New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-11-12
Robin Hood.

correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer
gives the following description of the habits and
haunts of bold Robin one Of the most romantic
characters in English history:
There are various other traditions concerning
Robin Hood which, whetherstrue or false, are valu-
able as evidences of the general impress which
his character and actions stamped upon the
memory of his time. Noble, generous and brave,
a lover of the poor and defender Of their rights
against the rich and the oppressOr, he comes down
to US like the hero of some old dim epic, whose
author has taxed all the power Of his Imagination
to set in the most costly jewels of humanity. His
encounter with Edward l.. for instance, is full of
human beauty. This king had offered large re-
wards for Robin, alive or dead, but none Of his
officers and spies could find him out.
So he came down to Sherwood, to try what lie
could do with his blood-hounds aud followers in
the way Of eXtirpating the outlaw and his merry
men. He secured the whole country round with
out success. At last he went in disguise, and
wandered about the forest alone, in hope OF meet
ing with his enemies. All this was well known to
Robin Hood, who had out his spies. 1t was not
long, therefore, before Robin showed himself to
the king in full array of green and gold, equipped
also, with his bow and arrows, his short sword
and that little bugle-horn about which the king
had heard SO many magical stories. The king
demanded who this apparition of the woods
might be.
Il am Robin Hood answered the outlaw,
nothing daunted at the presence of majesty.
"Then,n returned the king, 1--WE are well met /;
so stand on your guard
But Robin wound his horn and hundred armed
men rose up from the gorse and heather, az If by
euChantment demanding the will Of their leader.
. 1t is to do reverence to the King of England that
| have called you said he; ana Edward was so
touched with this generous spectacle that he in
yited Robin and his men to court, with promise
/ of free pardon and protection. The invitation
was accepted, and Maid Marian died when Robin
was at court. He was deeply afflicted at the loss
of his beloved, and when spring returned he was
so haunted with The olden memories of the woods
their sweet liberty, flowers, brooks and birds, that
he left the king, by permission, and returned tc
his old haunts aud companions.
He died at the nunnery Of kirkless, four miles
from the place at which stopped III my travels
He was in his eightieth year He was lnjudlclously
bled too much by his physician.
He said, when he was about to close his earthly
acCouut,'to Little John
| Lay mo green sod under my head,
Aud another at my feet;
AHd I ay my oent DOW DOW at my SIDE
And lnke my grave of gravel and green,
Which is most right and meek"
His grave | saw in the Park Of Kirkless, coy
cred now with large slab.
Sherwood forest, like our original forests, is a
| old realm of trees, but, different from the Amer
can woods, these oak m9narehs have huge b9rI
less trunks and gnared and twisted branches
which look like the giant skeletons Of an eXtinC
crsati0u. There is solitude around them, likewise
which fills the heart, there in England, with rev
q startling and painful emotions Sune nt the tree
: are eighty / et in hGight-bare and black
i Scared bg the storm and riven by the lightning
I Many Of Them are split in twain from tep to bo
c tom, aud yet so strong is the lite within theI
that theu' branches are covered with foh1gt
e They are about one thousand years cid, gu IA
q literally sbat ont in this part Of the forest fro
|, all sigl:s of civilization. aud seem tn stand in
% Strange, solemn aud old universe" over yf
Il hang tle a2dfe wants OF immRnslty, and undt
+ your feet how many worlds lie buIleu