Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne (Campfire Story)

The SHERIFF of Nottingham had tried everything to catch Robin Hood. So he hired the cruelest man he could find. A killer named Guy of Gisborne. Guy wore a horse's hide over his armor, with the head and the tail still on it, so he looked half man and half beast. And he had sworn to bring the Sheriff Robin Hood's head.

That morning, ROBIN HOOD and Little John decided to go off on separate adventures. And they shook hands, and went off down two different paths.

And Little John's path led him straight into the Sheriff and his men. They were about to hang three young men for poaching the King's deer. And Little John tried to save them, and shot at the Sheriff's men. But his bowstring broke. And they caught him, and tied him up. 'We'll hang you instead,' said the Sheriff. 'From the very same tree.'

And Robin's path led him to a stranger, sitting under a tree, wrapped in a horse's hide.

'Good morning,' said Robin. 'Where are you going, in that strange cloak?'

'I'm looking for an outlaw,' said the stranger. 'A man called Robin Hood. I'd give forty pounds to meet him.'

'Well,' said Robin, 'I know where he lives. But first, let's have a shooting match, you and I.'

So they set up a target, a little willow wand stuck in the ground, a long way off. And the stranger shot, and missed. And Robin shot, and split the wand in half.

'You're a fine archer,' said the stranger. 'If your heart is as good as your hand, you're better than Robin Hood. Tell me your name.'

'Tell me yours first,' said Robin.

'I am Guy of Gisborne. I've come to kill Robin Hood.'

'Then you've found him,' said Robin. 'I am Robin Hood.'

And they both drew their swords. CLANG!

And they fought, there under the trees. CLANG! CLANG! For a long, long time. Guy was strong, and cruel, and a terrible swordsman. And Robin tripped on a root, and fell, and Guy's sword came down and cut him. CLANG!

But Robin rolled away, and jumped up again. And he fought harder than he had ever fought in his life. And at last, with one great stroke, he brought Guy of Gisborne down. And that was the end of Guy.

And Robin stood there, hurt and breathing hard, and he thought, 'Something's wrong. Little John.' And he had an idea.

He put on Guy's horse-hide cloak, with the hood pulled down over his face. He took Guy's horn. And he went to find the Sheriff.

And there was the Sheriff, with Little John tied up, about to be hanged. And when the Sheriff saw a man in a horse-hide coming toward him, covered in blood, he cheered. 'It's Guy of Gisborne! Did you kill Robin Hood?'

'I did,' said Robin, in a harsh, gruff voice like Guy's. 'And I'll have my reward. Give me that prisoner. I want to deal with him myself.'

'Take him!' said the Sheriff, delighted.

And Little John, tied to the tree, looked up and saw Robin's horn and Robin's bow in the stranger's hands, and his heart broke. Until the man in the horse-hide leaned close, and cut the ropes, and whispered, 'It's me.'

And Robin handed Little John a bow. And then he threw off the horse-hide, and put his own horn to his lips. HORN!

And out of the forest came the Merry Men. And the SHERIFF took one look, and turned his horse, and galloped all the way back to Nottingham as fast as he could go. And his men ran after him.

And Robin and Little John went home to Sherwood together. And from then on, they never went off on separate adventures again.