3 How Little John Joined Robin Hood
小约翰是怎样加入罗宾汉的

Introduction

One day when Robin Hood was a young boy, he returned to his old neighborhood to hear news of his friends. But many of his friends had been thrown out of their homes, arrested, or hanged. The French had conquered England, and they ruled over the common people with an iron fist. Though the English king was still on the throne, he was often at war, and the French ruled in his absence. They taxed families until they starved. Then they stole their land and gave it to their corrupt friends in the church.

From that day, Robin Hood vowed he would bring justice back to the land. Since the rich stole from the poor, Robin would steal back from the rich and return the money to the common people. He cleverly hid himself in Sherwood Forest where he was safe from the lords who hated him. He stole only from people who dared to travel near the wood. But his name quickly became famous, and English people everywhere loved him very much. Men from all over decided to join Robin Hood's quest. Soon he had a large band of men who lived with him in the forest. Robin Hood's men were more loyal to him than they had ever been to their cruel French lords.

The Merry Men, as they became known, lived entirely outdoors, hunting for their food, cooking over a fire, and sleeping under the stars. They spent their days practicing archery,wrestling, and sword fighting until they were the strongest men in England. There were only two types of lawful men left in the land:wealthy men who hated Robin Hood, and honest and good men who envied Robin Hood's bravery and freedom. Tales of Robin's deeds are still told to this day, including this one.