The dark side of fame
First it was only one adolescent girl. She was standing in the shadow of a hut when the outlaws came to Leaford to distribute the last raid's money. When Robin gave her a silver coin she started to squeal, pressing the coin to her heart.
A week later already there were three girls. They waited for the outlaws at Wickham. One of the girls came towards Robin. "May I touch Albion?" she asked. Robin started. "Erm… yes?!" he said. The girl stroked Albion's hilt, then she ran back to her friends. All three of them began to giggle as if they were mad. The outlaws cast strange glances at Robin, who held up his hands in defence "Don't look at me; this is not my fault!"
Edward of Wickham told them the girls had hung around Wickham for some days already. Perhaps they needed help? Much went over to the girls to ask if they were in need of help but the girls only sniggered. Alienated, Much drew back.
Three days later there were about a dozen girls. They followed the outlaws at some distance, starting to giggle whenever one of them turned. When Robin turned they also screamed hysterically.
It felt like they were bewitched. Whenever the outlaws left camp or went out of Sherwood for just as much as a yard, the girls were there. Neither reasonable arguments nor pleas or Scarlet's most savage curses could run them off.
John moaned, totally off his nerves "If the Sheriff's spies had been half as good as these girls, they would have caught us ages ago!"
The day of the raid came.
A silk merchant had to pass through Sherwood on his way to Nottingham. They had planned the raid for several days. The caravan would be stopped on the road, the guards discarded and the wagons freed of their load of silk and jewels.
The outlaws had been waiting for hours already.
The caravan came.
When Robin jumped out onto the road with his bow drawn, all hell broke loose. In the bushes on the opposite side of the road the girls started screaming hysterically. Some jumped out, ran towards Robin and clung tightly to him. The carthorses reared with fear, turned and fled. Right behind the stampeding caravan Scarlet jumped out on the road shouting they should stop for they were to be robbed.
Robin was floored by the weight of the girls. John and Tuck dragged the hyperventilating girls off of their leader. They screamed, gripping on to his tunic. Some managed to rip off some of the metal rings of his jerkin; others took the arrows from his quiver. When they began to tear out streaks of his blond hair, screaming with delight, Robin fled. Helped by Marion and Nasir the tattered leader of the outlaws limped through the forest as quickly as possible.
From there on things ran out of control in Sherwood.
Robin hid in Herne's cave and refused to come out as long as 'these furies' still haunted Sherwood. Marion received threats. She 'didn't deserve somebody like Robin and he would recognize that in time and leave her'.
When Much good-naturedly tried to talk to the girls, he was strangled and his eye was beaten black because he refused to give up Robin's hiding-place.
Some days later the outlaws tiptoed their way to Herne's cave after dark.
When Marion got there Robin took her aside.
"You've got to get me out of here" he begged, "I love and worship Herne but if I have to stay here any longer in the sole company of an old man wearing a dead stag on his head I'll go crazy!"
When Marion entered the cave, Herne took her aside.
"You've got to get him out of here" he begged, "I do love my son but if he has to stay here any longer whimpering that he is afraid of some little girls I'll go crazy!"
Deep inside the cave the outlaws sat down on the ground in a circle wondering what to do about their problem. Unfortunately, nobody had any acceptable idea.
Will's suggestion to thump the girls was turned down.
Eventually Much took a pebble, threw it in the subterranean lake and murmured frustratedly "If this goes on we can as well go to Gisburne and let ourselves be locked up in the dungeon." "At least we'd be safe from the girls there," grinned Tuck.
Robin stared at Much with his mouth open.
"Gisburne!" he exclaimed.
Much was worried about Robin.
"No, Robin, I'm Much."
Robin jumped up and started dancing around in the cave.
"Gisburne, Gisburne!" he cheered.
"Now he's right 'round the maypole," Scarlet said darkly.
Robin sat down with the outlaws to explain his plan.
A lad of about twelve years came to the gates of Nottingham Castle early the next day asking to see Sir Guy of Gisburne. He said he had important news of Robin Hood. But he wanted to tell Sir Guy personally. He was let through immediately.
Fortunately, the Sheriff had been called to see King John. He was expected back any day. The boy, who Sir Guy vaguely remembered to be the son to the serf Edward of Wickham, told him that Robin Hood planned to attack the Sheriff alone, who would return today via the Newark road. He would be alone because all of his companions had caught a terrible cold and were not able to leave the camp.
It was almost too good to be true and it was definitely the chance Gisburne had been waiting for. He rode alone. He wanted to be the hero who had defeated Robin Hood with his own hands. Only Matthew of Wickham went with him; after all he had to show him where to find Robin Hood.
About halfway between Nottingham and Newark there was a small valley without any trees, a natural arena.
After a lot of encouraging that the girls wouldn't harm him, Much had been willing to go see them again. He had smartly dropped some hints that Robin would be here today; that there might even be a life-or-death struggle.
When Gisburne rode into the valley, Robin was ready. He had taken a special effort today in looking as filthy and untidy as possible. He was smeared all over with mud, ashes and grease and his hair stuck to his head in greasy dull streaks.
John and Tuck kept the girls from entering the battlefield with their quarterstaves held horizontally.
Gisburne jumped off his horse, drawing his sword.
"Woe me, he has found me! Help, help!" exclaimed Robin dramatically. Gisburne attacked. With quick strokes he forced Robin to draw back.
The outlaws, who had mingled with the girls, watched the fight competently.
"Well, Gisburne really is a brilliant fighter," choked Will. Nasir made a face, nodded and said "Yes, and he's also courageous. I would be afraid to confront him."
"Gisburne is definitely too strong for me" sighed John.
Unsettled, the girls looked from one fighter to the other. Their hero was awkward and clumsy. And he kept drawing back. What a coward he was!
Now it was Marion's turn. She rolled her eyes, pining "Gisburne looks so fine! That chainmail! That haircut! That strenght! And doesn't that man have beautiful eyes?"
She made a face. "And the other? Just look at him: He can't even keep his clothes clean and don't you think his hair is disgusting?" She lowered her voice conspiratively. "And he snores and drools when he's sleeping. That's the man I'm stuck with. How I'd love to have a guy like Gisburne!"
Matthew, who had just appeared among the girls, crowed happily: "Gisburne is my hero!"
The girls began to chatter discomposedly.
Watch out! What was that? Robin had slipped and landed heavily and highly unelegantly on his backside on the muddy road.
Gisburne raised his sword, a triumphant smirk on his face. Robin struggled to his feet, screeched "No, no!" and ran away, screaming for help. The girls started booing their former hero contemptuously.
Gisburne had chased after Robin for some steps but had quickly given up. Now he stood on the road, a proud hero. The girls craned their necks to see more of Gisburne. When he rode back towards Nottingham, they followed at some distance, chattering like a flock of geese. Pleased with themselves, the outlaws and Matthew were standing on the side of the hill when Robin appeared in their midst. He had taken a shortcut through the forest.
Tuck grinned "You know, I will have to hear confessions from all of you. Never in my life have I heard such a pack of barefaced lies!"
The outlaws brought Matthew back to Wickham. When they were almost in reach of the village, Robin sprang forward. "Who's the first to reach the village green!" he cried over his shoulder. Laughing, the outlaws stormed through the forest.
It felt wonderful to be free again.
Some days later, the outlaws heard that there had been a savage brawl between the guards and a horde of hysterically-screaming girls, who had demanded to see Guy of Gisburne. Gisburne had barricaded himself 'highly tattered' in the great keep that time.