to see
her, but they had home with them a medicine for the fleas. Sweetmeats too
had they in such abundance that some of their teeth are rotten to this day;
and for music she wanted not, or any other thing she desired.

All praised this honest fairy for his care, and the child for his beauty,
and the mother for a happy woman. In brief, christened he was, at the which
all this good cheer was doubled, which made most of the women so wise, that
they forgot to make themselves unready, and so lay in their clothes; and
none of them next day could remember the child's name but the clerk, and he
may thank his book for it, or else it had been utterly lost. So much for
the birth of little Robin.

OF ROBIN GOOD-FELLOW'S BEHAVIOUR WHEN HE WAS YOUNG

When Robin was grown to six years of age, he was so knavish that all the
neighbours did complain of him; for no sooner was his mother's back turned,
but he was in one knavish action or other, so that his mother was
constrained (to avoid the complaints) to take him with her to market, or
wheresoever she went or rode. But this helped little or nothing, for if he
rode before her, then would he make mouths and ill-favoured faces at those
he met; if he rode behind her, then would he clap his hand on his tail; so
that his mother was weary of the many complaints that came against him, yet
knew she not how to beat him justly for it, because she never saw him do
that which was worthy blows. The complaints were daily so renewed that his
mother promised him a whipping. Robin did not like that cheer, and
therefore, to avoid it, he ran away, and left his mother a heavy woman for
him.

HOW ROBIN GOOD-FELLOW DWELT WITH A TAILOR

After that Robin Good-fellow had gone a great way from his mother's house,
he began to be hungry, and going to a tailor's house, he asked something
for God's sake. The tailor gave him meat, and understanding that he was
masterless, he took him for his man, and Robin so plied his work that he
got his master's love.

On a time his master had a gown to make for a woman, and it was to be done
that night: they both sat up late so that they had done all but setting on
the sleeves by twelve o'clock. This master then being sleepy said, "Robin,
whip thou on the sleeves, and then come thou to bed; I will go to bed
before." "I will," said Robin. So soon as his master was gone, Robin hung
up the gown, and taking both sleeves in his hands, he whipped and lashed
them on the gown. So s