Chapter 1
Robin Fit zooth is Born in Sherwood Forest
The Robin Hood stories are very famous. Most people know that Robin
lived in Saxon and Norman times. He robbed rich people and gave the
money to poor people. But not everybody knows that he came from a
rich family. And not many people know that Robin Hood was half-
Saxon and half-Norman.
The story begins with Robin Hood's Saxon grandfather, Sir* George
Gamwell. Gamwell lived near a Norman lord*. This lord wanted to take
Gamwell's house and his lands. The two men fought, and the Norman
lord killed Gamwell's two sons. Gamwell's wife also died.
But Sir George also had a young daughter, Joanna.
‘I have no sons,’ Gamwell said to Joanna. ‘So I will teach you to
fight with a sword, and with a bow and arrow.’
Five years later, Joanna was nineteen years old and very beautiful.
One day, a young man visited Sir George. His name was William
Fitzooth, and he was a Norman.
‘Sir George,’ he began, ‘I love your daughter. I hope that she loves
me. I would like to marry her. I have money and land…’
But Sir George was very angry.
‘Never!’ he answered. ‘My daughter will never marry you. Get off
my land. Do not come here again or I will kill you!’
Joanna loved this young man. So she tried to talk to her father, but he
didn't want to listen.
Sir, Lord, Lady: Important men had the words Sir or Lord before their names;
important women had the word Lady.