Chapter ThreeRobin Hood meets Little John
Robin Hood and his group of Merry Men spent the summer hunting in Sherwood Forest. They robbed rich travelers and gave the money to the poor. Their fame grew, and other men joined the group until they numbered almost ninety.1 The Sheriff of Nottingham tried to catch them, but he could not find their camp. Nor could he trap them.
One day, Robin decided to travel to Nottingham to look around. He picked up his bow and told his men, “Wait here within earshot of my bugle call.”
Robin knew a shortcut through the woods that led to a small stream.2 There was a large log that lay over it. Robin jumped up on the log and started to cross. At the same time, a tall, wide man came out of the trees on the other side.3
Key Words
traveler (n): lữ khách
fame (n): tiếng tăm, danh tiếng
number (v): lên tới con số
camp (n): doanh trại
nor (adv): cũng không
trap (v): dùng mẹo bắt ai vào bẫy
within earshot of: trong tầm nghe của...
bugle (n): tù và
call (n): tiếng gọi
shortcut (n): đường tắt
woods (n): rừng
lead to (v): dẫn đến
(lead - led - led)
stream (n): dòng suối
log (n): khúc cây gỗ
lie (v): nằm
(lie - lay - lain)
cross (v): đi qua
Key Sentences
1 Their fame grew, and other men joined the group until they numbered almost ninety.
2 Rob knew a shortcut through the woods that led to a small stream.
3 At the same time, a tall, wide man came out of the trees on the other side.
Robin was used to giving orders, so he quickly said, “Make way, stranger! I will cross first.”
The other man was easily taller than Robin by a full head.1
“No,” he said. “I will only give way to a better man than myself.”
The stranger was armed only with a thick, long, oak staff. Robin got very angry. He jumped off the log and cut a branch off an oak tree. As soon as he jumped back up on the log, Robin and the stranger swung their staffs at each other.2 For a solid half an hour, they fought. Neither one wanted to be the first to say, “Enough!”3
Finally, the big man landed a lucky shot. At that moment, Robin saw more stars than there were in the night sky. He fell, dazed and limp, into the stream.
Check up
From the text, find the word to complete the sentence.
Robin and the stranger had ________ fighting.
Key Words & Sentences
be used to: quen với
give orders (v): ra lệnh
make way (v): tránh đường
stranger (n): kẻ lạ mặt
give way (v): nhường đường
be armed with: được trang bị
oak (n): gỗ sồi
branch (n): cành cây
swing (v): vung
(swing - swung - swung)
each other: nhau, lẫn nhau
solid (adj): liên tục, không nghỉ
fight (v): đánh nhau
(fight - fought - fought)
land (v): giáng, đánh
shot (n): cú đánh
dazed (adj): choáng váng
limp (adj): mềm nhũn
1 The other man was easily taller than Robin by a full head.
2 As soon as he jumped back up on the log, Robin and the stranger swung their staffs at each other.
3 Neither one wanted to be the first to say, “Enough!”
The stranger laughed and offered the end of his staff to Robin.
“Here, pull yourself out with this!” he said.
Robin grabbed the staff, and the stranger pulled him over to the bank of the stream.1He rubbed his sore head and then blew three long, loud notes.2 Then twenty of Robin’s Merry Men came out from the trees.
Will Stutely said, “Well now, what is this? Robin, you are soaking wet!”
“This big fellow on the log put me in the stream with his staff,” Robin replied. “But our fight was a fair one, and I accept the defeat.”
“You fight better than any man I have come against,”3 said the stranger. “I would like to know your name.”
“Well,” said Robin, “my men and even the Sheriff of Nottingham call me Robin Hood.”
Key Words
pull (v): kéo
grab (v): chụp lấy
(grab - grabbed - grabbed)
bank (n): bờ
rub (v): xoa bóp
(rub - rubbed - rubbed)
sore (adj): đau, nhức nhối
note (n): dấu hiệu
soaking wet (adj): ướt đẫm
(soak: làm ướt đẫm)
fellow (n): bạn, gã (hàm ý thân thiện, cùng chí hướng)
reply (v): trả lời
(reply - replied - replied)
fair (adj): công bằng
defeat (n): sự thất bại
Key Sentences
1 Robin grabbed the staff, and the stranger pulled him over to the bank of the stream.
2 He rubbed his sore head and then blew three long, loud notes.
3 You fight better than any man I have come against.
“If that’s so, then I am sorry I beat you,”1said the stranger. “My name is John Little, and I came to Sherwood to join your Merry Men.”
“I would be glad to have your staff fighting for me instead of against me!”2 replied Robin.
The men laughed at this, and Will had an idea. He loved a good joke, so he said, “You must take a new name to join us. I suggest we call you Little John!”
Then the men laughed louder, and so did Little John. He was pleased to join the Merry Men. He proved himself to be such a strong and loyal fighter that he became Robin’s second in command.3
Check up
Why did Robin and his men laugh about the nickname “Little John”?
_________________
Key Words
instead of (prep): thay vì
joke (n): chuyện cười, trò đùa
suggest (v): đề nghị
be pleased to: hài lòng với
loyal (adj): trung thành
fighter (n): chiến binh
command (n): quyền chỉ huy, điều khiển → command (v)
→ the second in command: người chỉ huy thứ hai
Key Sentences
1 If that’s so, then I am sorry I beat you.
2 I would be glad to have your staff fighting for me instead of against me!
3 He proved himself to be such a strong and loyal fighter that he became Robin’s second in command.
One day, Little John did not return to camp. Robin Hood became uneasy. He thought that the Sheriff’s men might have caught him.1
“I must go to Nottingham, my men,” he said. “Perhaps the Sheriff can tell me what happened to Little John.”2
Robin Hood went through the woods. Before stepping out of the trees, he saw a butcher’s wagon coming from within Sherwood and going toward Nottingham.
“Good morning, friend,” called out Robin Hood. “I offer you a trade. How about if I give you ten gold pieces for your horse, cart, and all your meat?3 Today I want to be a butcher and sell meat in Nottingham.”
“That would be a fair price,” said the butcher. “In fact, ten gold pieces is too much.”
“Then give me your clothes, too,” said Robin.
In the market, Robin acted very foolishly. He called out, “Get your meat here! Steaks for ten pennies! A kiss is as good as a penny!”
Many people crowded around Robin’s wagon. Other butchers became suspicious of Robin, but they decided to invite Robin to join their guild.1
“We are invited to the Sheriff’s house this evening,” said the leader. “Come with us if you would join our guild.”
Robin gladly accepted, and that evening, he went with the rest of the butchers to the Sheriff’s house.2 When they arrived, a couple of butchers whispered to the Sheriff.
“This new butcher sold all his meat too cheaply,” they said. “Maybe he inherited a lot of money from his father and doesn’t know what to do with it.”3
Check up
What is true about the story?
a. Robin went to the market to join the guild.
b. The other butchers thought Robin was a suspicious-looking man.
c. Robin made a lot of money selling meat.
Key Words & Sentences
market (n): chợ
get (v): lấy (get - got - got)
steak (n): miếng thịt
(thường để nướng)
as good as: xem như, cũng như
crowd (v): tụ tập, đổ xô đến
suspicious of (adj): nghi ngờ, hoài nghi
invite A to: mời A làm gì
guild (n): hội, đoàn
the rest (n): những người khác
a couple of: hai
whisper (v): thì thầm
inherit (v): thừa hưởng, thừa kế
1 Other butchers became suspicious of Robin, but they decided to invite Robin to join their guild.
2 Robin gladly accepted, and that evening, he went with the rest of the butchers to the Sheriff’s house.
3 Maybe he inherited a lot of money from his father and doesn’t know what to do with it.
The Sheriff wondered if he could somehow make money from the foolish butcher.1 So he invited Robin to sit next to him. Robin was in a lively mood. He said to the Sheriff, “I have five hundred horned animals, but I cannot find someone to buy them.”
The Sheriff thought Robin meant cows when he said “horned animals”. He thought to himself that maybe he could buy this foolish butcher’s cows for a very small price.2
“Perhaps I might be interested in buying a few cows from you,” said the Sheriff.
“You could come by tomorrow and have a look at them,” said Robin. “I cannot bring them to town because they are scattered here and there.3 But they are only a half day’s ride through the southern part of Sherwood.”
“I would be most happy to come and look at your animals,” said the Sheriff greedily.
Check up
Choose to complete the following sentence.
The Sheriff wanted to buy the butcher’s animals to ____________________.
a. help him
b. make money
Key Words
somehow (adv): làm cách nào
make money (v): kiếm tiền
lively (adv): sôi nổi, hoạt bát
in a ...mood: ở trong tâm trạng...
horned (adj): có sừng
mean (v): có ý nói, hàm ý
(mean - meant - meant)
be interested in: quan tâm đến
come by (v): ghé qua
have a look at: nhìn qua
scatter (v): chạy tán loạn
ride (n): chặng đường đi (bằng ngựa)
southern (n): phía nam
greedily (adv): tham lam
Key Sentences
1 The Sheriff wondered if he could somehow make money from the foolish butcher.
2 He thought to himself that maybe he could buy this foolish butcher’s cows for a very small price.
3 I cannot bring them to town because they are scattered here and there.
At that moment, Robin looked up and saw Little John coming into the room.1 He was wearing the uniform of one of the sheriff’s men! For a second, Robin wondered if Little John was a traitor. Then he remembered that Little John was the most loyal man he had ever met. Little John also saw Robin. He did not speak but moved closer to Robin’s chair. When the others were singing loudly, he leaned over and said, “Meet me in the kitchen at midnight.”2
Robin nodded but did not speak. He pretended to sing along with the others. Soon, the party ended with many drunken butchers and the Sheriff’s men passed out in chairs and on the floor.3 The house was quiet, and no one saw Robin going to the kitchen at midnight.
Before we continue this story, let’s now learn how Little John became one of the Sheriff’s men.4
Check up
Based on the story, write down “T” if true or “F” if false.
a. Little John pretended not to know Robin. _____
b. Little John was a traitor, indeed. _____
Key Words & Sentences
uniform (n): đồng phục
traitor (n): kẻ phản bội
close (adj): gần, sát
lean over (v): nghiêng qua
at midnight: nửa đêm
nod (v): gật đầu
(nod - nodded - nodded)
pretend (v): giả vờ
drunken (adj): say rượu
pass out (v): say không biết trời đất gì
continue (v): tiếp tục
1 At that moment, Robin looked up and saw Little John coming into the room.
2 When the others were singing loudly, he leaned over and said, “Meet me in the kitchen at midnight.”
3 Soon, the party ended with many drunken butchers and the Sheriff’s men passed out in chairs and on the floor.
4 Before we continue this story, let’s now learn how Little John became one of the Sheriff’s men.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Complete the sentences with the verbs in the past tense.
hand - change swing - land become - decide
jump - cut rob - give hand - change
1. Robin and his men ________________ the rich and ________________ the money to the poor.
2. The other butchers ________________ suspicious of Robin, but they ________________ to invite Robin to join their guild.
3. Robin ________________ off the log and ________________ himself a solid staff.
4. The stranger ________________ back and ________________ a lucky shot.
5. Robin ________________ over the gold and ________________ into the butcher’s clothes.
B. Based on the story, mark “T” if true or “F” if false.
1. John Little entered Sherwood Forest to find Robin Hood and his men. T...F
2. Robin Hood tripped and fell from the log. T...F
3. Robin Hood was very angry at Little John for knocking him into the stream. T...F
4. Robin Hood paid too much for the butcher’s wagon and meat. T...F
C. Choose the correct answers to the questions.
1. After Little John went missing, where did Robin Hood find him?
(a) On a log over a stream
(b) On a butcher’s wagon
(c) At the Sheriff’s house in Nottingham
2. Why did the Sheriff become very interested in Robin the Butcher?
(a) Because he thought he could buy Robin’s cows at an unfair price.
(b) Because he wanted Robin to work for him.
(c) Because he thought Robin was related to the King.
D. Connect the beginning and the end of the sentences.
1. Robin was used to • • a. any man I have come against.
2. The log was not wide enough • • b. for two men to pass each other.
3. You fight better than • • c. to sell my meat at the market.
4. I am on my way to Nottingham • • d. ordering men around.
Understanding the Story
Robin Hood actively did many things in Nottingham and Sherwood Forest. Let’s find out more about the notorious city and the adventurous forest.
Nottingham and Sherwood Forest
Although the outlaw Robin Hood may exist only in a storyteller’s mind, Nottingham and Sherwood Forest are both very real. Nottingham is a town in northern England, and Sherwood Forest is just to the north of it. The town gets its name from an Anglo-Saxon leader named Snot who settled his people in the area after 600 A.D. In the old Anglo-Saxon language, “inga” meant “the people of” and “ham” meant “home”. “Snot” was just a name in Anglo-Saxon, but in English, it means the water from your nose. Obviously, the modern citizens of Nottingham are very happy that the “S” at the beginning of “Snottinham” was lost in history. In 2004, the city of Nottingham gained a bad reputation in England when several murders were committed with guns. The city council and police force denied the problem was very serious, saying that the newspapers exaggerated the stories. However, Nottingham does have a high burglary rate. Is there a modern day Robin Hood behind this?
If there is one, he would find it harder to hide out in Sherwood Forest. This forest is much smaller today than it was in the 12th century, and there are no wild deer to hunt there. It is open to everyone as a national park. The most impressive tree remaining in the forest is named “The Major Oak”. Legends say that this is the tree that served as Robin Hood’s headquarters. It is between 800 to 1,000 years old.
mind (n): tâm trí
anglo-Saxon (n): người Ăng-lô-Xắc-xông
settle (v): định cư
obviously (adv): rõ ràng, hiển nhiên
reputation (n): danh tiếng
murder (n): vụ án mạng
commit (v): vi phạm
exaggerate (v): thổi phồng, nói quá
hide (v): ẩn nấp
wild (adj): hoang dã
impressive (adj): ấn tượng
remain (v): còn lại
headquarter (n): sở chỉ huy