Robin Hood and his gang of Merry Men peered through the bushes at the dirt road stretching through the forest. The fearless leader held a finger up to his lips as he heard the sound of feet tramping towards them. Strange voices echoed through the woods.
"Hey, John, I wanna be the leader!"
"Yeah, John, give someone else a chance!"
"I promised Peter that I would be worthy of my post."
"Aw, c'mon! We wanna play too!"
A procession of boys dressed in animal costumes suddenly came thundering around the bend. They were led by a boy dressed in long nightclothes and a top hat with large, round glasses perched on his nose.
At that moment, Robin Hood leapt from his hiding place, followed by his band. The boys stared at him for a moment before continuing their argument. A little irritated, Robin Hood nudged his hat up on his brow a bit further.
"Pardon me," he said clearly as he tried to get their attention.
"You've been leading us around for hours and we ain't seen no Injuns!"
"Well, I'm sorry. It's not my fault! They must have built camp somewhere else!"
"Excuse me, I…"
"What kind of leader are you who can't show us no Injuns?"
"Yeah! We're supposed to go fight 'em! Peter says!"
"If you won't mind me butting in for a moment…"
"And who the heck is this weirdo?" asked a child in a fox costume, pointing a long skinny finger at Robin Hood.
"My name is Robin Hood," he smiled, doffing his hat and bowing low to the ground.
"HAH! What kind of a name is that?" snorted a rotund fellow in a bear suit.
Robin was taken aback and paused for a moment before pressing on.
"I am looking for new additions to my band of Merry Men."
"What makes 'em so merry?" grinned the youngest child who was donning a skunk outfit.
"Well, I…"
"I don't suppose it would be liquor," the oldest boy wearing the top hat said contemptuously.
"Heavens, no!" Robin shouted in order to be heard. "They are simply…Well, that is beside the point. We are trying to save my darling Maid Marian from the tyrannical hold of Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham!"
"Sheriff of Rotting Ham?" The fox boy burst into a fit of laughter, rolling on the ground. He was soon joined by the bear, the skunk, and two twin raccoons. Even John had to hide a smirk behind his hand.
"Nottingham," Robin groaned. At that moment, a loud crowing came through the forest and a boy dressed...quite similarly to Robin came swooping down from the treetops followed by a sphere of bright light.
"Hallow, lost boys!" he greeted them, crowing again. The boys all called back in response. "Wanna go hear Wendy tell a story?"
"Yeah, Peter!" they all shouted happily. They hooted and hollered before dashing off into the forest behind their own leader.
"Well, that was pretty pointless, Robin," said Little John as he came up and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Maybe we should stick to a little older crowd."