"Now in and out,
And round about,
Ye wriggling rout,
With hoof and claw and wing;
Now high, now low,
Now fast, now slow,
Now to and fro
Tread we a magic ring.
"Thus, while the frighted moon doth peep,
We 'll wake this cold, dead thing from sleep,
Till Robin back to life shall leap.
And when he from the fire shall spring,
Ye outlaws hail him for your King.
"For on that wight
Who, day or night,
Shall Robin disobey
With purpose fell
I'll cast a spell
Shall wither him away.
"Ho, Robin! Ope thy death-cold eyes,
Ho, Robin! From thy grave arise,
Ho, Robin! Robin, ho!
Robin that doth bide so near me,
Robin, Robin, wake and hear me,
Ho, Robin! Robin, ho!
"Back to life I summon thee,
Through the fire thy path must be,
Through the fire that shall not harm thee,
Through flame that back to life shall charm thee,
Shall warm thy body all a-cold,
And make grim Death loose clammy hold.
Ho, Robin-a-Green,
Ho, Robin-a-Green,
Leap back to life by all men seen!"
Through curling smoke-wreaths and through writhing flame,
With mighty bound, bold Robin leaping came,
And by the Witch did in the fire-light stand,
Sword by his side and bugle-horn in hand,
And laughed full blithe as he was wont to do,
And, joyous, hailed his wild and ragged crew:
"What lads, are ye there forsooth? Is't Myles I see with lusty Watt and
John and Hal o' the Quarterstaff? God den t' ye, friends, and merry hunting
to one and all, for by oak and ash and thorn here stand I to live with
thee, aye, good lads, and to die with ye here in the good greenwood--"
But now and all at once from that grim and silent company a mighty shout
went up:
"'Tis Robin--'tis Robin, 'tis bold Robin-a-Green! 'Tis our Robin himself
come back to us!"
And fearful no longer, they hasted to him and clasped him in brawny arms,
hugging him mightily and making great rejoicing over him.
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