N the reign of Richard I. lived a famous robber, named Robin Hood. His residence was in Sherwood forest, among its hills and dales; and he had a lieutenant named Little John, and a great many followers or merry men as they were called. They lived on the deer that ran wild through the wood, and on the plunder they seized from the traveller. They killed none but such as invaded them, or in their own defence. Robin's hundred tall men and good archers were a match for any four hundred that dared attack him. He never robbed poor men, but always relieved them; and suffered no woman to be molested or oppressed. He took from the rich priests part of what they had sponged from the people, and eased the purses of the wealthy of much of their coin. One old historian affirms, that he blameth him for his rapine and theft, but of all theeves he is the prince and the most gentle theefe.' The personal courage of this celebrated outlaw, his skill in archery, his humanity, and especially his levelling plan of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, have rendered him in all ages the favorite of the common people, who have

celebrated his memory by innumerable songs and stories, and bestowed upon him the dignity of an earl.

In our History of England for Children we said that William the Conqueror depopulated thirty miles of territory in one county for a hunting forest, turning the inhabitants into the roads and razing their dwellings to the ground. Many of these poor people became robbers, and in succeeding reigns thieving increased abundantly. A tyrannical government and arbitrary forest laws were the principal causes.

There has lately been published in England, (and Munroe and Francis have put it to press in Boston,) a well written story for young readers, entitled ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRY FORESTERS; so interesting has this juvenile romance been made, that we shall now give an extract for your amusement.

ROBIN HOOD'S FERRY BOAT.

"UPON the next morning, ere the sun had risen above the horizon, Robin Hood started from his couch, and armed himself. He put on his helmet and breastplate, he took up his good broadsword, his long-tried buckler, and his trustiest bow, and then placing his bugle-horn to

his lips, he played so loud a réveille that his men, frightened from their slumbers, seized their nearest weapons, as if an army had appeared against them. A few gentler notes made them remember the appointed time, and soon fifty bold youths attended the summons of their master. He bade them hasten to Fountains' Dale by the shortest path, but on no account to show themselves till he had sounded three blasts upon his bugle; and with a light foot and merry heart he sprang into his horse's saddle, and set out to encounter the renowned friar.

This friar, whose fame was spread far and wide, had once been an inmate and one of the brethren of Fountains' Abbey, but his irregular course of life and lawless pursuits had brought down upon him the wrath of the superior, and he had been expelled. Friar Tuck, so was he called, bore his disgrace boldly; he immediately retired to the forests, and there built himself a rude hut of the large stones with which the country abounded, thatching it with branches of trees. There he lived in solitude, gaining from the country people, who frequently came to him for religious consolation, a character of the greatest sanctity. The friar took care to turn this to his advantage; and many were the presents of butter, milk, and sometimes of a more enlivening liquid, that he received. But these did not constitute his chief means of livelihood; early in the morning the friar had more than once been seen with a good long bow in his hand, and a quiver

of arrows at his side, and a report had gone abroad that few could equal him in the use of this favorite weapon.

The friar was a tall burly man, at least six feet high, with a broad expanded chest, and a muscular arm that the sturdiest blacksmith might have been proud of. He usually wore a dark mulberrycolored cloak that reached nearly to his ankles, and girded it with a black woollen rope, the two ends of which hung down before him, about half a yard in length.

On the morning upon which Robin Hood had determined to discover him, from some unaccountable reason friar Tuck had put a steel cap upon his head, and a corslet upon his breast, and with his long oaken staff in his hand had rambled to the margin of the fair river Skell, where he stood gazing steadfastly upon the waves, as they rippled by. Presently he heard the sound of a horse's step, and turning, he beheld within a few feet of him an armed horseman. The stranger quickly dismounted, and fastening his steed by his bridle to the branch of a tree, advanced towards him.

'Art thou the friar of Fountains' Abbey?' he asked, when each had regarded the other in silence for a short space.

They that speak of me call me so,' replied the priest; 'why dost thou seek me?'

Carry me over this stream, thou burly friar, and I will tell thee,' replied Robin Hood.

The priest, without a word, tucked up his garments to the waist, took the dar

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Now do thou carry me back, thou gay gallant,' said the friar. The outlaw stooped, took him upon his shoulders, and with great difficulty bore his weighty burden across.

'Now by my faith thou'rt double the weight that I am,' cried Robin Hood as the priest alighted, and I'll have two rides to thy one.' The friar did not answer, but taking up the merry forester again, bore him to the middle of the stream, and bending down, pitched him headlong into the water.

'Choose thee, my fine fellow, whether thou'lt sink or swim!' he said; 6 a morning bath will do thine health good.' Robin Hood scrambled to the bank, fitted an arrow to his bow, and let it fly at the treacherous friar; but the wet had sodden both the bowstring and the feathers of the shaft, and it flew far wide. The priest, not wishing to stand a second trial, flourished his staff and knocked the bow from the grasp of the forester, who quickly drew his sword, and retaliated by severely wounding his vigorous opponent upon the shoulder. The friar at this grew wrathful, and returned a most terrible thwack upon the outlaw's head. Blow followed upon blow; now the thick oaken staff beat down the less weighty but more deadly weapon, and again the sharp edge of the sword drank blood. They fought thus for more than an hour,

Blow till thy cheeks crack,' returned the friar. 'Think'st thou I fear a bugle blast? The outlaw sounded the horn thrice, so loudly that the friar clapped his hands to his ears, and beat a retreat for several yards. The signal was immediately returned, and apparently from close at hand. In two minutes more a tall yeoman leaped from the adjacent wood, and, followed by fifty young foresters, with bows in their hands, ran to the side of their commander.

'Whose men are these?' asked the friar, greatly surprised at this sudden reinforcement.

They're Robin Hood's bold foresters,' said the outlaw; 'and I am Robin Hood. Wilt join our merry troop? Thou'rt the bravest friar that ever wore cowl, and it thou canst let fly an arrow as well as thou canst wield a quarter-staff, thou art a match for my boldest man.'

'Let's have a bout, said friar Tuck, unwilling to fight against such odds as were opposed to him. 'If there's an archer here that can beat me at the long bow, I'll be thy man. If I'm the best, swear that thou wilt leave me free in my own woods.'

'Agreed!' cried the outlaw. 'Stand forth, brave Little John, and for the cre

'Never fear me,' replied the tall forester, as he carelessly advanced. Shoot on, my brave fellow, and at what mark you may, only, for St Hubert's sake, let it be some five hundred feet or so from us.' 'See'st thou yon bird?' said the friar, pointing to a hawk that with fluttering wing hovered at a considerable height above a neighboring brake. I will kill it. If thou canst strike it again ere it reaches the earth, I'll say thou art a better man than friar Tuck.' Drawing an arrow from his quiver, with apparent ease he shot the ill-fated bird, which instantly fell to the earth, but not before a second shaft had transfixed its body. A young forester darted away, and quickly return

us run out, and see if we can catch a glimpse of this little creature.

Tom. If you must know, it was nothing but a common earwig.

Amelia. O you nasty boy, to touch an earwig!

Ella & Kenneth. Tom! but did you really hold an earwig in your hand ?

Mr W. Silence, if you please, while Tom tells us why he caught an earwig, and why he examined it.

Tom. Yesterday morning you told us how foolish we were to fear rats or mice, spiders or earwigs, and such harmless little things. Now, though I never was