ROBIN GOODFELLOW
by Ada M. Skinner · from Merry Tales
Adapted Version
Hello there! I am Robin Goodfellow. I love to play! King Oberon is my king. He sends me to see. I watch the night fun. I see all the games. I see people dance. I laugh, ho, ho, ho! I like to play too. I am very happy. This is my job. I watch and I play. I see all things. I enjoy it all.
I fly very fast. I am faster than light. I see all things below. I see sleepy shadows. I see other night creatures. They do not scare me. I make them go home. I watch them leave. Ho, ho, ho! I am so quick. I see each little thing.
At times I see people walk home. They finish their night fun. I call to them with my voice. I make them follow me. We go through the woods. We go through the lakes. We go through the bushes. It is a fun game. I play tricks on them. We run and run. Ho, ho, ho! It is a good chase. They do not see me. I like to lead them. We have much fun.
I can change my shape. At times I look like a man. At times I look like an ox. At times I look like a dog. At times I look like a horse. I do this for fun. I play many tricks. I like to surprise them. It is a good game. Ho, ho, ho! I love to change. It makes them laugh.
If I am a horse, they ride me. They sit on my back. I run very fast then. I run over tall hedges. I run over green fields. I run over wet pools. I run over ponds. They go so fast. It is a fun ride. I laugh so much. Ho, ho, ho! We fly like the wind. It is a big ride. We have much joy.
We dance each night. Other fairies dance too. We dance in green fields. We sing happy songs. We sing for our King. We sing for our Queen. The moon shines bright. We make happy music. Ho, ho, ho! We dance until morning. We have much fun.
I play these games always. I play for a very long time. People know my name. They call me Robin Goodfellow. I love my fun tricks. I play them each night. All people know me well. They know my happy laugh. Ho, ho, ho! I am always playing. It is my best thing.
All the night creatures know me. Little ones know me. Big ones know me too. They know my fun games. They know my good tricks. They know my happy laugh. Ho, ho, ho! I am Robin Goodfellow. I love the night. I love to play! I will play more now.
Original Story
ROBIN GOODFELLOW
From Oberon, in fairy land,
The king of ghosts and shadows there,
Mad Robin, I, at his command,
Am sent to view the night sports here.
What revel rout
Is kept about
In every corner where I go,
I will o’ersee
And merry be,
And make good sport, with ho, ho, ho!
More swift than lightning can I fly
About this airy welkin soon;
And, in a minute’s space, descry
Each thing that’s done below the moon.
There’s not a hag
Or ghost shall wag
84Or cry, ‘ware goblins! where I go;
But, Robin, I,
Their feats will spy
And send them home with ho, ho, ho!
Whene’er such wanderers I meet,
As from their night sports they trudge home,
With counterfeiting voice I greet,
And call them on with me to roam;
Through woods, through lakes,
Through bogs, through brakes,
Or else, unseen, with them I go,
All in the nick
To play some trick,
And frolic it, with ho, ho, ho!
Sometimes I meet them like a man,
Sometimes an ox, sometimes a hound;
And to a horse I turn me can,
To trip and trot about them round.
But if to ride,
My back they stride,
More swift than wind away I go,
O’er hedge and lands
Through pools and ponds
I hurry laughing, ho, ho, ho!
85By wells and rills in meadows green
We nightly dance our heyday guise;
And to our fairy King and Queen
We chant our moonlight minstrelsies.
When larks ‘gin sing
Away we fling;
And babes new born steal as we go;
And elf in bed,
We leave instead,
And wend us, laughing ho, ho, ho!
From hag-bred Merlin’s time have I
Thus nightly revel’d to and fro;
And for my pranks men call me by
The name of Robin Goodfellow.
Fiends, ghosts, and sprites
Who haunt the nights,
The hags and goblins do me know;
And beldames old
My feats have told,
So vale, vale, ho, ho, ho!
Story DNA
Plot Summary
Robin Goodfellow, a mischievous fairy sent by Oberon, introduces himself and his role in overseeing night sports. He describes his ability to fly swiftly, spy on supernatural beings, and lead human wanderers astray through woods and bogs. Robin boasts of his shape-shifting abilities, transforming into animals like an ox or a horse to trick people, especially those who try to ride him. He concludes by stating his ancient lineage, his nightly revels with other fairies, and how his pranks have earned him widespread recognition among both humans and supernatural creatures.
Themes
Emotional Arc
joyful exploration
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Robin Goodfellow, also known as Puck, is a prominent figure in English folklore, often associated with mischievous spirits and household sprites. His character was famously popularized by Shakespeare in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
Plot Beats (9)
- Robin Goodfellow introduces himself as Oberon's envoy, sent to observe and enjoy night sports.
- He boasts of his speed and ability to spy on hags and ghosts, sending them home.
- Robin describes how he encounters wanderers returning from night sports and lures them into roaming with him.
- He explains his ability to transform into a man, ox, hound, or horse to play tricks.
- If someone tries to ride him as a horse, he carries them away swiftly over hedges, lands, pools, and ponds.
- He mentions nightly dances with other fairies and their moonlight songs for the King and Queen.
- Robin reveals that they sometimes steal newborn babes and leave an elf in their place.
- He states that he has been reveling nightly since Merlin's time and is known as Robin Goodfellow for his pranks.
- Robin concludes by acknowledging that fiends, ghosts, sprites, hags, goblins, and old beldames all know of his feats.
Characters
Robin Goodfellow ★ protagonist
Robin Goodfellow is a nimble and mischievous fairy, capable of shapeshifting into various forms, including a man, an ox, a hound, or a horse. In his natural fairy form, he is likely small and agile, with a lean build, allowing for swift movement. His true form is rarely seen by mortals, but he embodies the essence of a playful, energetic sprite.
Attire: In his natural form, Robin Goodfellow would wear simple, rustic attire made of natural elements—perhaps a tunic woven from leaves and moss, or rough spun cloth in earthy tones of green and brown. He might have a small cap adorned with a feather or a berry. His clothing would be practical for flying and pranking, allowing for complete freedom of movement.
Wants: To cause mischief, observe the night's activities, and entertain himself by playing tricks on wanderers and other creatures of the night, all at the command of Oberon.
Flaw: His love for pranks can sometimes lead him to overextend or be momentarily distracted by a new opportunity for mischief. He is bound by Oberon's command.
The story presents Robin Goodfellow as a character already fully formed in his mischievous nature, with no apparent arc. He remains consistently a trickster throughout.
Mischievous, playful, cunning, energetic, and boisterous. He delights in pranks and revelry, finding joy in tricking mortals and other supernatural beings.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, nimble male fairy with a lean, agile build, standing upright and facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a mischievous grin, bright, quick, dark eyes, and a ruddy complexion. His dark, tousled hair is short and slightly spiky, with a few small green leaves woven into it. He wears a tunic made of deep green and brown woven leaves and moss, with rough spun cloth breeches in an earthy brown. A small, pointed cap adorned with a single red berry sits on his head. His posture is alert and ready for action, with one hand slightly raised as if about to dart away. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Oberon ◆ supporting
As the 'king of ghosts and shadows,' Oberon would possess an ethereal and commanding presence. He is likely of noble stature, perhaps with a lean, regal build, embodying the power and mystery of the fairy realm. His form might be somewhat translucent or shimmer with a faint light, reflecting his dominion over shadows and spirits.
Attire: Oberon would wear robes befitting a fairy king, made of fine, flowing fabrics that seem to shift and shimmer like moonlight or mist. Colors would be deep blues, purples, and silvers, perhaps embroidered with patterns resembling stars or ancient runes. His attire would be elegant and otherworldly, emphasizing his authority.
Wants: To maintain order within his realm of ghosts and shadows, and to be aware of the 'night sports' and happenings in the mortal world through his agents like Robin Goodfellow.
Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but perhaps a detachment from mortal concerns, or a reliance on his subjects to carry out his will.
Oberon is a static character, serving as the authority figure from whom Robin Goodfellow receives his commands.
Authoritative, mysterious, ancient, and powerful. He commands Robin Goodfellow, indicating a sense of control and a desire to oversee the activities of the night.
Image Prompt & Upload
A regal male fairy king standing upright and facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has an aristocratic face with sharp features, piercing, ancient dark eyes, and a pale complexion. His long, silvery hair is styled regally, adorned with a delicate crown of woven starlight. He wears flowing robes of deep midnight blue and shimmering silver fabric, embroidered with subtle patterns resembling constellations. His posture is upright and dignified, exuding an aura of ancient power. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Fairy Land (Oberon's Realm)
The ethereal, unseen realm where Oberon, the king of ghosts and shadows, resides. It is the origin point for Robin Goodfellow's nightly excursions.
Mood: magical, ancient, unseen, powerful
Robin Goodfellow is dispatched from here by Oberon to observe the human world's 'night sports'.
Image Prompt & Upload
A deep, ancient forest clearing at night, bathed in cool, otherworldly moonlight filtering through a dense canopy of gnarled, moss-covered oak trees. Wisps of luminous mist drift low to the ground, revealing faint, glowing flora and unseen pathways winding into the shadows. The air is still and heavy with magic. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Night Woods and Wilds
A vast, untamed landscape encompassing woods, lakes, bogs, and brakes, through which Robin Goodfellow roams and leads wanderers astray. It is a place of trickery and frolic.
Mood: eerie, mischievous, wild, confusing
Robin Goodfellow plays tricks on travelers, leading them through difficult terrain, and transforms into various animals here.
Image Prompt & Upload
A moonlit, ancient English woodland at night, with a winding, overgrown path disappearing into a dense thicket of hawthorn and bramble. Twisted oak branches, heavy with ivy, cast deep shadows, and patches of stagnant water reflect the pale moonlight. The ground is uneven, covered in fallen leaves and exposed roots, with a faint mist rising from a nearby bog. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Green Meadows with Wells and Rills
Lush, open meadows dotted with natural water sources like wells and small streams (rills), where Robin Goodfellow and other fairies gather for nightly dances and songs.
Mood: magical, joyful, communal, serene
This is where the fairies perform their 'heyday guise' dances and 'moonlight minstrelsies' for their King and Queen.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, verdant English meadow bathed in soft, cool moonlight, with a clear, shallow rill (stream) winding through the tall, dew-kissed grass. In the distance, a low stone wellhead stands near a cluster of ancient, spreading willow trees whose branches gently sway. Wildflowers like bluebells and primroses dot the field, and the air is clear and still. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.