ROBIN HOOD AND THE PINDER OF WAKEFIELD
In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,
In Wakefield, all on a green;
'There is neither knight nor squire,' said the pinder,
'Nor baron that is so bold,
Dare make a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,
But his pledge goes to the pinfold.'
All this beheard three witty young men,
'Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John;
With that they spied the jolly pinder,
As he sate under a thorn.
'Now turn again, turn again,' said the pinder,
'For a wrong way have you gone;
For you have forsaken the king his highway,
And made a path over the corn.'
'Oh, that were great shame,' said jolly Robin,
'We being three, and thou but one':
The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,
'Twas thirty good foot and one.
He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,
And his foot unto a stone,
And there he fought a long summer's day,
A summer's day so long,
Till that their swords, on their broad bucklers,
Were broken fast unto their hands.
* * * * * *
'Hold thy hand, hold thy hand,' said Robin Hood,
'And my merry men every one;
For this is one of the best pinders
That ever I try'd with sword.