did goe,
The one behind, the other before;130
Robin Hoods mantle of Lincolne greene
Off from his backe they tore.
And whether his men shot east or west,
Or they shot north or south,
The curtall dogs, so taught they were,135
They kept the arrows in their mouth.
"Take up thy dogs," said Little John,
"Fryer, at my bidding be;"
"Whose man art thou," said the curtall fryer,
"Comes here to prate with me?"140
"I am Little John, Robin Hoods man,
Fryer, I will not lie;
If thou take not up thy dogs soone,
I'le take up them and thee."