雙語故事:俠盜羅賓漢
Robin Hood was a legendary English outlaw. Some people believe he was a real person but most do not. In the story, Robin Hood lived with his band of merry followers in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. They wore green suits and pointed caps, and they were gay and bold. Robin Hood and his men had many exciting adventures. The Merry Men robbed the rich and gave money to the poor. Robin Hood fought the sheriff of Nottingham, a corrupt official who treated the poor badly. So he became a hero of the common people. Robin Hood was a great archer. He never missed his target. He travelled around the country in many different disguises so that no one knew who he was. Whenever Robin Hood got into trouble he would blow his horn and his men would come to help him.
Friar Tuck, Little John, and Maid Marian were the best-known members of his band. Friar Tuck was a fat, jolly priest. Little John stood more than 7 feet tall and was known for his great skill with a bow and arrow. Maid Marian was Robin Hood’s sweetheart.
Although Robin fought and robbed landowners, church leaders and government officials, he and his band respected the ruling king, RichardⅠ. In many stories, the king disguised himself and joined the Merry Men, in order to capture Robin. But the king then discovered that Robin Hood and his fellows were honourable people and pardoned them.
羅賓漢是英國傳說中的綠林好漢。有人認爲歷史上確有其人，做了不少考證，但大多數人還是傾向於認爲他只是個傳說人物。羅賓漢和他快樂的夥伴們住在諾丁漢郡的舍伍德森林裏，身穿綠衣，頭戴尖頂帽，尋歡作樂，膽大包天，生活中充滿了冒險。他們劫富濟貧，專門與欺壓窮人的貪官諾丁漢郡長作對，因而成了平民百姓的英雄。羅賓漢還是個百發百中的神箭手。他總是化裝後出行，遇到危險無法脫身時就吹響號角，附近的好漢們就會來搭救他。
好漢們當中的著名人物有塔克修士、小約翰和瑪麗安姑娘。塔克修士是個性情開朗的大胖子，小約翰是個身高七英尺的大個子，也是個神箭手。瑪麗安姑娘是羅賓漢的女友。
雖然羅賓漢與地主、教士和貪官爲敵並劫掠他們的錢財，但對國王理查一世卻懷有敬意。故事裏的理查一世化裝後加入羅賓漢一夥，俟機逮捕羅賓漢。但國王發現這夥人品行高尚，並百無法無天的歹徒，就赦免了他們。
題外話：英國中世紀的農民與中國的農民相似，總有一種頑固的想法：壞事都是貪官乾的，皇帝（國王）並不知情。羅賓漢一夥與梁山好漢們一樣，只反貪官，不反國王（皇帝）。
