at his departure spake
these words--

Get you home, you merry lads!
Tell your mammies and your dads,
And all those that news desire,
How you saw a walking fire.
Wenches, that do smile and lisp
Use to call me Willy Wisp.
If that you but weary he,
It is sport alone for me.
Away: unto your houses go
And I'll go laughing _ho, ho, hoh!_

The fellows were glad that he was gone, for they were all in a great fear
that he would have done them some mischief.

HOW ROBIN GOOD-FELLOW SERVED A LECHEROUS GALLANT

Robin always did help those that suffered wrong, and never would hurt any
but those that did wrong to others. It was his chance one day to go through
a field where he heard one call for help: he, going near where he heard the
cry, saw a lusty gallant that would have forced a young maiden to his lust;
but the maiden in no wise would yield, which made her cry for help. Robin
Good-fellow, seeing of this, turned himself into the shape of a hare, and
so ran between the lustful gallant's legs. This gallant, thinking to have
taken him, he presently turned himself into a horse, and so perforce
carried away this gallant on his back. The gentleman cried out for help,
for he thought that the devil had been come to fetch him for his
wickedness; but his crying was in vain, for Robin did carry him into a
thick hedge, and there left him so pricked and scratched, that he more
desired a plaister for his pain than a wench for his pleasure. Thus the
poor maid was freed from this ruffian, and Robin Good-fellow, to see this
gallant so tame, went away laughing, _ho, ho, hoh!_

HOW ROBIN GOOD-FELLOW TURNED A MISERABLE USURER TO A GOOD HOUSE-KEEPER

In this country of ours there was a rich man dwelled, who to get wealth
together was so sparing that he could not find in his heart to give his
belly food enough. In the winter he never would make so much fire as would
roast a black-pudding, for he found it more profitable to sit by other
men's. His apparel was of the fashion that none did wear; for it was such
as did hang at a broker's stall, till it was as weather-beaten as an old
sign. This man for his covetousness was so hated of all his neighbours,
that there was not one that gave him a good word. Robin Good-fellow grieved
to see a man of such wealth do so little good, and therefore practised to
better him in this manner.

One night the usurer being in bed, Robin in the shape of a night-raven[7]
came to the window, a