2 Robin Hood Wins the Sheriff's Golden Arrow
罗宾汉赢得了郡长的金箭

Introduction

Robin Hood's life in Sherwood Forest was very pleasant forthose who were not afraid of roughing it. The Merry Men loved the trees, birds, and animals in the forest. They built shelters of bark and logs to keep out the rain, and they did not mind that there were no houses, soft beds, or fine chairs and tables. When it wasn't raining, they slept on deerskins under the stars. The band cooked over a roaring fire next to a big tree and ate sitting on the ground.

More than a hundred men made up Robin Hood's band. These rough outlaws with kind hearts were devoted to Robin Hood and obeyed his every word. Robin needed only to lift his bugle to his lips and play a note, and the men would appear. They were the best archers, wrestlers, and swordsmen in all of England, and they got better as they practiced their skills daily. Robin Hood was the best of all the archers in the land; his aim was true and swift. Even King Richard admired Robin's bold skill with a bow and arrow.

Robin and his men stole from the rich lords and gave their treasure back to the poor. Times were bad in England, for the French had conquered the whole country. They left the English king, King Richard, in power, but ruled the land while he was at war. These cruel lords got rich taxing the poor, sometimes taking all a family owned. They also were in league with corrupt churchmen, who took advantage of the faith of the common people. As a child, Robin Hood had seen many of his friends' and neighbors' lives ruined. He vowed to grow up and make things right. He became an outlaw, though the laws he broke were unjust ones. Robin Hood's men made feasts to lure the lords who traveled the roads near the forest. When the lords came to feast, Robin and his men took the gold the lords had stolen and gave it back to the English people. To his enemies, Robin and his men were robbers; to the common folk, they were heroes.