Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race

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leaving three sons, of whom the two elder are worthless and the youngest rises to high honour, whereupon the elder brothers try to kill the youngest from envy at his good fortune. A similar root-idea is found in "Cinderella" and other fairy

uence of the

ment in English literature of the figure of "the noble outlaw." In fact, Gamelyn is probably the literary ancestor of "bold Robin Hood," and stands for an English ideal of justice and equity, against leg

St

ht." He had three sons, of whom the youngest, Gamelyn, was born in his father's old age, and was greatly beloved by the old man; the other two were much older than he, and John, the eldest, had already developed a vicious an

eels his End

n injustice, sent throughout the district for wise knights, begging them to come hastily, if they wished to see him alive, and help him. When the country squires and lords, his near neighbours, heard of his grave condition, they hurried to the castle, and gathered in the bedchamber, where the dying knight greeted them thus: "Lords and gentlemen, I warn you in truth that I may no longer live; by the will of God death lays his hand upon me." When they

e Dispose o

, but all agreed that Gamelyn might wait till his eldest brother chose to give him a share of his father's lands. At last it was decided to divide the inheritance between the two elder sons, a

Martin, I ca

m I wish: they

eighbours, whil

ldest son, an

ds, my dead fa

, ploughlands f

ight hand won i

in lands and g

my younges

you, for the

, but guard his

be plundered o

with Christian resignation, leaving his little son Gamelyn in t

uel El

m badly, and neglected his lands, so that his parks and houses, his farms and villages, fell into ruinous decay. The boy, when he grew older, noticed this and resented it, but did not realize the power i

yn Re

e blustering in, and, seeing him, called out: "How now: is dinner ready?" Enraged at being addresse

o your ow

s. "What, my dear brother, is that the way to a

are broken open, my deer are driven off; you have deprived me of my armour and my steeds; all tha

ll, vagabond, and hold thy peace! What right hast thou to speak of l

ond! I am no worse than yourself; I a

rrifies th

n not the least. Thereupon, leaping on to the wall, he seized a pestle which lay there, and so boldly attacked the timid servants, though they were armed with staves, that he drove them in flight, and laid on furious strokes which quenched the small spark of courage in them. Sir John had not even that small amount of bravery: he fled to a loft and barred the door,

ut down that pestle. Brother, be no more enraged, and I w

have injured and degraded me: I could not let grooms beat a good kni

ohn's

indeed I was only testing thee, for thou art so young that I doubted th

o be peace between us you must surrender to me all

e the lands and farms to their former prosperity; but though he feigned content with the agreement and kissed his

stlin

uestioned him as to his errand. The lad explained that he wished to compete in the wrestling match, hoping to win honour by bearing away the prize; then, springing on the beautiful courser that was brought him ready saddled, he spurred his horse and rode away merrily, while the false Sir John locked the gate behind him, praying that he might get his ne

ded Ch

overthrown my two stalwart sons, and unless God help them they must die of their grievous hur

s my coat and shoes, and I will try my luck

nce; I will guard thy coat and shoes and good st

lyn

dared to challenge the stalwart champion, and the great man himself, rising from the ground, strolled across to meet

well my father while he lived: he was Sir John o

l in his lifetime, and I have heard of thee, and

u shalt know me bet

s the

ied many wily tricks, but the boy was ready for them all, and stood steady against all that his opponent could do. Then, in his turn, he took the offensive,

that a cast, o

, any man in thy hand will never th

ssings: "Blessed be thou, young sir, that ever thou wert born!" and now taunting

mpion. "In all my years of wrestling I

venture to compete with him, and the two judges who kept order and awarded th

s easy victory. "Is the fair over? Why,

ng. "Now, as I value my life, any purchaser

; "you have bought your share ful

s the

urned to their seats, and formally awarded the prize to Gamelyn, a

eering crowd of admirers; but when the cowardly Sir John saw the people he

s his Broth

r with one blow, caught the fleeing porter, and flung him down the well in the courtyard. His brother's servants fled from his

ne in the cellar; we will drain them dry before you go. If my brother objects (as he well may, for he is a miser) I w

or a week, while Sir John lay hidden in his turret, terrified at the noise and rev

ing with

d held high revel. As he stood there, musing sadly, he heard a timid footstep, and saw his brother creeping towards him. W

xteen years you have had full use and profit of fifteen good ploughlands which my father left me; you have also the use and incr

, my dear brother: I have no son, and thou s

reward you!" for it was impossible for his generous disposition to suspect his brother of treachery

ws Himself t

into the well I swore in my wrath that I would have you bound hand and foot. That is impossible now without your consent, and

them bring fetters and rivet them on Gamelyn's limbs, and chain him fast to a post in the centre of the hall. Then he was placed on his feet with his back to the post and his hands manacled behind him, and as he stood there the false brother told every person who entered that Gamelyn had suddenly gone mad, and was chained for safety's sake, le

ncer to

ches, and had watched the boy grow up. "Adam Spencer," quoth he, "unless my brother is minded to slay me, I am kept fasting too long. I beseech thee, for t

I have done. Release me, dear friend Adam, and I will be true to my agreement, and will keep my covenant to share my land with thee." By these earnest words the steward was persuaded, and, waiting till Sir John was safely in bed, managed to obtain possession of the keys and release Gamelyn, who stretched his arms and legs and thanked God for his

n of

priors and other holy men. Do you stand as if bound by your post in the hall, and beseech them to release you. If they will be surety for you, your liberty will be gained with no bl

of the bargain! But if we must needs help them to do penance f

d warning. When I wink at you be ready to ca

your head. If these haughty Churchmen refuse to be s

eat

his fury was dangerous. The servants carried dainty dishes round the table, and beakers of rich wines, but though Gamelyn cried aloud that he was fasting no food was brought to him. Then he spoke pitifully and humbly to the noble guests: "Lords, for Christ's sake help a poor captive out of prison." But the guests were hard-hearted,

s sake help poor Ga

quet Di

began to lay about him lustily, whirling his weapon as lightly as if it had been a holy water sprinkler. There was a dreadful commotion in the hall, for the portly Churchmen tried to escape, but the mere laymen loved Gamelyn, and drew aside to give him free play, so that he was able to scatter the prelates. Now he had no pity on these cruel Churchmen, as they had been without pity

hn in

ch a sorry feast!" Then Gamelyn turned his attention to his false brother, who had been unable to escape, seized him by the neck, broke his backbone with one blow from his staff, and thrust him, sitting, into the fetters tha

iff's Me

rmined to arrest the law-breakers. Twenty-four of his best men were sent to the castle to gain admittance and arrest Gamelyn and his steward; but the new porter, a devoted adherent

d Gamelyn: 'G

with fair spee

thee with som

this strait,

loyalty. Ada

on us, and we

en surround us,

h to take us

afety calls u

u wilt, I fol

but this proud

re our onset,

eriff

ed. "Drink a draught of my good wine! I am steward here." "Nay," they shouted back; "such wine as yours scatters a man's brains far too thoroughly." Now this little fray was hardly ended before the sheriff came in person with a great troop. Gamelyn knew not what to do, but Adam again had a plan ready. "Let us stay no longer, but go to the greenwood: there we shall at least be a

oes to th

eenwood, and found it very hard work, with lit

back in mine

e I, the keys t

wild wood, with

ood or drink, o

nswered Gamel

od man's son f

er thee,

heer th

o eat since they came to the greenwood. At that moment the master-outlaw saw them in the underwood, and bade his young men bring to him these new guests whom God had sent: perchance, he said, there were others besides these two. The seven bold youths who started up to do his will cried to the two new-comers: "Yield and hand us your bows and arrows!" "Much sorrow may he have who

r business, and Gamelyn replied: "He must needs walk in the wood who may not walk in the town. We are

Joins th

derstanding all the evils that had befallen him, their leader soon made Gamelyn his second in command; and when after three weeks the outlaw king was pardoned and allowed

aw at

med an outlaw and wolf's-head, and a price was set upon his life. Now his bondmen and vassals were grieved at this, for they feared the cruelty of the wicked sheriff; they therefore sent mes

yn Ar

, and cried aloud: "God save all you lordings here present! But, thou broken-backed sheriff, evil mayst thou thrive! Why hast thou done me such wrong and disgrace as to have me indicted and proclaimed an

as

ly love; but he only replied that Gamelyn must stay imprisoned till the justice should hold the next assize. Then Otho offered to be bail, if only his young brother might be released from his bonds and brought from the dismal dungeon where he lay. To this Sir John finally consented, warning Otho that if the accused failed to appear before the justice he himself must suffer the penalty for the breach of bail. "I agree," said Otho. "Have him r

mes, the mighty

t desert thee,

rial on the a

y give me stre

eep my vow. I

w what bitter

ther, holds

Goes to

and found his company of outlaws; and so much had they to tell of their work in his absence, and so much had he to relate of his adventures, that time slipped by, and he soon fell again int

erm E

ed in great haste, bringing sad news. The judge was in his place, a jury empanelled to condemn Gamelyn to death, bribed thereto by the wicked sheriff, and Otho was fettered in the gaol in place of his brother. The news enraged Gamelyn, but Adam Spencer was even more infuriated; he would gladly have held the doors of the moot-hall and slain every person inside except Otho; but his master's sense of justice was too strong for that. "Adam," he

n in t

recognised by all. He released Otho, who said gently: "Brother, thou hast nearly o

the sheriff, the justice, and the wicked jurors." Then Gamelyn turned

e seat of just

ed law's clear s

aken reward ag

lent thine ai

gment 'gainst

eet thine own m

place, give mo

stice dwells in

the seat

Sc

n in the judge's seat, with Otho beside him, and Adam in the clerk's desk; and he placed in the dock the false sheriff, the justice, and the unjust jurors, and accused them of wrong and attempted murder. In order to keep up the forms of law, he emp

from

re they returned to their distant county the king made Otho sheriff of the county, and Gamelyn chief forester of all his free forests; his band of outlaws were all pardoned, and the king gave them posts according to t