Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow | Legend Stories for Kids

Illustrated By: Stella Wei

 

 

 

 

Listen to the story while you read along! 


 

IN ALL THE LAND, none was better with a bow and arrow than Robin Hood.  He lived with his band of Merry Men in Sherwood Forest – the same woods where King John kept his royal deer.

A few years before when King Richard ruled the land, the King let people who were poor come into Sherwood Forest and hunt his royal deer to feed their families. When King Richard left England with his army, his brother John stepped up to the throne.  

“Bad King John,” as this king would be known, refused to allow anyone else in Sherwood Forest.  After all, he was the King of England – shouldn’t he hunt his own royal deer whenever he wanted?  King John made it known that anyone seen hunting in Sherwood Forest would be seized at once and thrown in prison.


After all, he was the King of England – shouldn’t he hunt his own royal deer whenever he wanted?


When Robin Hood heard about the King’s new decree, he was furious.  He moved into Sherwood Forest to defy the King’s orders!  Dressed in green from cap to boots, Robin Hood camouflaged well in the dark leafy woods of Sherwood Forest. Soon other brave men entered Sherwood Forest too, to join Robin Hood and hunt the royal deer.  And that is how the Merry Men came to be.

When rich nobles and dukes passed through the woods, Robin Hood and his Merry Men would hide.  Then in a flash, they would jump out onto the richly decorated carriages, rob the treasures and give the money to the poor.

The rich men who were robbed were not happy about this!  They complained to King John about what was happening in Sherwood Forest.  King John was enraged.  It was bad enough that encroachers were defying his order and hunting his royal deer.  But that they were robbing rich travelers, too!  The King charged the Sheriff of Nottingham with catching Robin Hood, once and for all!

But the man in green was too quick.  Each time, his Merry Men would warn him if they saw the Sheriff of Nottingham or one of his guards in the woods. Forewarned, Robin Hood could hide or escape.

The Sheriff came up with a clever plan.  “I will announce a great contest,” he stated, “to find the most expert bowman in all the land. The grand prize to the winner will be a Golden Arrow.”   The Sheriff said in a low voice, “If I know Robin Hood, he will not be able to stay away from such a contest. And when he comes, we will snatch him!”

In the woods, Little John pleaded with Robin Hood, “Don’t be swayed by this announcement. Can’t you see the contest is a trap? They’ll recognize you and grab you!”

Robin Hood was silent.  Of all the Merry Men, he trusted the judgement of Little John the most. But in his heart, Robin Hood knew he wanted to go.  He would go.


But in his heart, Robin Hood knew he wanted to go.


On the day of the contest, ten expert bowmen lined up. The sheriff knew all of them except one stranger with an eye patch.  The target was so far away from where the archers lined up that it was almost impossible for them to see its black and red circles.  One by one each young man shot his best arrow. Most missed.  Some landed on the target but none came close to the center.

The Sheriff turned to one of his guards.  “Do you see Robin Hood? Where is he?”

“We know all of these archers, Your Majesty,” said the guard, “except the one with the eyepatch – but Robin Hood doesn’t wear an eyepatch.”


The Sheriff turned to one of his guards.  “Do you see Robin Hood?  Where is he?”


“The wimp!” said the Sheriff.  “He didn’t have the guts to come.  He’s afraid of me!”

After a few rounds, two finalists remained.  The first one was Adam of Dell.  With care, he took aim.  His arrow landed at the very center of the target – a bull’s eye!  The crowd cheered for Adam of Dell.

It was time for the last bowman with the eyepatch.  He too, took careful aim.

His arrow also sailed through the air.  It landed right through Adam of Dell’s bull’s eye arrow, cutting it in half!  In a flash, the stranger let go of two more arrows. Each one flew to where the Sheriff sat, pinning him to his seat, one arrow on each side.  The Sheriff did not know what was going on.  Then the stranger with the eye patch pulled off his disguise and threw it onto the ground.  

“Get him, you fools!” shouted the Sheriff, trying to wrest free from the arrows pinning him.  “Can’t you see? – it’s Robin Hood!”

Our hero jumped over the wall to a horse waiting for him – and escaped!

This tale is one of the many adventures of Robin Hood, the most beloved hero in all of England, and one of the most admired heroes in the world.

 

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