Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    From $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Classic Starts®: The Adventures of Robin Hood
    Classic Starts®: The Adventures of Robin Hood
    Classic Starts®: The Adventures of Robin Hood
    Ebook105 pages1 hour

    Classic Starts®: The Adventures of Robin Hood

    By Howard Pyle and Karl James Mountford

    3.5/5

    ()

    Switch to audiobook
    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Classic Starts. The stories are abridged; the quality is complete.

    He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, and had escapades enough to please any adventure-loving child. Now even the youngest readers can have the chance to enter Sherwood Forest with Robin's band of merry men, and meet such unforgettable characters as Friar Tuck, Little John, Allan-a-Dale, the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham, and wicked King John. Every moment of the story is filled with action and excitement.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUnion Square Kids
    Release dateSep 6, 2022
    ISBN9781402787249
    Author

    Howard Pyle

    During what has come to be known as the golden age of illustration, Howard Pyle was America's foremost artist/illustrator. Born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1853, he developed his talents at a precociously early age. His specialty was the illustration of historical adventure stories, working for important periodicals such as Harper's Magazine and St. Nicholas. Very seldom does it happen that an excellent illustrator is also an excellent writer (or vice versa), but Howard Pyle, in this as in so much else, proved himself exceptional. Although he is remembered first and foremost as a visual artist, he wrote so well that many of his books are considered classics: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Otto of the Silver Hand, The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, plus several other volumes of Arthurian fiction, and, of course, Men of Iron. At the height of his fame, at the relatively youthful age of 58, Pyle died rather suddenly from a kidney infection. But he left behind quite a vital legacy. A comprehensive collection of his work may be viewed at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington. And of course, his historical adventure writings remain in print -- everywhere.

    Read more from Howard Pyle

    Related to Classic Starts®

    Related ebooks

    Children's Classics For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related categories

    Reviews for Classic Starts®

    3.5/5

    2 ratings2 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5

      Oct 23, 2014

      I thought this book was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of Robin Hood, so it didn't grab my attention like I think it would to a younger male student. Overall, I liked the organization of the book. The chapters were very easy to read, but it was definitely for an older child due to some gruesome scenes throughout the book. I also liked the plot. Each chapter was full of adventure. My favorite scene was when Robin Hood secretly signed up for the Sheriffs archery contest, and won! However, the Sheriff would not give Robin the prize because he would not join the Sheriffs' team. This would be a great book to work with character development. The overall message of this story is to live honestly and deal fairly with people.
    • 4/5

      Feb 13, 2011

      This was a great book. My 4th grade class and I read it together and they really enjoyed it. It was a great story to teach about character development and the elements of a story.

    Book preview

    Classic Starts® - Howard Pyle

    PROLOGUE

    Robin Hood Becomes an Outlaw

    Many years ago in England, when good King Henry II sat on the throne, a famous outlaw lived in Sherwood Forest near the town of Nottingham. His name was Robin Hood.

    No man ever lived who could shoot an arrow like the strong young six-footer with the blazing blue eyes. No friends ever lived like the merry fellows who roamed the forest with Robin, playing games of archery and hunting deer. The country people loved to tell the story of how Robin became an outlaw. It happened like this.

    When Robin was just eighteen, the Sheriff of Nottingham offered a prize for the best archer in the land. Robin felt sure he could win, so he picked up his best bow and his best arrows and set off through Sherwood Forest.

    It was springtime, and the flowers bloomed. The birds sang in the trees, which gladdened Robin’s heart. He whistled and hummed as he hurried through the woods.

    Presently, Robin came upon a group of men beneath an old oak tree. A big man wearing an eye patch hailed him. Hello, little lad! Where are you going with your toy bow and baby arrows?

    That made Robin angry. My bow and arr-ows are as good as yours, he said. I am going to Nottingham town, where I will compete with other good men for a fine prize.

    Another man said, Oh! Listen to the lad! Boy, you’re too young to grow a beard, but you brag about competing with good stout men! You’re too weak to pull a bowstring!

    Robin grew very angry. Look yonder at that herd of deer. I’ll bet you three hundred pounds that I can shoot the strongest buck dead.

    The man with the eye patch chuckled. "I’ll bet you three hundred pounds that you don’t hit anything."

    Robin strung his bow and placed the notch of an arrow over the string. Drawing the feather end back to his ear, he aimed and shot. The arrow flew through the air toward the strongest deer in the herd. It leapt but could not dodge the arrow. The deer fell dead to the ground.

    Ha! Robin cried. How do you like that shot, good fellow? I know what my bet was, and I want my three hundred pounds.

    Furious, the eye-patch man roared, I’ll pay you nothing. Get out of here before I beat you until you can’t walk!

    Another man shouted, You killed one of the king’s deer! His men will cut your ears off!

    Grab him! cried a third man.

    No, argued a fourth man. Let him go. He’s just a boy.

    Robin said nothing. He turned away and began walking.

    All would have been well, but the man with the eye patch notched an arrow and aimed at Robin. I will hurry the boy along, he muttered. Then he loosed his arrow.

    The arrow missed Robin’s head by inches. In self-defense, Robin quickly turned and shot back.

    You said I was no archer! Now say so again! Robin shouted. The arrow flew straight to the man’s heart. He fell forward on the ground.

    Robin ran through the woods as fast as he could. The happiness he had felt earlier was gone. Oh, he thought, I wish he had never said one word to me. I wish I had never walked down that path. I will carry this pain with me for the rest of my life!

    That was how Robin came to live in the forest as an outlaw. A man had died by his hand, and he had poached one of the king’s deer. The Sheriff of Nottingham himself vowed to catch Robin.

    Over time, Robin met other men who had fled to the forest. Some had shot deer because their families were starving. Others had been cheated of their land and money. All had been unjustly declared outlaws. Within a year, they had chosen Robin as their leader. They vowed to fight evil men and promised to protect all who lived there.

    The people of Nottingham soon learned to trust Robin and his men, praising him and telling tales of his adventures in Sherwood Forest. Those tales are told to this day.

    PART I: ROBIN HOOD MATCHES WITS WITH THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM

    CHAPTER 1

    Robin Hood Meets His Right-Hand Man

    One morning, Robin Hood awoke restless. He ran down to the brook, where his men were washing. We have had no adventures for two whole weeks, he said. I am going into the forest to see what fun I can find. If I need you, I will blow my bugle three times. When you hear that sound, run to it as fast as you can.

    As Robin set out on his adventure, the birds sang in the trees. He passed storekeepers on their way to Nottingham town. Meeting a pair of pretty girls, he stopped to chat with them. He continued on his way and saw a knight in shining armor.

    The path ended at the edge of a river. A narrow footbridge, just wide enough for a single man, crossed the stream. As Robin stepped onto the bridge, he saw a tall stranger on the other side. Step aside and let me pass, called Robin Hood.

    No, boomed the stranger. "Step aside and let me pass, for I am the better man."

    We shall see about that, Robin shouted. Keep standing where you are, and you’ll soon find an arrow sticking through your ribs.

    The stranger shouted back, I will tan your hide if you so much as touch the string of that bow!

    You bray like a donkey, laughed Robin, but I can shoot an arrow clean through you faster than you could raise your staff.

    "You bray like a coward, the stranger retorted. You stand there with a good bow, while I have nothing but a wooden staff."

    I have never been called a coward before, Robin said. I’ll cut myself a staff, and we’ll see who the better man is.

    Oh, ho, the

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1