When they come for that defiant and unruly head of yours To make your neck on the gallows even thinner than it was. There’s no safer place of refuge than the forest out of sight! If you’d sell a friend for sixpence it would never serve you right! All you paupers and you bums with no contentment, just regrets You scrimpers and you savers, who have nothing but your debts. If you find yourself in trouble, seek your freedom in the wood, In the country of the noble King of Rebels, ROBIN HOOD! We’re easy with each other, playing cards and telling jokes. All are treated just like brothers, even crazy, messed up blokes. Sometimes yeomen fleeing bailiffs come to live here in the trees: We may lack their goods and chattels but we're doing as we please! On the hunt for deer and merchants who may brave the forest track. Once we were working for the man but now we’re free, we won't go back. All who’ve lost all of our fortune, given shelter, given food - In the forest glade we court our King of Rebels, ROBIN HOOD! So we live without a care, in disregard of sheriff’s laws. And we’re happy from our lair to fight for freedom’s noble cause. We’re sleeping barely covered, underneath the rustling trees. By the cold we are not bothered, glad to be alive and free! Still at times we miss our families; then a wistful mood prevails, But we just tighter grip our weapons so in battle we won’t fail For tomorrow we will march, a mighty freemen’s brotherhood - At our head, the king of archers, King of Rebels, ROBIN HOOD!
© Tommy Beavitt. Translation, ?
© Tommy Beavitt. Performance, 2015