How Little John Lived At The Sheriff's Sparknotes

Summary/Analysis Prompt

Summary: In the chapter "How Little John Lived at the Sheriff's" from the book The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, by Howard Pyle, Little John (disguised as Reynold Greenleaf) goes to live at the Sheriff's after accepting to join his service. During his stay, Little John became a favorite of the Sheriff's, allowing him to enjoy feasting on rich dishes, superior alcohol, and sleeping late. Six months later, growing fat and sluggish, Little John stays in bed instead of going hunting with the Sheriff and there he begins to reminisce about his merry life in Sherwood Forest among his fellow merry men and Robin Hood. Little John decides that after breakfast, he will leave and go back to his fellow friends. As he approached

the pantry, the Steward, filled with jealousy, refused to allow him access to any of the food resulting in a scuffle between the two. Hearing the scuffle, the Cook ran from across the courtyard drawing, his sword toward Little John.

Before fencing Little John proposes that they should enjoy the feast together, seeing as the Cook loves a good feast, he accepts. Befriending one another during their meal together, the two continued to their postponed sword fight, lasting for over an hour with neither striking a blow. Impressed by the Cooks swordsmanship, Little John reveals his true identity to the Cook and suggests that he come to Sherwood Forest and join the Merry Men. The Cook set forth with Little John to the forest, taking with them a large bag of silver from the Sheriff's to give to Robin Hood. As they reached Sherwood Forest everyone welcomed Little John and the Cook, but Robin was unpleased with them commandeering the Sheriff's silver. Knowing that the Sheriff was near the forest, Little John ran to where he and his party were hunting with the plan of luring the Sheriff alone into Sherwood forest with some tale. The Sheriff followed Little John into the forest to where Robin Hood and the Merry Men (now including the Sheriff's Cook) sat, upon arriving the Sheriff turned and realized Little John's true identity. Robin then offered the Sheriff to join in another feast, the Sheriff's declined, however Robin insisted he joined for at least a drink of quality alcohol which was

served in the Sheriff's silver. Robin then told the Sheriff he does not want to keep the Sheriff's stolen silver since he had already paid his debt. Robin further explained how he only takes from the rich and dishonest and sent the Sheriff off with his bag of silver.
Direct Quotation: Toward the end of the chapter "How Little John Lived at the Sheriff's," Robin explains how he only steals from the rich who unjustly took from the poor:
"Then said he [Robin], "Now, Master Sheriff, the last time thou camest to Sherwood Forest thou didst come seeking to despoil a poor spendthrift, and thou wert despoiled thine own self; but now thou comest seeking to do no harm, nor do I know that thou hast despoiled any man.

I take my tithes from fat priests and lordly squires, to help those that they despoil and to raise up those that they bow down; but I know not that thou hast tenants of thine own whom thou hast wronged in any way. Therefore, take thou thine own again, nor will I dispossess thee today of so much as one farthing. Come with me, and I will lead thee from the forest back to thine own party again." (Pyle

85)
Explication: This conversational passage clarifies to the reader, Robin Hood and his Merry Men's morals. Prior to this conversation, Little John had returned to Sherwood Forest with a large bag of stolen silver from the Sherriff's. Robin Hood was very displeased with the theft since the Sheriff was already reprimanded to paid his retribution for his previous misdeeds. "Thou art a brave blade and a trusty fellow. I am glad thou hast brought thyself back to us, and with such a good companion as the Cook, whom we all welcome to Sherwood. But I like not so well that thou hast stolen the Sheriff's plate like some paltry thief. The Sheriff hath been punished by us, and hath lost three hundred pounds, even as he sought to despoil another; but he hath done nought that we should steal his household plate from him." (Pyle 84) While outlaws, Robin Hood and his Merry Men have morals in which they remind the Sheriff. Only dishonest nobles whom have taken advantage and stolen from the poor and weak will they steal from as punishment so that they can give back to the poor and weak in which they had unjustly taken it from. Robin addresses the Sheriff in an impartial tone as he reminds the Sheriff of how he, the Sheriff had planned to steal from someone which resulted in the Sheriff being poached. Nevertheless, since the Sheriff has no known misdeeds that have occurred since he doesn't deserve his silver to be looted from him, thus the reasoning in Robin returning the silver.