It was at this time that a mischievous imp, named Robin Goodfellow, who was half fairy and half human being, was going about from place to place, sometimes doing good-natured things, but often bent only on mischief.
All sorts of queer stories were told of him; and when anything happened that people couldn't understand, they were sure to say, "It's some trick of Robin Goodfellow's." When he was only six years old, the neighbors complained of him to his mother for tormenting their very lives out whenever her back was turned. Finally he was threatened with a whipping, and to escape this punishment Robin ran away.
After travelling a long distance from home he met a tailor, who engaged him as an apprentice. For a time he behaved himself very well. But finally his love of mischief got the better of him, and he was at his old tricks again.
One day his master had a gown to make for a woman, and it must be finished that night; they both sat up late to work on it, and by twelve o'clock it was finished all but putting in the sleeves. The tailor was very sleepy, and said that he would go to bed. He told Robin to "whip on the sleeves," and then follow him. Robin said that he would, and as soon as his master had disappeared, he hung up the gown and whipped it most severely with the sleeves.
When the tailor came down in the morning, he found him still busy at this work, and asked him what he was doing.
"What you bade me," was the reply—"whipping on the sleeves."
"You rogue!" exclaimed his master: "I meant that you should have set them on quickly and slightly."
"I wish you had said so," rejoined Robin, "for then I need not have lost all this sleep."
The tailor was obliged to finish the work himself; but before he could get through, the woman came for her gown, and scolded because it was not ready. Hoping to soften her wrath by offering her some refreshment, Robin's master told him to bring the remnants they left yesterday. The tailor had reference to some cold meat; but the mischievous apprentice brought down the remnants of cloth left of the gown, which the tailor had intended to keep. The man turned pale; but the woman declared that she liked this breakfast better than the other, and sent Robin to get some wine. He never came back.
One day Robin had made a long journey, when he became so tired that he sat down by the road and fell asleep. Here he had a wonderful dream, in which troops of fairies danced about him to the sound of sweet music. Among them was King Oberon, who laid a scroll beside him, which was there when he awoke. On the scroll it was written that he was the Fairy King's son, that every wish of his should be granted, that he should have the power of turning himself into any shape he pleased, and that one day he should be taken to Fairy-land—on condition that he played tricks only on those who deserved them: