Robin Hood was the son of the Earl of Huntingdon. Maid Marian's father had a castle near the Earl of Huntingdon's castle. When Robin Hood was a boy, he and Maid Marian were great friends. They had many happy days together in the forest. Marian could shoot nearly as well as Robin.Maid Marian was very sad when the Sheriff of Nottingham drove Robin out of his home. Then she heard that Robin was living in Sherwood forest. She said, "Robin cannot come to me ; so I will go to him. She put on boy's clothes. She took her bow and arrows and left the castle. No one saw her go.
Robin Hood sometimes put on a long coat over his Lincoln green clothes, and he put a hood over his head to hide his face. Then he walked about in Sherwood Forest. He wanted to see the people who went through the forest.
He saw a boy with a bow in one hand and a staff in the other hand. The boy had a green hood.
Robin Hood said, "Boy, what are you doing with that bow? No one may shoot the King's deer in this forest. Go away, and do not come here again."
Marian answered, "I will not go away. I am not afraid of men who hide their faces."
"Do not speak to me like that!" said Robin, and he took his staff in his two hands. Marian took her staff in her two hands and they fought.
Robin did not want to hit the "boy" hard, but his staff was everywhere. Maid Marian was very quick on her feet, and her staff did good work too.
After a little time, Robin laughed. "I like you" he said. "You are young, but you fight very well. You fight as well as a man. I want you to be one of my men. Will you come and to be one of Robin Hood's men?"
Robin Hood threw back his hood, and Maid Marian saw his face.
"Robin!" Maid Marian cried. And she showed her own face.
"Oh!" cried Robin. "It is Maid Marian! Why did you not tell me before we fought?"
"I did not know that you were Robin Hood."
They sat down by a strean. Then Robin said, "Will you come and live with me in the forest? It will be a very hard life ; but I will do my best to make you happy."
"I shall always be happy with you," said Maid Marian.
Robin took Marian to the place in the forest where the outlaws lived. There was no one there. Robin blew his horn and his men came running to the place.
Robin said, "This is Maid Marian. She has come to live here with us."
All the men were very glad.
Then Robin said, "Where is Friar Tuck?"
Will Scarlet said, "He has gone far into the forest with his bow and arrows."
"Find him and bring him to me," said Robin.
Some of the men ran to find him. They soon came back with him; he was carrying a fat deer on his back.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Robin said, "This is Maid Marian. We want to be married. Can you marry us here?"
So Friar Tuck married Robin Hood and Maid Marian there in the forest. The men made a fire and cooked the deer; and they ate and drank and told stories and were very happy.
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