Robin Hood
I’ve been a big fan of Robin Hood’s since I was a young girl. I still am. Robbing from the rich – when they’re corrupt and abusing their power – and giving to the poor appeals to my sense of progressive politics. (And isn’t it interesting how some themes never change. Sadly, I think Robin Hood would be called a terrorist today).
After watching the 1991 movie version, starring Kevin Costner, with my sons, I was inspired and had a revelation about my own life. “That’s who I am…a woods person. That’s why we live in Floyd,” I explained to them.
In the mountain county of Floyd, Virginia, my adopted hometown, where my sons and I lived on a very low income for most of their childhood, we live in a community of musicians, artists, and craftspeople. Many of our “back to the land” friends work at Renaissance Faires and look the part 24/7. Hand built structures off-the-grid, teepees, and straw bale houses are not unusual where people are known to grow their own food, home school, and have home births.
The movie reminded me that the seed that drew me to live in such a community was fostered early on by my childhood heroes, one such hero being Robin Hood.
During my 3 week Massachusetts sabbatical, I was invited to go to a Robin Hood Faire with my sister, Sherry, and her husband, Nelson (pictured with me in the photo), held at a castle by the sea in the town of Gloucester. Of course, I wanted to go. “Robin Hood is one of my heroes,” I told them.
“Okay, you’ll need a costume,” Nelson said.
Davy Crocket and Annie Oakley were also my childhood heroes. The one time I sat for an Old Timey antique portrait, I asked for a coonskin cap to wear. When I discovered there was no coonskin cap, I settled for a lady’s costume but felt out of character and uncomfortable in it.
“Do you have any boy’s clothes?” I asked my sister, as she spread out an array of colorful, flowing clothes for “ladies” and “wenches” on the bed.
So we raided her husband’s side of the closet and found some period pieces…a suede Renaissance vest and puffy shirt…that fit well enough. I put them on over my khaki cropped pants and felt right at home.
“Okay, now I’m ready to stir up some trouble for that villain, the Sheriff of Nottingham!” I said.
A good time was had by all…
July 19th, 2005 1:33 pm
i’m in my class so i can only say briefly what a big smile you brought to my face by the photo and post.
July 19th, 2005 1:52 pm
“IN MERRY ENGLAND in the time of old, when good King Henry the Second ruled the land, there lived within the green glades of Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham Town, a famous outlaw whose name was Robin Hood. No archer ever lived that could speed a gray goose shaft with such skill and cunning as his, nor were there ever such yeomen as the sevenscore merry men that roamed with him through the greenwood shades.
Right merrily they dwelled within the depths of Sherwood Forest, suffering neither care nor want, but passing the time in merry games of archery or bouts of cudgel play, living upon the King’s venison, washed down with draughts of ale of October brewing.
Dear lady, I and the good Lady Marion did too enjoy our day of merriment in the faire towne of nottinghamshire on that midsummer’s afternoon.
July 19th, 2005 3:27 pm
Have you ever been to the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville MD? It starts in August and ends in Oct. Very yummy food and lots of fun!! Half way done with Jim and Dan Stories…stopped reading because HP6 came out sorry :0( Only a minor detour I promise…thus far my favorite story is when Dan went away to your grandparents house for summer and you held onto his shoes. ;0)
July 19th, 2005 3:27 pm
Have you ever been to the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville MD? It starts in August and ends in Oct. Very yummy food and lots of fun!! Half way done with Jim and Dan Stories…stopped reading because HP6 came out sorry :0( Only a minor detour I promise…thus far my favorite story is when Dan went away to your grandparents house for summer and you held onto his shoes. ;0)
July 19th, 2005 3:27 pm
Have you ever been to the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville MD? It starts in August and ends in Oct. Very yummy food and lots of fun!! Half way done with Jim and Dan Stories…stopped reading because HP6 came out sorry :0( Only a minor detour I promise…thus far my favorite story is when Dan went away to your grandparents house for summer and you held onto his shoes. ;0)
July 20th, 2005 2:20 am
Love the photo and the report. Been once to King Richard’s Faire and been a few times to Gloucester, but hadn’t heard of this one. Floyd sounds wonderful.
July 20th, 2005 5:13 am
I too have long been a fan of Robin Hood. The entire era speaks to me somehow, in a special way. One of my fondest wishes is to see Sherwood Forest in England. I know there’s nothing there but I’d love to just walk about in a dreamstate for a bit ~ letting my imagination run wild.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time on your vacation!
July 20th, 2005 8:15 am
I love the picture!
July 20th, 2005 1:00 pm
I was once at a resturant and a kid at the table next to me asked his dad what a Democrat was. The dad said, “A Democrat is a person who takes money from rich people and gives it to poor people.” Not that I agreed with him on his defination, but I said outloud to my husband, “Robin Hood was always my favorite cartoon growing up, how about you?”
The dad was mad, but I didn’t care. He glared over at us, and I looked at him as if to say, “What? I’m not even talking to you. Why are you so paranoid?”
And off that topic – I posted a picture of my dreadful auction temptation on Lam(b).
July 20th, 2005 2:34 pm
Cool, I love ren fests. I used to go to the Maryland one every year. I will miss it.
July 21st, 2005 8:41 pm
Sounds like a fab time, alright,
May 14th, 2014 10:45 pm
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