Friar Tuck's Decision
Children's Story
Friar Tuck was worried. He knew all about Robin Hood and his band of merry men who lived in Sherwood Forest, and he wasn't sure he approved. Robin's followers might well be called "merry men", but the good Friar knew well that many of them were thieves and robbers and bandits.
Deep inside himself Friar Tuck had a sneaking admiration for Robin and his exploits. But he was also aware that robbing people was a terrible thing to do. Father Prior at the monastery was horrified by Robin and the band. He had often preached sermons in the little chapel denouncing Robin Hood and his men in Lincoln green as the Antichrist and his demonic followers.
So Friar Tuck was worried. On the one hand, all the common folk loved Robin Hood, for he only robbed the rich and he gave all the proceeds to the poor. Friar Tuck liked to think of this as a means of redistributing wealth. On the other hand, he very well knew that one of the Ten Commandments said, "Thou shalt not steal."
Little John had taken the Friar along to one of Robin's meetings in the glade of the forest, but the Friar wasn't sure whether or not he should join the band. He felt instinctively that Robin's way was probably right, but that commandment and all that he had learned in Church stuck in his throat.
For several months, Friar Tuck stayed on the outskirts of the group. In a quiet way, he did what he could to help Robin's cause, but he never let the Prior or any of his fellow monks know what he was about.
Then one day Friar Tuck went to visit his sister in her little cottage in the City of Nottingham. When he arrived, he was horrified to find his sister in tears, wringing her hands in great distress.
"It's the Sheriff of Nottingham," wailed Friar Tuck's sister. "He sent his soldiers to every cottage in this row, to demand higher taxes. I haven't any money, and neither has anyone else. But the soldiers are coming back tomorrow. If we don't pay, they will throw us out of our cottages. I don't know what to do!"
Friar Tuck didn't know what to do either. But he knew he sister would surely die if she had to spend her nights in the cold winter air. She wasn't strong, and with no food and no shelter she would never survive.
Friar Tuck determined to speak to the Sheriff of Nottingham himself. But when he reached Nottingham Castle and banged on the heavy door, the soldiers laughed and refused to open it. There was only one course left open to the Friar. He mounted his horse and rode into Sherwood Forest to locate Robin.
When the soldiers arrived at the cottages next day, they had a huge surprise. For instead of terrified cottage tenants, they found Robin Hood and his merry men. Robin Hood soon got rid of those soldiers, and he knew they would never return.
After that, Friar Tuck knew where his loyalties lay. With never a backward glance, he joined the band of merry men. And although their actions were unorthodox, he knew they were doing the right thing.
Deep inside himself Friar Tuck had a sneaking admiration for Robin and his exploits. But he was also aware that robbing people was a terrible thing to do. Father Prior at the monastery was horrified by Robin and the band. He had often preached sermons in the little chapel denouncing Robin Hood and his men in Lincoln green as the Antichrist and his demonic followers.
So Friar Tuck was worried. On the one hand, all the common folk loved Robin Hood, for he only robbed the rich and he gave all the proceeds to the poor. Friar Tuck liked to think of this as a means of redistributing wealth. On the other hand, he very well knew that one of the Ten Commandments said, "Thou shalt not steal."
Little John had taken the Friar along to one of Robin's meetings in the glade of the forest, but the Friar wasn't sure whether or not he should join the band. He felt instinctively that Robin's way was probably right, but that commandment and all that he had learned in Church stuck in his throat.
For several months, Friar Tuck stayed on the outskirts of the group. In a quiet way, he did what he could to help Robin's cause, but he never let the Prior or any of his fellow monks know what he was about.
Then one day Friar Tuck went to visit his sister in her little cottage in the City of Nottingham. When he arrived, he was horrified to find his sister in tears, wringing her hands in great distress.
"It's the Sheriff of Nottingham," wailed Friar Tuck's sister. "He sent his soldiers to every cottage in this row, to demand higher taxes. I haven't any money, and neither has anyone else. But the soldiers are coming back tomorrow. If we don't pay, they will throw us out of our cottages. I don't know what to do!"
Friar Tuck didn't know what to do either. But he knew he sister would surely die if she had to spend her nights in the cold winter air. She wasn't strong, and with no food and no shelter she would never survive.
Friar Tuck determined to speak to the Sheriff of Nottingham himself. But when he reached Nottingham Castle and banged on the heavy door, the soldiers laughed and refused to open it. There was only one course left open to the Friar. He mounted his horse and rode into Sherwood Forest to locate Robin.
When the soldiers arrived at the cottages next day, they had a huge surprise. For instead of terrified cottage tenants, they found Robin Hood and his merry men. Robin Hood soon got rid of those soldiers, and he knew they would never return.
After that, Friar Tuck knew where his loyalties lay. With never a backward glance, he joined the band of merry men. And although their actions were unorthodox, he knew they were doing the right thing.
