He laugh'd full heartily;
There lives a friar in Fountain's Abbey
Will beat both him and thee.

The curtal friar in Fountain's Abbey
Well can draw a good strong bow;
He will beat both you and your yeomen,
Set them all on a row.

Robin Hood took a solemn oath,
It was by Mary free,
That he would neither eat nor drink,
Till the friar he did see.

Robin Hood put on his harness good,
On his head a cap of steel;
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him well.

He took his bow into his hand,
(It was of a trusty tree)
With a sheaf of arrows by his side
And to Fountain Dale went he.

And coming unto fair Fountain Dale,
No farther would he ride:
There was he 'ware of a curtal friar,
Walking by the water-side.

The friar had on a harness good,
On his head a cap of steel;
Broad sword and buckler by his side,
And they became him well.

Robin Hood lighted off his horse,
And tied him to a thorn:
Carry me over the water, thou curtal friar,
Or else thy life's forlorn.

The friar took Robin Hood on his back,
Deep water he did bestride,
And spake neither good word nor bad
Till he came to the other side.

Lightly leap'd Robin off the friar's back,
The friar said to him again,
Carry me over the water, fine fellow,
Or it shall breed thee pain.

Robin Hood took the friar on his back,
Deep water he did bestride,
And spake neither good nor bad
Till he came to the other side.

Lightly leap'd the friar off Robin Hood's back,
Robin said to him again,
Carry me over the water thou curtal friar,
Or it shall breed thee pain.

The friar he took Robin Hood on his back again
And stepp'd up to his knee;
Till he came to the middle of the stream
Neither good nor bad spake he;

And coming to the middle of the stream
There he threw Robin in;
And choose thee, choose thee, fine fellow,
Whether thou wilt sink or swim.

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTALL FRYER.]

Robin Hood swam to a bush of broom,
The friar to the willow wand;
Bold Robin Hood he got to the shore,
And took his bow in his hand.

One of the best arrows under his belt
To the friar he let fly:
The curtal friar with his steel buckler