‘For these are his majesty’s deer;

Before you shall shoot, the thing I’ll dispute,

For I am head-forester here.’

5

‘These thirteen long summers,’ quoth Robin, ‘I’m sure,

My arrows I here have let fly,

Where freely I range; methinks it is strange,

You should have more power than I.

6

‘This forest,’ quoth Robin, ‘I think is my own,