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Sparrow Hall Farm,  Edlesborough, Buckinghamshire,  LU6 2ES

What binds the hunter to the hunted?

A quote from the 1985-1987 series Robin of Sherwood, said by the mystical Herne the Hunter to Robin Hood.

The answer to the question is

- the arrow.

In most of the Robin Hood stories, Robin wins a large archery tournament  - much to the annoyance of the Sheriff of Nottingham - and his prize is the silver arrow.

The arrow from the 1980’s tv series resembles a crossbow bolt  rather than an archery arrow .

The arrow from the recent BBC series is a better shape.

When as the sheriff of Nottingham

Was come, with mickle grief,

He talkd no good of Robin Hood,

That strong and sturdy thief.

Fal lal dal de

 So unto London-road he past,

His losses to unfold

To King Richard, who did regard

The tale that he had told.

Why,' quoth the king, 'what shall I do?

Art thou not sheriff for me?

The law is in force, go take thy course

Of them that injure thee.

Poem contd..

'Go get thee gone, and by thyself

Devise some tricking game

For to enthral yon rebels all;

Go take thy course with them.'

So away the sheriff he returnd,

And by the way he thought

Of the words of the king, and how the thing

To pass might well be brought.

For within his mind he imagined

That when such matches were,

Those outlaws stout, without [all] doubt,

Would be the bowmen there.