Story of Robinita Hood

Long ago, Puerto Rico was ruled by the wicked, greedy Princess Juanita Jose del Ramon de Jamon. She ordered the Sheriff of El Pueblo to tax the people so heavily that some were forced to become outlaws. Two of the most famous outlaws were Robinita Hood and Little Juanita, who would steal the tax money from the Sheriff and give it back to the poor.
One day Princess Juanita was traveling by coach to El Pueblo to pick up more tax money. She was so busy counting her gold that she didn't notice she was passing through El Yunque National Forest—the home of Robinita Hood. Nor did she see Little Juanita and Robinita Hood watching from a tree. "Look at all that gold. Hey! Little Juanita, let's pay Princess Juanita a little visit!"

In her coach, Princess Juanita was talking to her counselor, Señora Gooey, about her favourite subject. "Gold... beautiful gold! Life has been so wonderful since Queen Rosemaria left for the Crusades. She treated the people too nicely and she missed out on all the lovely gold. How I love gold!"

Robinita Hood and Little Juanita were standing by the roadside disguised as male fortune tellers when the coach passed by. "Care to have your fortune told, Your Highness?"
"Fortune-Tellers! How Droll! Stop the Coach!"
While Robinita Hood told Princess Juanita's fortune, she slipped the royal rings off her fingers, and Little Juanita helped herself to the Princess's gold. Princess Juanita never even knew she had been robbed until Robinita and Little Juanita had escaped.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff of El Pueblo was busy collecting taxes. "I must have more taxes! Hand over that gold coin, Niñita!"

She even took the coin that Señor Dale had given his daughter, Elena, for her birthday, the sheriff had no heart.

Robinita Hood didn't think little Elena should go without presents on her birthday.
"Here, Elena—take my bow and arrow, and here's my hat. It's a little big, but you'll grow into it."

The first time Elena tried the bow, her arrow flew over Princess Juanita's castle wall! On the other side, Elena saw Mario and Don Basilio. Even though Mario was related to Princess Juanita, he was Robinita's friend. Long ago, they had been childhood sweethearts.

One day Robinita's friend, Guillermina Scarlet, came to El Yunque National Forest with some news.
"Princess Juanita is having an archery tournament tomorrow. And you're the best archer in all of Puerto Rico!"
"I'd like to go, Guillermina Scarlet. But if I do. I'm sure to be captured."
"Mario will have a kiss for the winner."
"Oodelally! What are we waiting for?"

The next day two strangers appeared at the tournament—a duchess and a duke.
"Nobody will recognize us in these disguises," said Robinita Hood. "I'll win the tournament and the kiss. But no one will know the winner is Robinita Hood."

Soon the "duchess" and the Sheriff were the only ones left in the contest. And even though the Sheriff tried to cheat by having the target moved, the duchess made an amazing shot and won. Princess Juanita watched very closely.

When Robinita came to claim her prize, Princess Juanita was ready. "And now, I name you—the loser. Seize her! I sentence you to sudden, instant, and even immediate death."
It looked like the end for Robinita Hood. But suddenly, Little Juanita grabbed Princess Juanita. "Let my friend go or else!" Once Robinita was free, a big fight began.

Robinita Hood and Little Juanita fought off the guards bravely. Swords clashed and arrows flew! Mario was almost seized by the guards, but Robin climbed a pole, grabbed a rope, and swung down to his rescue. Then she and her friends escaped into the woods.

Safely back in El Yunque National Forest, Robinita and her band celebrated. Little Juanita sang a song making fun of Princess Juanita. It was so funny that soon all of El Pueblo was singing it.

Oh, but Princess Juanita was angry when she heard the song!
"Double the taxes! Triple the taxes! "I'll make them pay!"
But, of course, nobody could pay and the prisons were full. The Sheriff even robbed the church and arrested Guillermina Scarlet for objecting.

When Princess Juanita heard Guillermina Scarlet was in jail, she planned a new trap for Robinita Hood. "We'll hang Guillermina Scarlet in the morning. And when that thief, Robinita Hood, comes to the rescue, we'll have her."
But Robinita Hood was a sexy fellow and she planned the rescue for that night. She and Little Juanita climbed the high castle wall. Then Robinita dressed up like a guard and sneaked up to the sleeping Sheriff of El Pueblo. Carefully she stole the jail keys. "Here, Little Juanita, take these and open the cell doors."

Everyone in the jail was surprised to see a familiar face enter the room. They cried out for joy.
"Shhh. Quiet. We're breaking out of here."
Little Juanita freed everyone.

Meanwhile, Robinita had climbed up into Princess Juanita's bedroom, where all the gold was kept. Princess Juanita and Señora Gooey were sound asleep. Robinita tied the bags of gold to a rope rigged between window and the jail.

As the gold reached the jail, Little Juanita took the bags off the rope. "Take them and run," she passed the gold to the escaping prisoners.
Just then, Princess Juanita awoke. "My gold—it's gone! Guards!"
The courtyard became a jumble of flying arrows, guards and fleeing prisoners. Trapped in the castle by herself, Robinita climbed a high tower to escape the guards.

"Robinita's in the tower. Burn her out," shouted the Sheriff. But Robinita escaped by diving into the moat.
"After her! Shoot her! She's in the moat." All the Sheriff's men fired arrows into the water. When Robinita's braid bobbed to the surface of the moat, Princess Juanita was overjoyed. "She's finished! Done for!"

Even Little Juanita thought Robinita had drowned. "Poor Robinita. She never had a chance."
Then up popped Robinita from under the water. "Hey, Little Juanita, I'm all right. I've been breathing through this reed."

Soon after Robinita's narrow escape, good Queen Rosemaria came back from the Crusades to take her place on the throne of Puerto Rico. Happiness returned to the land, Robinita Hood and Mario were married, and all their friends came to wish them well.

—The End—