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Robynn lyth in grene wode bowndyn. I herde a carpyng of a clerk, Al at yone wodes ende, Of gode Robyn and Gandeleyn; Was ther non other gynge. Stronge thevys wer tho chylderin non, But bowmen gode and hende; He wentyn to wode to getyn hem fleych, If God wold it hem sende. Al day wentyn tho chylderin too, And fleych fowndyn he non, Til it were ageyn evyn; The chylderin wolde gon hom. Half an honderid of fat falyf der He comyn ayon, And alle he wern fayr and fat inow, But markyd was ther non; "Be dere God," seyde gode Robyn, "Here of we shul have on." Robyn bent his joly bowe, Ther in he set a flo; The fattest der of alle The herte he clef a to. He hadde not the der iflawe, Ne half out of the hyde, There cam a schrewde arwe out of the west, That felde Robertes pryde. Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and west, Be every syde: "Hoo hat myn mayster slayin? Ho hat don this dede? Shal I never out of grene wode go Til I se sydis blede." Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and lokyd west, And sowt under the sunne; He saw a lytil boy He clepyn Wrennok of Donne. A good bowe in his hond, A brod arwe ther ine, And fowre and twenty goode arwys, Trusyd in a thrumme: "Be war the, war the, Gandeleyn, Her of thu shalt han summe. "Be war the, war the, Gandeleyn, Hir of thu gyst plenté." "Ever on for an other," seyde Gandeleyn; "Mysaunter have he shal fle. "Wher-at shal oure marke be?" Seyde Gandeleyn. "Everyche at otheris herte," Seyde Wrennok ageyn. "Ho shal yeve the ferste schote?" Seyde Gandeleyn: "And I shul geve the on be-forn." Seyd Wrennok ageyn. Wrennok schette a ful good schote, And he schet not to hye; Throw the samclothis of his bryk, It towchyd neyther thye. "Now hast thou govyn me on beforn," Al thus to Wrennok seyde he, "And throw the myght of our Lady A bettere I shal yeve the." Gandeleyn bent his goode bowe, And set ther in a flo; He schet throw his grene certyl, His herte he clef on too. "Now shalt thu never yelpe, Wrennok, At ale ne at wyn, That thu hast slawe goode Robyn, And his knave Gandeleyn. "Now shalt thu never yelpe, Wrennok, At wyn ne at ale, That thu hast slawe goode Robyn, And Gandeleyn his knawe." Robyn lyeth in grene wode bowndyn.

bound (in a shroud); (see note) singing; learned person yonder (see note) company; (see note) those youths skillful; honorable They; flesh (meat) two meat they found none toward evening (see note) fallow deer They came upon enough blemished (see note) shall have one (see note) arrow cleaved in two flayed devilish arrow struck down; (see note) Who has (see note) gazed stared They call twenty four Tied; bundle will get plenty; (see note) Misfortune may he have who flees Where Each at the other's heart Who the first one; (see note) (see note) shot apron; breeches; (see note) thigh given me one first (see note) A better [shot] I shall give thee arrow He shot through his green kirtle cleft in two boast slain servant (see note) servant; (see note)