People loved King Richard because he was a brave man and a good king. But his brother, Prince John, only wanted to be king and to be rich. People hated him.
When King Richard was in England, the prince and other important Norman lords had to listen to their king. They could not take land and money from weaker men. But Richard fought in Jerusalem for many years. When the king was away, Prince John and his friends were greedy and unkind.
Then, one day, the prince got a letter from the Sherif of Nottingham.
'My Lord Prince,' wrote the sheriff, 'the people are saying that your brother Richard is here in the North. They say he is going from town to town and asking questions about me-and about
you. We will have to be very careful ...'
'So,' thought the prince, 'Richard is in England again. Why isn't he dead ? And why didn't he come here to London? What stories about me is he listening to? I think I too will go to Nottingham and visit my friend the sheriff.Perhaps he can tell me more.'
So the prince took the Great North Road to the sheriff's house. A hundred strong men went with him. They took the road through Sherwood Forest, and there they met a churchman. The man was very tall and strong and he wore a great hood over his face.
'Well, friar,' said the prince, 'you are a brave man. Is nobody with you? Arent you afraid? Don't you know that the robber, Robin Hood, lives in Sherwood Forest?'
'People say that Robin Hood does not hurt poor men,' said the friar.
'People say stupid things,' answered the prince angrily. 'They say that my brother Richard is in England. But I say that he is dead! I will be king then.Now move out of my way!'
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