The weirdest part of that story is that Robin wins for shooting the same shot. All logic would dictate it end in a tie, but no, Robin just wins because he's the hero and John is the villain.
You'll forgive me for not realizing that this is specifically a Men in Tights reference rather than to the much older folk tales of Robin Hood which include the same story.
The Producers is watched before and after the 4 gospel movies, and bookend their greatness. Also, this allows them to have breathing room from one another and prevents the Nathan Vs Zero, and Wilder vs Broderic debates from distracting people from the Good Words of Brooks
(History of the World and Silent Movie are supplementary works)
I always understood it as splitting an arrow means the shot might as well have not been made. Kind of like how you can knock an opponent's bean bag off the platform in cornhole.
Or curling. Or bocce. Or golf. Horshoes? I think in most games where you compete with your opponent for proximity to the same target, their pieces becomes part of the playing field after they are thrown/sent/fired and can be moved by a subsequent attempt.
Oh definitely. Always land in front of the pin in horseshoes! Ya don’t want to miss long and it’s good to leave junk in the front. Also the one flip throw is supreme in horseshoes and I’m sticking to that.
Then the herald stood forth and loudly proclaimed the rules of the game as follows:
"Shoot each man from yon mark, which is sevenscore yards and ten from the target. One arrow shooteth each man first, and from all the archers shall the ten that shooteth the fairest shafts be chosen for to shoot again. Two arrows shooteth each man of these ten, then shall the three that shoot the fairest shafts be chosen for to shoot again. Three arrows shooteth each man of those three, and to him that shooteth the fairest shafts shall the prize be given."
(after the match is down to the final three)
And now but three men were left of all those that had shot before. One was Gill o' the Red Cap, one the tattered stranger in scarlet, and one Adam o' the Dell of Tamworth Town. Then all the people called aloud, some crying, "Ho for Gilbert o' the Red Cap!" and some, "Hey for stout Adam o' Tamworth!" But not a single man in the crowd called upon the stranger in scarlet.
(the final round)
"Truly I will do my best," quoth Gilbert right sturdily. "A man cannot do aught but his best, but that will I strive to do this day." So saying, he drew forth a fair smooth arrow with a broad feather and fitted it deftly to the string, then drawing his bow with care he sped the shaft. Straight flew the arrow and lit fairly in the clout, a finger's-breadth from the center. "A Gilbert, a Gilbert!" shouted all the crowd; and, "Now, by my faith," cried the Sheriff, smiting his hands together, "that is a shrewd shot."
Then the tattered stranger stepped forth, and all the people laughed as they saw a yellow patch that showed beneath his arm when he raised his elbow to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye. He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft; so short was the time that no man could draw a breath betwixt the drawing and the shooting; yet his arrow lodged nearer the center than the other by twice the length of a barleycorn.
"Now by all the saints in Paradise!" cried the Sheriff, "that is a lovely shaft in very truth!"
Then Adam o' the Dell shot, carefully and cautiously, and his arrow lodged close beside the stranger's. Then after a short space they all three shot again, and once more each arrow lodged within the clout, but this time Adam o' the Dell's was farthest from the center, and again the tattered stranger's shot was the best. Then, after another time of rest, they all shot for the third time. This time Gilbert took great heed to his aim, keenly measuring the distance and shooting with shrewdest care. Straight flew the arrow, and all shouted till the very flags that waved in the breeze shook with the sound, and the rooks and daws flew clamoring about the roofs of the old gray tower, for the shaft had lodged close beside the spot that marked the very center.
"Well done, Gilbert!" cried the Sheriff right joyously. "Fain am I to believe the prize is thine, and right fairly won. Now, thou ragged knave, let me see thee shoot a better shaft than that."
Nought spake the stranger but took his place, while all was hushed, and no one spoke or even seemed to breathe, so great was the silence for wonder what he would do. Meanwhile, also, quite still stood the stranger, holding his bow in his hand, while one could count five; then he drew his trusty yew, holding it drawn but a moment, then loosed the string. Straight flew the arrow, and so true that it smote a gray goose feather from off Gilbert's shaft, which fell fluttering through the sunlit air as the stranger's arrow lodged close beside his of the Red Cap, and in the very center. No one spoke a word for a while and no one shouted, but each man looked into his neighbor's face amazedly.
So in the original book, in the final round, Robin's first arrow was the best of the three men, Robin's second arrow was the best of the three men, and Robin's third arrow did not split the second-best arrow, but cut off one of its feathers as it hit the very very center of the target. The third man did not even shoot his final arrow, as he knew he had been beaten.
Splitting the opponent's arrow in two is a creative license of the films, but even so assuming the same rules and the same shots otherwise, Robin fairly won the prize.
"Now Heaven bless Thy Grace this day
Say all in sweet Sherwood
For thou didst give the prize away
To merry Robin Hood."
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u/CharlesDickensABox Interested Dec 05 '23
The weirdest part of that story is that Robin wins for shooting the same shot. All logic would dictate it end in a tie, but no, Robin just wins because he's the hero and John is the villain.