Tales of Romance

Robin Hood's first meeting with Little John ends with a splash: a stranger defeats him in a staff fight on a narrow bridge and sends him into the river. Robin welcomes his opponent into the forest fellowship, where loyalty and a quarrel with the Sheriff of Nottingham help shape the opening adventures. Edited by Andrew Lang, this collection places its outlaws among wooded roads, abbeys and castles, with poor travellers and wealthy churchmen receiving very different treatment.

The contents also introduce Wayland the Smith, William Short Nose, the sword Excalibur and Grettir the Strong. In Wayland's story, a captive craftsman makes extraordinary armour while a king seeks the riches of dangerous caverns. Brief numbered sections and direct dialogue carry the action from forest encounters to magical keys and glittering treasures. Readers interested in traditional adventure tales can follow the recurring tensions between generosity, greed, friendship and revenge across these varied legends.