Longshanks

Robert Hood seemed destined to a life of hard labor. A stroke of genius brought him into the role of an addle-brained simpleton. Now, he would never have to work again, though the role did have a few drawbacks. Then a passing nobleman offered to take the fool off the family's hands and the father would have said "No" except the young nobleman was none other than the Lord Edward "Longshanks", heir to the throne of England.

Both blessing his good fortune and cursing his foul luck, Robert finds himself bound for the southern land of Castile, where the Prince intends to make the fool a gift to the King there on the occasion of his wedding to that King's sister.

Things might have gone well if it had not been a momentary lapse of good judgment that led to the ruse being discovered by Edward. Fast-talking to prevent being gutted on the spot, Robert convinces the Prince that he might be of some use to him.

A bizarre friendship is formed that carries the pair south to Spain and then through circumstance back to France, the fool being re-gifted to the King's sister, Edward new bride.

The escapades of the fool help set up his life once a "miracle" relieves him of the mantle of simpletonship. He returns to a normal life but with a brighter future than he had previously anticipated.

Robert hints in his tale about further adventures in the Baronial wars, on the crusades, traveling with Marco Polo, and even a trip to what would appear to be the New World. This as well as his raising his grandson and namesake, Robin Hood, the famed outlaw of legend.