.
During the fair a fine cavalier, very dainty for a man, fascinating,
was caught by Friar Tuck kissing a girl, and was brought in with a
great to-do. She declared that she had a right to kiss a pretty girl,
since her business was that of cavalier. Robin Hood discovered her
sex, underneath her disguise, and began to make love to her.

Among other reasons for Robin Hood being at the fair was that of
making the Sheriff confer upon him his title to the Earldom. When he
boldly made his demand, the foxy Sheriff declared that he had a
half-brother brought up by him, and that the half-brother, and not
Robert, was the Earl.

"You are a vain, presumptuous youth," the Sheriff declared. "You are
no Earl, instead it is this lovely youth whom I have brought up so
carefully." And he put forth Guy, the bumpkin. This created an awful
stir, and all the outlaws who were fond of Robin Hood took up the case
for him.

"A nice sort of Earl, that," Little John cried.

"You think we will acknowledge him as heir to the estates of
Huntingdon? Never!" Scarlet declared.

"Traitor!" Robin Hood cried to the Sheriff. "In the absence of the
King I know that your word is law; but wait till the King returns from
his Crusade! I'll show you then whose word is to prevail."

"My friend!" Little John then cried, stepping into the middle of the
row, "take thou this good stout bow of yew. You are going to join us
and make one of Sherwood's merry men till his Majesty returns and
reinstates you as the rightful Earl of Huntingdon. Come! Say you will
be one of us." All the outlaws crowded affectionately about Robert and
urged him.

"You shall become King of Outlaws, if you will," Scarlet cried. "Come!
accept our friendship. Become our outlaw king!"

After thinking a moment, Robert turned and looked at the gay cavalier
whom he knew to be his cousin Marian, in masquerade, and whom he
loved. Then he decided he would go and live a gay and roving life in
the forest till he could return and marry his cousin as the Earl of
Huntingdon should.

"Farewell," he sang to her. "Farewell, till we meet again," and he was
carried off amid the uproarious welcome of the outlaws of Sherwood
forest, to become their leader till the King returned from the
Crusades to make him Earl.

ACT II

Away in Sherwood forest the outlaws were encamped--which meant merely
the building of a fire and the assembling of the merry men. Robin Hood
had become their leader.

Oh, che