Will Scarlet he kill'd a buck,
And Midge he kill'd a doe;
And Little John kill'd a hart of grease,
Five hundred foot him fro'.
God's blessing on thy heart, said Robin Hood,
That shot such a shot for me;
I would ride my horse an hundred miles
To find one to match thee.
That caused Will Scarlet to laugh,
He laugh'd full heartily;
There lives a friar in Fountain's Abbey
Will beat both him and thee.
The curtal friar in Fountain's Abbey
Well can draw a good strong bow;
He will beat both you and your yeomen,
Set them all on a row.
Robin Hood took a solemn oath,
It was by Mary free,
That he would neither eat nor drink,
Till the friar he did see.
Robin Hood put on his harness good,
On his head a cap of steel;
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him well.
He took his bow into his hand,
(It was of a trusty tree)
With a sheaf of arrows by his side
And to Fountain Dale went he.
And coming unto fair Fountain Dale,
No farther would he ride:
There was he 'ware of a curtal friar,
Walking by the water-side.
The friar had on a harness good,
On his head a cap of steel;
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him well.
Robin Hood lighted off his horse,
And tied him to a thorn:
Carry me over the water, thou curtal friar,
Or else thy life's forlorn.