Robin Hood and the Shooting Match at Finsbury (Campfire Story)

One day in London, Queen Eleanor heard King Henry bragging about his archers. 'The three finest archers in all of England,' he said. 'Nobody can beat them.'

And the Queen smiled. 'I think I can find better,' she said.

'Then we'll bet on it,' said the King. 'At the great shooting match at Finsbury Fields.'

So the Queen sent her page, a young man named Richard Partington, riding north, all the way to Sherwood Forest, to find ROBIN HOOD. And he found him. And he gave Robin a gold ring from the Queen.

'The Queen asks you to come to London,' he said, 'and shoot for her at Finsbury Fields. And she promises you this: no harm will come to you, for forty days.'

Now, London was a long way from Sherwood. And it was full of the King's soldiers. And the King hated Robin Hood. But Robin said, 'For the Queen, I'll go.'

So Robin, and Little John, and Will Scarlet, and Allan-a-Dale put on bright red coats like the Queen's own archers, and rode to London.

And on the day of the match, Finsbury Fields was crowded with people. Banners flying. Trumpets blowing. And the King's three archers stepped up: Gilbert of the White Hand, Tepus, and Clifton. The best in England.

And they shot. THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! Arrow after arrow, right into the middle of the target. CHEER!

And then the Queen stood up. 'And now my archers,' she said.

So up stepped the four strangers in red. And they shot. And they were good. Very good. Little John and Will Scarlet shot so close to Tepus and Clifton that the judges could hardly tell them apart.

And then it came down to Gilbert of the White Hand, the King's very best. And he drew his bow, and shot three arrows. THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! All three in the gold. CHEER!

And then the last of the Queen's archers stepped up. The one with the brown face and the bright eyes. And he drew his bow, and shot. THUNK! Center. THUNK! Center. THUNK! Right in the very middle of the gold. Closer than any of Gilbert's arrows. CHEER!

And the King jumped up. 'Who is that man?'

And the Queen said, sweetly, 'That, my lord, is Robin Hood.'

The King went red with rage. 'Robin Hood? The outlaw? In London? Arrest him!'

'You can't,' said the Queen. 'I promised him forty days of safety. And you gave me your word, at the start of the match, that you'd pardon any archer who won for me.'

And the King had to keep his word, in front of the whole crowd. But he was furious. And as soon as Robin and his men were gone from London, the King changed his mind, and sent his soldiers after them.

Richard Partington came riding up to warn them. 'Ride! The King has sent soldiers after you! Get back to Sherwood!'

So Robin and his men split up, and raced north by different roads, with the King's soldiers behind them. And Robin had to disguise himself, and hide, and even get help from a friend of the Queen's, to make it home.

But they all made it back to Sherwood Forest, safe. ROBIN HOOD! And the Queen won her bet.