Original subtitles

- I've always wanted a bow and arrow.

So when I saw this in the hobby shop window,

I kept working on Dad until he got it for me.

- Sure is a swell bow, Dennis.

- Does that arrow go right through people?

- No, Seymour.

This little rubber dingus here just makes it stick on things.

- That's not much fun.

- Here Dennis, let's shoot it at something.

- Well, I haven't got a target yet.

Hey, I know, I'll do like that poem we learned in school.

I shot an arrow into the air.

It fell to earth, I knew not where.

- (Angrily) Ahh.

Dennis.

- Oh, oh.

I guess I do know where.

(THEME MUSIC)

- Gee, I'm sorry Mr. Wilson.

I didn't mean to hit you.

- I know Dennis.

You never mean to do things, any more

than an earthquake means to knock over buildings.

- If it makes a big bruise, can I see it?

- Oh, you're a gruesome little boy.

- Oh, I won't hit you again, Mr. Wilson.

- How can I be sure?

You don't have too much control over that thing.

- Well I'll stay here with you the rest of the day.

If I'm where I can see you, I won't hit you.

- O-- oh, no, no.

You mustn't stay with me.

That's the worst-- Well I-- I mean you wouldn't enjoy that.

- Well, we wouldn't mind, would we fellows?

- No, we want to stay here.

- Oh no, no, no, no, really.

Boys shouldn't stay in one place, especially this place.

I have an idea.

Do you know the story of Robin Hood?

- Yeah, he lived Sherwood Forest.

And he always said stuff like forsooth and verily.

- Yeah, and he always fought with the Sheriff of Nottingham.

I like him.

He was a crook.

- Jeepers, no he was a hero.

- You are right, Dennis.

He stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

- And used a bow and arrow just like mine.

- That's what gave me the idea.

Now why don't you boys go and play

Robin Hood and his Merry Men today.

- Hey, that sounds keen.

- But remember, Robin Hood did not live in the town.

He lived in the forest, far away from people like me, far away

from.

- But there's no real woods near here.

- Hey, there's trees in the park across the street.

We could use that for Sherwood Forest.

- Good thinking, my boy.

- Good morning, Mr. Wilson.

Your wife told me I'd find you back here.

- Good morning, Mrs. Elkins. - Hello, boys.

- Hi, Mrs. Elkins.

- Well, it's a delightful day, isn't it?

- What do you want from me, Mrs. Elkins?

- What do I want?

Why, can't I make a friendly remark

about the weather to a neighbor without being

accused of wanting something?

- Not to this neighbor.

I know you don't like me, Mrs. Elkins.

So when you speak in honeyed tones,

I am naturally suspicious.

- Well, I can see good manners are wasted on you.

I'm working on my lawn, and I would

like to borrow to your lawn edger.

Or rent it if you prefer.

- I do not own a lawn edger.

- Ha. Well of course you do.

I saw you taking it out of your garage only last week.

- I-- I-- I gave it away.

- Oh, come now.

You never gave anything away.

- I repeat, I do not have a lawn edger.

If I did, I would be using it myself.

- I should have known better than to ask a favor of you.

It won't happen again, Mr. Wilson.

- The nerve of that woman borrowing from me.

- Yeah, especially something you haven't got.

- Oh. Ah, yes.

Now why don't you boys go out and play

Robin Hood and his Merry Men in the park.

Now.

- Well, it would seem more real if we

had hats with feathers in them like he wore.

- Well surely your mother can whip up some hats for you.

- Hey, that's right.

I'll be Robin Hood.

- And these lads can be your faithful lieutenants.

This one is just perfect for Little John.

- My name is Seymour.

- All right, Little Seymour.

- Your name's John, Mr. Wilson.

Couldn't you play with us and be Big John?

I-- I'm sorry.

I'm very busy today.

- Gee, Dennis, me and Seymour don't

have bows and arrows like you.

- You can make them, Tommy.

All you need is a piece of wood and some string.

- Yeah, sure.

- So we'll go home and get our hats and stuff,

and then we'll meet in Sherwood Forest.

Thanks, Mr. Wilson.

Come on, Tommy.

- And stay there, all day.

- Is the cap almost done, Mom?

My Merry Men are probably waiting for me.

- As soon as I get the feather sewed on tight.

- Yeah.

Robin Hood wouldn't have a loose feather.

- Is Robin Hood gonna have time to mow the lawn?

That's what I want to know.

- Jeepers, Dad.

Robin Hood didn't cut lawns.

He was too heroic for that.

- Well, it'll only take a half an hour.

You [inaudible] car with that lawn.

- Jeepers.

Every time I want to have some fun somebody

figures out some work for me to do.

- You poor, downtrodden boy.

- Couldn't I cut it tomorrow, Dad?

I'll cut it extra short tomorrow.

- Well, OK.

But no excuses then.

- I promise.

And if I see a moose in Sherwood Forest,

I'll shoot one for your dinner.

- Well, thanks a lot.

I'm not that hungry.

I'll settle for a small elk.

- There.

That's finished.

Now let's see how it looks.

- How do I look?

- Perfect.

- Then methinks I will me gone to the green wood.

- Why, he even speaks the language.

- Would you like some cookies for your Merry Men?

- Jeepers, Mom.

People didn't give Robin Hood things, he took them.

- Take them.

- You'll have to turn your backs.

- Might as well keep this authentic.

- Verily.

My men will feast on ye cookies.

- Isn't it wonderful to be the parents of a prominent outlaw?

- Forsooth.

- You're gonna trip over that thing, Seymour.

- Yeah.

The Merry Men had longbows, but that's

the longest bow I ever saw.

Hist!

The Sheriff of Nottingham approaches.

- What do ya mean?

That's just Sergeant Mooney.

- He's a policeman.

And that's sort of a Sheriff.

Let's foil him.

- And how do you foil people?

- Well, we'll hide behind those bushes and jump out at him.

Come on Merry Men, duck down.

Halt Sheriff, before I push ye arrow in ye stomach.

- Well, what's all this, Dennis?

- I'm not Dennis, I'm Robin Hood.

- Oh, I beg your pardon, Mr. Hood.

- You can call me Robin.

- What're you holding me up for, Robin?

- Because you're the Sheriff of Nottingham.

And we don't want you hanging around Sherwood Forest.

- I see.

Well, uh, can I pass through just this once?

- This time I'll spare your life.

But watched ye next time.

- OK ye, I'll be careful.

- Boy, we foiled him pretty good, didn't we?

- Yeah, he [inaudible] easy.

- Well, that was our first adventure.

Now we have to laugh.

- Why?

- Because we're Merry Men.

Come on, laugh.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

- [inaudible] seems to work very well, Mr. Duncan.

- Yeah.

I bought some of the best ones I had.

Not bad for an edger that's five years old.

- How much are you asking for it?

- Six bucks.

You wouldn't get a better price from

any other secondhand dealer in town.

- Oh, very well, I'll take it.

- Well, since Mrs. Elkins mentioned that lawn edger,

I think I'll use it today. - Oh, John.

You shouldn't.

What if she sees you?

- What if she does?

- Well dear, you told her you didn't have one.

Oh, she'll think you're terrible.

- She thinks that anyhow.

She's a stupid, opinionated sort of person,

who dislikes other people for no reason at all.

- Well you don't like her very much, either.

- Like her? I can't stand her.

- Why not?

- I don't know.

I just can't.

I'll put that lawn edger to work just as soon

as I finished these last couple of pages.

- All right, you do that.

I'll be leaving soon for my appointment at the beauty

parlor.

- What'll we do next, Robin?

- How about taking some from the rich and giving it to the poor?

- OK.

We're we gonna to find some rich people?

- Well, there are a lot of them in Texas.

- Well, let's go.

- Oh, Seymour.

We better find someone closer than that.

- Yeah.

Hey, how about Mr. Wilson?

He makes a lot of money writing for those magazines.

- OK, let's go over there.

- Oh. - Hi, Mrs. Wilson.

- Dennis.

I was just going over to see your mother.

- Oh, she's not home.

She's gone shopping.

- Oh, well.

When she comes back, will you tell her

I'll be back in about two hours and I'll come over and help her

with that dress pattern?

- OK.

- Well, what are these outfits you're wearing?

- I'm Robin Hood.

And these are my Merry Men.

- We take from the rich and give to the poor.

- Mr. Wilson's pretty rich.

Is there something of his we can take?

- Well, um, there's a lot of stuff out beside the garage.

You go help yourselves.

- Gee, thanks, Mrs. Wilson.

Come on Merry Men.

- Don't forget to tell your mother.

- I won't.

- Gadzooks.

There's a lot of stuff here we could take.

- Verily.

- Hey, how about this lawn edger?

Mr. Wilson doesn't even know he has it.

- Yeah.

He told Mrs. Elkins he didn't have one.

- OK, we'll take it.

- What poor person are we gonna give it to, Dennis?

- To me.

I have to cut our lawn tomorrow.

- Are you a poor boy?

- I'm not only poor, Seymour, I'm downtrodden.

My mom said so.

- That's strange.

I know I put that edger there.

Well, somebody must've-- Of course.

Mrs. Elkins took it.

Well, she won't get away with this.

- [phone ringing]

- (SIGHS) Always when I'm working.

- I knew it.

- Good morning, Mrs. Elkins.

- Oh, good morning Alice.

- My that looks like hard work.

- Well, it would be much easier if we lived in an honest town.

- What?

- Just this morning I bought a lawn edger

and the minute my back was turned, somebody stole it.

- Stole it?

Oh, how awful.

Did you call the police? - Well, I phoned Sergeant Mooney.

But you know how he is.

He said he'd look into the matter, which

means he'll file it and forget it.

- But you'll wear yourself out using

those shears to cut the grass.

Why don't you borrow Mr. Wilson's lawn edger?

- Mr. Wilson doesn't own one.

- Oh yes he does.

I just saw him using it on my way to the market.

- So that's it.

He's the wretch that stole my edger.

- Mr. Wilson wouldn't do a thing like that.

- There's nothing that man wouldn't do, especially to me.

Well, I won't call Sergeant Mooney this time.

I'm going straight to the police station

and force him to take action.

- Oh dear.

- I'm leaving now, dear.

- Oh, more shopping?

- No, I told you it's my beauty parlor appointment.

- Oh. Well, happy hairdo.

- I see you found the lawn edger.

- Yes, I found it exactly where I thought it would be.

- Good.

I'll be home in time for dinner.

- Good shot, Robin.

- Forsooth.

We must be keen of eye and strong of arm o' Merry Men.

Shoot, Seymour.

- I'm tired of shooting.

When are we gonna take from the rich

and give to the poor some more?

That's the part I like.

- Aw, we've been doing that all morning.

- Yeah.

Besides Mr. Wilson's lawn edger, we

took an ice cream bar from your rich little brother,

chocolate cookies from my Mom, and a whole pie

from Seymour's house.

- Yeah, but I was the one that got the licking.

- Wait, do we know anybody poor who needs a new lamp?

Look.

- Hey kids, do you know Mrs. Elkins?

- Mrs. Elkins? Sure.

She lives up that way, in the house with the red brick.

Put that down, Seymour.

You can't shoot the bard until we find out what he wants.

- I was just up at her house, but nobody was home.

Do you think one of your folks could take this lamp for her?

Somebody's gotta to sign for it.

- Well, sure.

I'll go ask my Mom if-- Hey, there's Mrs. Wilson.

She'll take it for you all right.

Mrs. Wilson.

Hi, Mrs. Wilson.

- Well gadzooks, 'tis Robin Hood.

Aren't you pretty far from Sherwood Forest?

- No ma'am.

It's just right over there in the park.

Would you mind keeping this lamp for Mrs. Elkins?

She's not home.

- Why Robin, for you I'd be glad to.

Just put it inside here.

- Thanks lady.

Sign here.

- I'm gonna be Robin Hood all day, Mrs. Wilson.

So if you get in any trouble and need some help, just holler.

- I certainly will.

- Because one thing Robin Hood always

does, is rescue maidens in distress.

- Well, I may be in distress someday,

but I'm afraid I won't make maiden again.

Thank you anyway - Bye, Mrs. Wilson.

- Bye.

- Hello, John.

- Oh, hello Mooney, I-- Oh.

Hello, Mrs. Elkins.

- She kind of dragged me over here.

Claims you took her lawn edger.

- What?

Oh, Mooney, this woman has flipped.

- Oh ho, flipped am I. There's your evidence right there.

Officer, arrest this man.

- If anyone is going to be arrested, it's you.

That is my lawn edger.

She tried to borrow it from me.

When I refused to lend it her, she

took it from beside my garage.

- Why, that's not true.

I bought this edger.

- And she wants me arrested.

She's-- You did what?

- I bought this edger from the second hand man this morning,

and you stole it from my front yard.

- Oh.

Duncan Second Hand.

You need it, we've got it.

[inaudible]

That isn't mine.

- I know it's right here in your possession, right?

- Yes.

- Right.

I caught you red-handed this time, John Wilson.

- Oh, look, there's been a big mistake, Mrs. Elkins.

Believe me.

- Sergeant, arrest him.

I demand that you arrest him right now.

- Look, will you let him explain.

He said it was a big mistake.

Let's hear his story, huh.

Go ahead John.

- Thank you, [inaudible].

Now what happened was this, Mrs. Elkins.

You see--

- Well, I thought it was mine, so I

brought it home and started using it.

I'm-- I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Elkins.

I-- I apologize.

- Well John, that was really a mix-up.

But I knew there's be an answer.

OK, Mrs. Elkins?

Yes, I suppose so.

Only It did look suspicious.

Ha ha.

- Well, if I ever decide to take up stealing,

it'll be something more valuable than that.

- Ha ha ha.

I hope so.

Oh John, you mind if I use the phone?

I want to check in with headquarters.

- Help yourself.

Oh, would you care for a cup of hemlock, uh tea, before you go?

- Oh, no thank you.

But I would like use you phone, too, if you don't mind.

I want to call the department store

and find out what happened to the lamp

they were supposed to send me yesterday.

Their service is terrible.

- The telephone's in the hall.

Help yourself.

- Thank you.

- Maybe somebody stole her lamp.

Ha.

- Probably a gang of international lamp thieves

hijacked the truck.

- (Loudly) Sergeant, Sergeant Mooney, will you come here?

There it is, my lamp. - Huh?

It does have your name on it.

- Maybe you're friend can talk his way out of this.

Picked it up by mistake I suppose.

- I never saw this before and I-- How did that get here?

- Well, I think that's my question.

How did Mrs. Elkin's lamp get here?

- I haven't the faintest idea.

- Oh, is he a cool one. - Come on, John.

Put your sweater on. I'm taking you downtown.

- Downtown.

Oh now, Mooney.

You don't honestly believe that I'd stealing anything, do you?

- No, John, not intentionally, but I been reading up on

kleptomaniacs.

You know what they are?

- Any dunce knows that.

- Sometimes a fellow takes things and doesn't even

knows he doing it. It's sort of a quirk.

- He knew what he was doing.

- Come on, John.

Don't worry about it.

We'll get it all straightened out.

- Wha-- oh.

- And I promised Dad' I'd treat [inaudible] for dinner.

But there aren't even any deer in our forest.

- I know where there's a deer.

- You do? Oh, boy.

Where?

- At the junkyard.

It's made out of iron.

- Seymour, an iron deer's no good.

It-- Hey, there's that old Sheriff of Nottingham.

- I wonder what's happening.

- Looks like he's making trouble for Big John.

We better go see.

- Now don't you let him get away, Sergeant.

You do your duty.

I'll be glad to testify.

- Let's go, John.

- I am not going down there in the squad car

and have everybody looking at me.

- I'll drive my own car down.

- OK, take your own car.

But be there.

[inaudible]

- What's the matter, Mr. Wilson?

Is something the matter?

- There certainly is.

This knucklehead is arresting me for nothing.

I am absolutely innocent.

And he knows it. - Jeepers.

And what does Robin Hood do when his friends are in trouble?

He rescues them, right?

- Right.

- Especially when they're in the evil clutches

of the Sheriff of Nottingham, like our friend

Big John is right now.

- He's innocent, too.

He said so.

- Mr. Wilson's always innocent.

He wouldn't hurt a fly.

So that's why we gotta go down there

and rescue him from the Sheriff.

- The Sheriff outta mow him down.

- How are we gonna do it?

- Just like Robin Hood, that's how.

We'll hold up the Sheriff with our trusty long bows

and let Big John escape to the forest.

- In the park?

- No, the real forest.

He can jump in his car and go hide out in the old cabin

out by the rock quarry.

- Yeah, that's a swell hideout.

- And he stay there until us Merry

Men prove that he's innocent.

- How we prove that?

- How do I know how we'll prove it.

We'll just prove it, that's all.

- Yeah, Seymour.

Don't ask dumb questions.

- He'll need supplies to hide out with.

So you go back to you're homes and get 'em.

- He'll need food to eat.

- Yeah, and warm clothing, blankets maybe.

And he'll need a radio to listen to the ball

game and police calls with.

- I can get a radio.

- I'll bring some warm clothes.

- And I'll get some groceries.

And we'll meet in front of my house in half an hour.

OK, Merry Men, let's go.

- Here's my aunt's radio, Dennis.

She keeps it out on her back porch.

- That was out on her porch?

Jeepers, it's a wonder somebody don't steal it.

- Yeah, she's pretty careless.

- Big John will get pretty hungry out there in the forest.

We had a lot left over from dinner last night.

So this outta hold him.

- Boy, that looks good.

He'll sure be happy when he sees that.

- Dennis. Dennis.

I got some warm clothes for him, Dennis.

My Mom had it hanging out to air.

She won't mind if we borrow it.

- Gadzooks, Seymour.

I think Big John would rather have

a blanket than a lady's coat.

But the main thing is to get him rescued right now.

We'll sneak down alleys all the way

and put this stuff in his car for him.

- Yeah.

- And then we'll get the drop on the Sheriff of Nottingham

and let Big John escape from the dungeon.

- Yeah, Ms. Wilson, that clears it up fine about the lamp.

We had to call four beauty shops to find you.

(SHOUTING) We had to call four beauty shops to find you.

I'm glad we did.

- Stop shouting at my wife, Mooney.

- She's under the dryer.

(SHOUTING) Thanks a lot, Ms. Wilson.

Good-bye.

I'm sorry, John.

It was a bad mistake, and well, I apologize.

- Well, you certainly should.

Dragging an innocent citizen off to jail,

calling him a kleptomaniac.

It's an outrage.

- You see how it is, John.

A law man has only the evidence to go on.

And it did look bad.

- Yeah, uh, well let's forget it, Mooney.

I know you have a tough job and I would--

- (SHOUTING) Hands up, you varlot.

- Hands up.

- Yeah, up.

- Robin Hood and his Merry Men are here

to rescue you, Big John, from the Sheriff of Nottingham.

- Big John, eh?

Well relax, Robin Hood.

Your friend is free to go.

- Everything's all right boys.

No trouble.

- Aw heck.

I want to mow him down.

- Boy, I had a narrow escape.

- By George, it's wonderful having good friends, Mooney.

They came all the way here from Sherwood Forest to save me.

- Forsooth, Robin Hood doth always rescue his friends.

- Well, such friendship deserves a reward.

Robin, you and your Merry Men must be hungry

wandering around that forest all day.

Get yourselves some double-dip ice cream cones, OK?

- Oh, boy.

Thanks Mr. Wilson.

Come on, Merry Men.

- Ha, ha, ha, ha.

[phone ringing]

- Just a minute, John.

- Huh? - Police Headquarters.

Sergeant Mooney speaking.

- Gee, a whole dollar.

- Yeah.

- Hey, you think we outta take the hideaway food and stuff

out of Mr. Wilson's car here.

- No.

We'll let him drive it home and then take the stuff back.

Right now we've got ice cream to buy.

- All right, ma'am.

Just relax.

I'll be right out to see you.

Yeah, it seems like we've got a little crime in this town

after all.

- Oh?

- A woman reports a fur coat stolen today,

and somebody took a radio from her next door neighbor.

- Well, I know you'll solve it, Mooney.

I'll get out [inaudible].

- I'll walk you out to the car, John.

- OK.

- John, you were a real sport about this mess today

and I won't forget it.

- I don't intend to let you forget it, Mooney.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Say, you better get busy on that crime wave of yours.

Now, I'm going on home.

- Oh no, John.

I gave you a pretty rough time for it.

The least I can do is open the door for you.

- Well, thank you. [overlapping voices]

- There you are, John.

- Thank you. [interposing voices]

- OK.

I'll be a son of a gun. - What?

What goes on here?

Where did all this stuff come from?

What is all this?

- This is the worst case of kleptomania I ever saw.

Come on, John.

We're going back inside.

- Oh.

- John, I'm locking you up for your own good 'til

the city psychiatrist gets here.

You're sick. [inaudible] carry the evidence.

- Oh, now wait a minute, Tony.

- Come on now, John.

- [interposing voices]

- I just love doing things for good old Mr. Wilson.

- Yeah, he sure was glad when we came to rescue him.

- Tommy, I'll bet he's the happiest man in town right now.

And he outta be.

Because no matter what Mr. Wilson does,

I'm always right there to help him out.