2. Read and learn.

Language changes. Two hundred years from now, your great-great-great-great grandchildren will be puzzled when they see some words, that you use every day. Even if you had never heard of Robin Hood until you read "Robin Hood and Alan a Dale", some of its words would tell you it was written long ago. Words like that, words that are no longer in use, are called archaic.

Sometimes, context clues alone are enough to tell you the mean­ing of an archaic word. ("I have no money," then quoth the young man,/"No ready gold nor fee. . . .") Sometimes, you need to look at footnotes, the glossary, or a dictionary to find out what an archa­ic word means. ("He did neither stint nor /ш/Until he came to the church.").

3. Write in your own words the excerpts from "Robin Hood and Alan a Dale". In your paraphrase, replace all the archaic words with familiar modern ones. Use a dictionary.

Example: "You must come before our master straight, Under yon greenwood tree."

We must take you to our leader right away under the nearby greenwood tree.

1. "What wilt thou give me?" said Robin Hood.

2. Then Robin he hasted over the plain.

3. "That musick best pleaseth me."

4. With that came in a wealthy knight,

Which was both grave and old, And after him a finikin lass,

Did shine like glistering gold.

4. Hold discussions on the points:

• In the third stanza what is the mood of the young man? What is his mood in the fourth and fifth stanzas? What causes the change in his mood?

• What agreement do Robin Hood and Alan a Dale make? How does Robin help Alan a Dale?

• How does Robin overcome the Bishop's objections to the marriage of the maid and Alan a Dale?

• Point out examples of internal rhyme!

SIR THOMAS MALORY (1405-1471)

Literary SCene ^'ie ^tn century was a major period of growth in lay literacy, a process powerfully expedited by the introduction into England of printing by William Caxton in 1476. Caxton's Malory (1485) was published in the same year that Henry Tudor acceded to the throne as Henry VII.

The last medieval chronicler of the Arthurian legends, was Sir Thomas Malory, who is the author of the collection of romances " Le Morte D 'Arthur". This title is French for "The Death of Arthur". A romance, in medieval literature, was a long work of fiction that described the remarkable adventures of a hero. In his book, Malory described the life of King Arthur of Britain and the careers of many knights of the Round Table. The book provides the fullest version of legends about Arthur and his court ever written in English.

Malory translated and adapted much of his work from, earlier French and English writings about Arthur. The first mention of King Arthur and the Round Table occurs in "be Roman de Brut" (1155), a verse history by the Norman poet Wace. This book tells how Arthur decided to seat his knights around a circular table to avoid quarrels over who should occupy the seats of honour. About 1205, the English priest Layamon adapted Wace's book into an English version called "The Brut". In it, bloody fighting broke out among Arthur's knights over the choicest seats at a Christmas feast. To avoid Such conflicts, Arthur had a Welsh carpenter built a wondrous round table. The table would seat 1600 men and yet fold up so it could be carried on horse­back. According to still another source, Merlin the magician had the table built for Uther, Arthur's father. Uther apparently gave the table to King Leodegan. Later, Leodegan gave the table to Arthur after he married Guenevere, Leodegan's daughter. Malory gave the number of seats as 150 and called one empty seat the Siege Perilous. It was reserved for the knight so pure that he would someday find the Holy Grail, the cup or dish used by Christ at the Last Supper. Any other knight who sat in the Siege Perilous would die. One day, Sir Galahad's name appeared on the seat. From that time on, Galahad occupied this place. He later was one of three knights who found the Grail.

In medieval literature, knights considered membership at the Round Table a great honour. Brave men came to Arthur's court from many countries hoping to be chosen a member. Malory's romances describe the career of various knights of the Round Table. Several tell of the adventures of Sir Tristram, of his skill as a hunter and harp player and his bravery in killing a dragon and a giant. The best-known tale concerns Tristram's love affair with Isolt, the wife of his uncle King Mark.

Sir Gawain was another famous knight of the Round Table. The romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" describes Gawain's bravery and sense of honour as he faces possible death from gigan­tic Green Knight. Gawain also shows his moral purity by refusing to be seduced by the Green Knight's beautiful but deceitful wife.

The greatest adventure was the search for the Holy Grail. However, only three knights — Bors, Galahad, and Perceval — were morally perfect and thus able to find the GraiL The fact that so many of Arthur's knights proved themselves morally imperfect damaged the reputation of the Round Table. A scandal also developed over the love affair between Queen Guenevere and Sir Lancelot. The scan­dal destroyed the bonds of respect and friendship that had united all the knights. The villainous actions of Sir Modred led to the final destruction of the fellowship of the Round Table. Modred seized Arthur's throne while the king was in France. Arthur quickly returned to Britain after learning of Modred's treachery, and war broke out between the forces of the two men. Arthur killed Modred in battle but received wounds that led to his death.

Malory completed "Le Morte D'Arthur" about 1469. William Caxton, the first English printer, published the first edition of the book in 1485. A manuscript copy of Malory's work was found at Winchester College in England in 1934. The most accurate and com­plete modern editions of "Le Morte D'Arthur" are based on the Winchester manuscript. Malory's book has influenced the work of many writers and artists'.

Malorv's Although there was probably a British King

ШргпЛ мп7іггрч althm wh0 resjsted the Anglo-Saxon invasions шкгшу лишсы jn thg sjxth СЄП£11ГУі the ieger[Cj _ an accumu­lation of narratives originating from various people at different times — has become much more important than the historical reality.

"Who gives me this maid?" then said Little John;

Quoth Robin, "That do I! And he that doth take her from Alan a Dale

Full dearly he shall her buy."

And thus having ended this merry wedding, The bride lookt as fresh as a queen,

And so they return'd to the merry greenwood, Amongst the leaves so green.

Glossary

roundelay ~ a song with a refrain;

espy — caught sight of;

alack and: well a day — alas;

tane — taken;

guile — deceit; trickery;

lin — stop;

finikin — dainty;

three times askt — The marriage intentions of a couple had to be

announced in the church on three separate occasions; quire — choir; the part of the church where the singers sit.