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Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Poem Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood
The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes
Comprehension:
C1. Answer the following questions:
Question 1.
How was the pedlar traveling?
Answer:
The pedlar put his pack all on his back and trudged across the grassy land.
Question 2.
Who did the pedlar meet on the road?
Answer:
The pedlar met Robin Hood and his faithful follower Little John on the road.
Question 3.
What did the pedlar have in his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar had several suits of bright green silk and two or three silken bow-strings.
Question 4.
What did Little John want from the pedlar?
Answer:
Little John wanted one half of the pack from the pedlar.
Question 5.
What did the pedlar boldly claim?
Answer:
The pedlar boldly claimed that nobody could ask for or take half of his pack and added that if they could defeat him in a duel, they could take the entire lot.
Question 6.
How did the pedlar protect his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar pulled off his pack and put it below his knee and stood against it.
Question 7.
Why did Little John request the pedlar to stop fighting?
Answer:
Little John and the pedlar fought until both of them broke into sweat. Little John was not able to defeat the pedlar and as he became very tired he asked the pedlar to stop fighting.
Question 8.
What challenges did Robin Hood put before Little John?
Answer:
Robin Hood challenged Little John saying that he could defeat both the pedlar and him.
Question 9.
Who won the second fight?
Answer:
The pedlar won the second fight too.
Question 10.
What was the pedlar’s identity?
Answer:
The pedlar was Gamble Gold of the Green Woods. He had fled from his country as he had killed a man in his father’s land and had run away to escape punishment.
C2. Answer the following:
Question 1.
Who were Robin Hood and Little John? Why did they attack the pedlar?
Answer:
Robin Hood and Little John were outlaws and used to loot the people travelling, through the Nottingham forest. When they saw the pedlar passing through, carrying a huge bag of wares, they decided to attack and loot him.
Question 2.
Describe the struggle between
- the pedlar and Little John, and the outcome;
- the pedlar and Robin Hood, and the outcome.
Answer:
1. The pedlar and Little John: The pedlar did not agree to give one half of the pack. He protected his pack by pulling it off and putting it a little below his knee. So Little John drew his sword and fought with the pedlar. They fought fiercely until both of them were tired. The outcome of the fight was that Little John cried and prayed to the pedlar to stop fighting.
2. The pedlar and Robin Hood: The same fate as that of Little John awaited Robin Hood. When Little John asked Robin Hood to fight with the pedlar, Robin Hood arrogantly said that he could defeat both the pedlar and Little John. He drew his sword, fought with the pedlar till the blood flowed from both of them in streams. But the final outcome was that Robin Hood couldn’t defeat the pedlar and he too requested him to stop fighting.
Question 3.
Robin Hood calls the pedlar his cousin. How is the fact revealed?
Answer:
After being defeated by the pedlar, Robin Hood expressed his interest in knowing who the pedlar was. The pedlar then revealed that he was Gamble Gold of the gay green woods and had traveled far beyond the sea for killing a man in his father’s land and was forced to flee his country. Robin Hood then realized that he was his mother’s own sister’s son and that they both were cousins. Thus, the association that had begun in fight and hostility, ends in peace and merriment.
Question 4.
Little John and Robin Hood lose to the pedlar. Yet the ballad ends on a happy note. Give reason.
Answer:
Little John and Robin Hood confront the pedlar because they believe in looting the rich in order to help the poor. But the pedlar turns out to be too strong for them. Both little John, the follower, and Robin Hood, the master, are defeated in this combat with the pedlar.
However, though Robin Hood loses the fight, he shows humility in asking for the pedlar’s identity. When the pedlar refuses to give his identity until and unless Robin Hood and Little John reveal their identity, without any ego, Robin Hood discloses his identity.
It is only after Robin Hood discloses his identity that the pedlar reveals his identity. Robin Hood then realizes that they are near cousins because their mothers are sisters. This is when everything turns out to be fine between Robin Hood and the pedlar and the ballad ends on a happy note.
C3. Answer the following questions:
Question 1.
Little John and Robin Hood are chivalrous men. How do they take their defeat? Was it right to do so? Why?
Answer:
The way Little John and Robin Hood face their defeat shows that they are chivalrous. They challenge the pedlar who is boldly selling his packs for a duel. On getting defeated by the pedlar in turn, instead of getting upset, they admire the pedlar for his power and prowess. This can be considered dignified, chivalrous behavior because Robin Hood does not exhibit petty envy towards a better fighter.
Question 2.
If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility, how do you think the ballad would have ended?
Answer:
Most of the human tragedies are the outcome of ego. If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility at their defeat, they would have been killed by the pedlar. There are chances that the two of them would have together overcome the pedlar in a dishonorable way. Whatever it might be, it would have been tragic because one or the other brave fighter would have got killed.
Question 3.
‘The pedlar stands for integrity’. Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The pedlar remains calm and composed throughout the poem. He did not get scared seeing Robin Hood and Little John. Naturally, he did not give up his wares when they demanded it as it was rightfully his. Instead, he challenged them to a duel. He did not accept defeat, but fought them bravely and overpowered them.
When he was asked to reveal his identity, he told them the true story. He said that he was from gay green woods and he was forced to flee because he had killed a man who had ventured into his father’s land. Even here we see that he is a fearless man. This reveals that he stands for integrity.
Additional Questions:
Question 1.
Who trudged over the lea?
Answer:
A pedlar.
Question 2.
Whom did the pedlar meet by chance?
Answer:
Two troublesome men (Robin Hood and Little John).
Question 3.
Name the two persons whom the pedlar met.
Answer:
Robin Hood and Little John.
Question 4.
Why did the pedlar refuse to tell his name?
Answer:
Because he wanted to first know the names of the two that he had met.
Question 5.
What was the name of the pedlar?
Answer:
Gamble Gold.
Question 6.
Where was the pedlar from?
Answer:
The pedlar was from gay green woods.
Question 7.
Why did the pedlar flee his land?
Answer:
For killing a man in his father’s land, the pedlar was forced to flee.
Question 8.
How was the pedlar related to Robin Hood?
Answer:
The pedlar Gamble Gold from gay green woods was Robin Hood’s cousin. He was Robin Hood’s mother’s sister’s son.
Question 9.
What did the pedlar have in his pack?
Answer:
Several suits of the gay green silks and two or three silken bowstrings.
Question 10.
How did the pedlar defend his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar pulled off his pack from his back and put it below his knee.
Question 11.
Why did Robin Hood laugh when Little John lost the fight?
Answer:
He thought it was easy to defeat the pedlar. Little John was a well-built man so he laughed at Little John for being beaten by the pedlar.
Question 12.
Who stopped the fight between the pedlar and Robin Hood?
Answer:
Robin Hood himself.
Multiple Choice Questions:
Question 1.
A pedlar with his backpack was happily walking
A) in a town
B) in the forest
C) over the grassy land
D) over the hills.
Answer:
C) over the grassy land
Question 2.
The pedlar’s pack contained
A) green silk suits and silk bowstrings
B) food
C) a lot of money
D) fruit and vegetables.
Answer:
A) green silk suits and silk bowstrings
Question 3.
Little John said …………. belonged to him.
A) the pedlar’s pack
B) one half of the pedlar’s pack
C) one suit and one bowstring
D) None of the above.
Answer:
D) None of the above.
Question 4.
The pedlar said that he would give up the whole pack if Little John
A) defeated him in the fight
B) moved him one perch from the pack
C) requested him
D) defeated Robin Hood in a fight.
Answer:
B) moved him one perch from the pack
Question 5.
Robin Hood and the pedlar fought till
A) they both did sweat
B) blood started flowing in streams
C) the evening
D) Little John asked them to stop.
Answer:
B) blood started flowing in streams
Question 6.
The pedlar refused to tell his name till
A) Little John apologized
B) Robin Hood apologized
C) they told him their names first
D) they defeated him.
Answer:
C) they told him their names first
Question 7.
The pedlar’s name was
A) Robin Hood
B) Little John
C) Francis J. Child
D) Gamble Gold.
Answer:
D) Gamble Gold.
Question 8.
Gamble Gold was Robin Hood’s
A) sister’s son
B) father’s sister’s son
C) mother’s sister’s son
D) sister’s daughter’s son
Answer:
C) mother’s sister’s son
The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood by Francis J.Child About The Poet:
Francis James Child (1825-1896) was an American scholar and a professor at Harvard University. He was an academician, educator, and folklorist, but he is best known for his collection of folksongs known as the ‘Child Ballads’. In 1876, he was named Harvard’s first Professor of English. During that time he began his work on the ‘Child Ballads’. They are a major contribution to the study of English language folk music.
The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Summary in English
Background:
Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. Traditionally depicted as being dressed in Lincoln green, he is often portrayed as “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor” alongside his band of Merry Men. Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the late medieval period and continues to be widely represented in literature, films, and television.
There are many speculations as to the identity of Robin Hood. According to some historians, Robin Hood was born in the time of Henry II, perhaps Robert Fitzooth, perhaps the Earl of Huntington. His exploits centered around Bamsdale and Sherwood. Legend has it that he died in 1247 at the age of 87 at Kirkley’s Nunnery in Yorkshire. Robin Hood ballads were extremely popular with the peasantry in England for several hundred years. Thirty-seven of ‘Child Ballads’ are Robin Hood ballads. This ballad is Child Ballad 132.
Summary:
A pedlar meets Robin Hood and Little John and tells them what he has in his pack. Little John demands half of it. The pedlar refuses point blank to oblige Little John. They fight. The fight grows fierce. Finally, it is the pedlar who wins. Robin laughs and says he has a man who could defeat him. Now it is the turn of Robin to fight with the pedlar.
The pedlar wins again and refuses to hold his hand or tell his name until they had told them theirs. They do, and he says his name is Gamble Gold, and he is fleeing because he killed a man in his father’s land. Robin identifies him as his mother’s sister’s son, and they go to the tavern and drink together.
Glossary:
trudge: walk slowly with heavy steps
lea: an open area of grassy land
move one perch: the least of movements
gang: join
pray: please (in old English)
thrash: beat someone violently
flee: run away
sheathed: covered (the sword).