As I child I was often drawn to stories that had an element of sadness of melancholy. I have sometimes joked that I was, perhaps, overly influenced by reading The Little Prince. It’s mix of sadness, whimsy, friendship, and loneliness left a strong impression on me.
I went through a Robin Hood phase, and I remember reading about his death, which was memorable for strongly it contrasted with the stories of adventure, but I don’t recall it being an emotional landmark for me, until a few years later (I’d guess age 11 or 12) I heard Bob Coltman’s song “Lonesome Robin” which immediately evoked my experience being absorbed by and trying to make sense of sad stories. It was one of my very favorite songs, and one I still think about occasionally.
For those who don’t remember it, the basic story is that Robin Hood falls ill, travels to a priory and seeks aid from the prioress, his cousin. She bleeds him to treat the fever but, for somewhat unknown reasons, wishes him harm, and intentionally bleeds him too much, and kills him (this is the “B” version described in wikipedia). Robin Hood realizes that he’s been deceived and calls Little John to him, asks for his bow, and fires an arrow out the window, asking to be buried where it lands.
Thinking about it now, I realize that part of what makes it so evocative is that every child has had the experience of being sick, laying in bed hoping to recover. However one makes sense of the prioress’s betrayal, the experience of his death is rooted in something so familiar. Bob Coltman’s song for me evokes both the sadness of death and the simplicity and innocence of a childhood story.
The verse that makes me cry, is so emotionally direct and rooted in such basic feelings (heat, shade, memory, loneliness, confusion) :
It's funny how hot is the sun
Now that you can't run away to the shade
And you can't help but think of the deer that you've run
And all the tricks that you've played
An wonderin' what Marian's bound to do
Better than comin' to see you, one last time
The original version isn’t available online, but this is lovely, and the closest I’ve found:
Many people also know it from Barry Moore A.K.A. Luka Bloom’s version, which is also excellent.
LONESOME ROBIN
(Bob Coltman)
Rise up on your bed of straw
And see if you can't bend back your bow one last time
You're sick with your wounds and you think you don't care
But you know it'll prey on your mind
And wherever your arrow falls to the ground
We'll lay lonesome robin down, one last time
No more Robin, no more, your outlaw days are over
It's funny how hot is the sun
Now that you can't run away to the shade
And you can't help but think of the deer that you've run
And all the tricks that you've played
An wonderin' what Marian's bound to do
Better than comin' to see you, one last time
When you were a little boy
You had to go to bed while the sun still shone
It was just like sleep was the end of the world
And tomorrow would never come
And now lonesome Robin can't you just close your eyes
And pretend that the sun will still rise one more time
Now time has took your time away
Time and contraptions have slowed you down
All of the times you ever had
Took to their heels and they run
Hold on to what ever is closest to you
It's all lonesome Robin can do, one last time
You've seen "Robin and Marian", I hope.
Wow! I knew nothing about this Robin Hood story! Definitely worth checking out.