Robin Goodfellow

ROM Oberon, in fairy land, The king of ghosts and shadows there, Mad Robin I, at his command, Amsent 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, Andmake good sport, with ho, ho, ho! More swift than lightning can I fly About this airy welkin soon, And, in aminute's space, descry Each thing that's done below the moon. There's not a hag Or ghost shall wag, Or 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, ROBIN GOODFELLOW 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 ! By wells and rills, in meadows green, We nightly dance our heyday guise; Andto 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 revell'd to and fro ; And for my pranks men call meby The name of Robin Goodfellow. Fiends, ghosts, and sprites, Who haunt the nights, SUPPOSE The hags and goblins do me know: Andbeldames old My feats have told, So valé, valé! ho, ho, hol