Robin Hood (1984–1986): Season 2, Episode 2 - The Children of Israel - full transcript

In thirty two wonderful paths of wisdom
did Jah, Jehovah the God of Israel,

the Elohim of the living, the King of ages,
the merciful and gracious God,

the exalted one,
the Dweller in eternity most high and holy

engrave his name by the three Sepharim -
Numbers Letters and Sounds.

Samuel, Esther - don't bother your father!

-Why is he reading on the Sabbath Sarah?
-He studies the mysteries of the Cabala.

-What's the Cabala, Father?
The Cabala is an ancient wisdom.

Handed down to us from the time of Moses
and not meant for little children

nor for the ignorant.

And it's said that if evil man should look
on its secrets,

the power of the book would overwhelm them!



Good Sabbath, everyone!

I don't think he's ever coming.

After all it was only a rumour.
-No it's more than that.

There's only one man who knows
when the sheriff would be back,

-Tomorrow.
-Tomorrow?

Are you certain?

You're becoming a nuisance De Talmont.
He'll be here tomorrow.

Anyway...

I have the authority to deal with
whatever it is you want to see him about.

-My business is with the Sheriff.
-I am the Sheriff.

The real Sheriff.

Then come back tomorrow.
And blame yourself for another wasted visit.

What's the matter with him?
Is he still sick?

I beg you my lord to let my father
rest a while.



Please, my lord!
-If he must...

-This isn't a hospital.
-Thank you, my lord.

A poacher, my lord.

A poacher.

See - red handed.

And soon one-handed!

Do it now, Captain.

-No!
-Captain?

Any news of Robin Hood?
-None, my lord.

Nothing's been heard of him for days.

-It's daft.
-Eight days and not a sign of him!

-Which road will he take?
-This one.

-John doesn't think so...
-Well, we'll see, won't we?

There's only two roads to Nottingham.
It has to be one or the other.

-He could come through Sherwood.
Sherwood's ours. And he knows it.

I don't think he would risk it.

Send me a rich Sheriff with his wagons
groaning with money...

We've always kept on the move.
Even in Sherwood.

And now we're stuck out here like fleas on
a pigs back, and anyone could take us!

-Robin says...
-I don't care what he says!

-Calm down, Will.
-We're always listening to him!

You're right Nasir.

He'll get over it.
- He might, but I reckon he's got itchy feet.

-You think he'd leave us?
-Maybe.

It's been brewing for some time as this.

There's something wrong between him
and Robin

and unless they get is sorted out,
we'll lose him.

What the devil is the matter with you?

A gentle slope and you sweat
and pant like farrowing sows!

Push!

Damn you, push!

Well, don't just sit there!
Help them!

Go on! Get a move on!

Is he coming yet, Robin?

-Not yet.
-Why don't he?

-He will.
-How'll we let the others know?

I've told you before, Much. We'll send
a signal arrow into the sky, over the valley.

And they'll send over the hill
if the Sheriff comes the other way.

Right, I forgot.

What are you thinking?

Is it Will?

-Why don't you say something.
-It's for him to speak first.

-But he won't. He's too...
-Stiff-necked...

He questions everything.

There can't be two leaders.
-Then tell him.

-Is it?
-Aye.

-There's a lot of 'em.
-There won't be, time we've finished.

-I'll make the signal.
-We don't need them.

-John, they'll see the signal.
-Don't be daft. We've got to signal.

-They'll see it, John.
-Four of us - against that lot?

-Four or seven - what's the difference?
-Robin.

Come on, John, we can do it!

Think of taking that cart over the hill.

Picture Robin's face, eh?
-I suppose so.

-Let's do it.
-Be a good'un wouldn't it?

Be worth all the hanging about wouldn't it?
-Alright.

-You game?
-Aye.

It is no game.

Where the devil's Gisburne?

Ready?

Outlaws!

We're attacked!
Spread out!

Keep moving!

There!
Over there!

Get on to them!

My God, there're over there too!

Tuck!

Shoot!
Now!

Idiots!

I'll never lift him.

Help me!

Don't let them escape!

Get on to them!

Go on! Don't let them escape!

You fools!
You stupid fools!

Fools!

Why did you do it?
You knew the plan!

You had plenty of time to signal.
You must have!

It was you, wasn't it?
Wasn't it?

Look, we were unlucky.

"Unlucky".

Is that all you can say, Scarlet?
"We were unlucky"?

You're wrong.

Tuck was unlucky. Not you.

-But if he dies...
-Are you threatening me?

I'm telling you.

Don't you ever turn away
when I speak to you!

Now you listen to every word I say.

We're all to blame, Robin.

Why can't you admit we were wrong?

Because we were unlucky!

Gisburne!

Bow, damn you, bow!

-My lord - I - I thought...
-You thought, did you Gisburne?

What a pity I wasn't here.

When did you have this thought of yours?

While I was in London?
Or more recently?

Surely such an earth-shattering event
would linger in the memory.

Or was it this morning - perhaps?

While I was being attacked?
-Attacked, my lord?

Ten miles from Nottingham.

By Robin Hood's men.
Get out of my way!

That was when I had my thought, Gisburne.

D'you know what it was?
A simple, uncomplicated thought.

Where is Gisburne!

Where is the escort
I asked for in my letter.

Your letter?

Your letter, my lord, says you will be back
in four days,

dated on the eighth.
-The seventh, Gisburne.

-Don't try to get out of it.
-But my lord...

- But...
- But?!

You're the butt of everyone in Nottingham,
aren't you?

-You insult me!
- I do and I will

as long as you continue to give me cause!

I'm not your whipping boy!

Aren't you Gisburne?

Anyway - I drove them off.

Had you been there I'd have finished them.

-What do you want?
-Payment, my lord.

D'you know what you remind me
of de Talmont?

A leech.

A blood sucking leech.

Your sickness needs more than a leech
my lord Sheriff.

Envy is hatred without a cure.

Envy?

-Why should I envy you?
-Why indeed?

It often puzzles me!
-A money lender!

Money lending is
the price of our existence.

You were willing enough to borrow,

"Retire without supper
and rise without debt".

What nauseating hypocrisy!

-How could a Jew thrive without debtors?
-Debtors won't make me thrive, Sheriff!

That's why I'm standing here!

-You forget who I am.
-Not at all.

You're my servant.
-Your what?!

Certainly.
You borrowed money from me.

"The borrower is servant to the lender."
Book of Proverbs.

Part of your bible, as well as ours.
-I'll have your flesh whipped off your back!

It won't discharge your debt, my lord.
It would be more honourable for you

and much less painful for me
to let me have the money.

-Guards! !
-However...

If you continue to withhold
what is legally mine

I shall have no alternative
but to inform the king.

Our people have served the kings of England
for the last 200 years.

Our finance has built his churches
and his castles.

We are answerable to him -

and only to him.

It would be as well
not to lose sight of that.

My lord Sheriff.

Come, Sarah!

Gisburne.

He's made his own rope, Gisburne.

It only remains to put it around his neck!

-How is he?
-Bad.

Can you hear me, Tuck?

It Marion.

Robin?

He won't die, will he?

We have to get back into Sherwood

before Gisburne catches us.

-Where could we take Tuck?
-To Calverton.

It's only a couple of miles.
We'll need a cart.

-Much!
-What?

Go into Calverton and get a cart.
We've helped them enough times.

Right!

Come on, get a move on!

It all seems rather a muddle Gisburne...

I suppose I can cope with it -

You're too young to remember King
Richard's coronation, aren't you?

No my lord.

I was there with my father.
-Were you?

Splendid affair, wasn't it?
-Yes, my lord.

The people of London went mad with joy.

They did, my lord.

And killed most of the Jews.

One way to celebrate I suppose.
-Yes, my lord. That's what my father said.

It was attributed to crusading mania
at the time.

But I think it was something else.
They just needed a little encouragement.

Not difficult.

Same thing happened in York a year later.

And it could very easily happen
in Nottingham,

couldn't it, Gisburne?

-I suppose it could.
-And I propose it will.

Outlaws!

-Why didn't you send the cart?
-We can't have you here. It's too dangerous.

-We'll be gone by morning.
-You're outlaws.

-We've helped you enough times in the past.
Surely that has to mean something.

Something. But not enough.
What's wrong with going back to Sherwood?

Sherwood's hours from here.
He needs to rest now.

-Well he can't.
-Cowards!

Move on! Leave us in peace!

We'll go.

Nothing's forgotten.

Nothing's ever forgotten.

Poor!
Oppressed!

And the gutless!

Have you been good?

-Yes father - very good!
-But not too good

At least you be eaten up!
-Run along now. Father is tired.

You made an enemy today.

The man who never made an enemy
never made anything.

I saw how he looked at you.

I belong to the king. That's why he hates me
and why he must pay his debt.

Oh, he'll wriggle and threaten -
but in the end - he'll pay.

-I wonder.
We are god's flies, Sarah.

And time will free the fly
and cage the eagle.

-Where am I little flower?
-In Sherwood.

-All of us?
-All of us.

-No - no - don't move!
-My head feels like a pumpkin!

Just lie still.

Robin, don't take it to heart.
They were frightened, all of them.

We risked our lives for them.
Time and time again.

They turned us away.

We could've been strangers.
-So you can see it.

It's all been for nothing.
They're not worth fighting for.

They're serfs and they always will be.

We could've been rich, everyone of us.

But no,

you had to believe that Herne had chosen you.

That you were going to give people hearts

give 'em hope and maybe - just maybe
the will to fight.

Why?

Why don't you be honest to yourself?

You're just an outlaw

and that's all you'll ever be!

The Archer again...
and Satan in the house of the scorpion.

Danger...

Why have you come?

-To break faith with you.
-You cannot.

You were chosen.
-Then choose another.

There is no other.

The little ones will hide in terror.
The book of power will take revenge.

Your arrows must be ready.

The target's too far.

My aim is lost!
-Then aim again.

For what purpose?
To what end?

There is no end and no beginning.

It is enough to aim.

And the lord called, "Samuel" .
And it woke him up.

So he got out of bed and ran in to Eli

and said
"Here I am, what do you want?"

And Eli said "go back to bed,
I didn't call you .

Sarah!

-Who brought this Esther?
-A man.

-What man?
-His face was hidden in a hood.

I warned you father!

-"Leave Nottingham".
-It's a trick to get us outside.

No. The danger is real. I've seen it

"The Sheriff means to kill you."
-Where shall we go?

To Lincoln. To my brothers house. And to
the family of Aaron, your betrothed.

Come let's prepare.

We spread a rumour the Jews used the blood
of a Christian child to smear on their door posts.

Come on!
That way!

Kill her!
Kill!

- Father!
-It's alright, Sarah.

If anything should happen to me no one
except my brother must open this book.

Remember! It is the Shepherd Yetzirah, sacred
and secret knowledge not meant for profane eyes.

Come!
Quickly!

Harder! Harder!

Wipe'em!

They were warned! They must have been!
One man we wanted.

Listen, captain! They've all died,
you understand? All of them.

If Sheriff learns they escaped...
-I understand, my lord.

Come on!
Let's kill the rest of them!

-Curse those villagers!
-It won't bring Scarlet back.

It's not Scarlet I'm thinking about.

I'm tired of his riddles! And then he said,
it was enough to take aim. What does it mean?

I might as well shoot at the moon!

I thought they believed in us.
I thought they'd began to take heart...

And the first time -the very first time we
need their help - they drive us away.

Don't you see Robin?

They've done more damage rejecting you, then
Sheriff and all his men at arms could ever do...

What are you going to do about it?

We're gonna find Will.

-Rest father.
-No we must keep on going.

Why do they hate us ?

Because it's easier to hate
than to understand.

They hate each other for the same reason

No - no - for the same lack of reason.

-And... De Talmont?
-There's not one Jew left alive in Nottingham.

Good.

You'd better hang some of the rioters,
Gisburne.

Just to demonstrate my anger
at this atrocity.

And I'll write a suitably outraged
letter to the king.

-Was there much silver?
-It's being brought here under guard.

Most of its to go into the Royal Treasury.

That'll please him.
-Most of it?

Yes, Gisburne - most of it.

I must have something for my trouble surely.
-And what about me?

I can see I've been away too long.

Your money.

Give it to him, Sarah.

-You're Jews!
-We are. What are you?

Lucky I reckon.

-What else have you got?
-Nothing you would want!

I'll be the judge of that.

-Please!
-We've given you our money, please let us go.

No, please.
This is a sacred book.

I beg you. Don't.
-I don't want your book!

No.
Not that!

Take this - but leave the Menorah!

I don't want your rings or your
candlesticks!

I got what I want!

Go on your way!

-He's gone, Robin. Let it rest.
-No.

-He could be anywhere Robin
-But he isn't anywhere.

He's somewhere -
and we're going to find him.

Herne... Guide me...

This way!

-What is it?
-There's someone following us!

-I cannot see them!
-No, but I can hear them!

Horsemen!

Well, De Talmont -
and where d'you think you're going?

Gisburne!

He's gone my lord.

Gone?

-Where did you find this?
-In the house of Joshua de Talmont, my lord.

-Are you telling me, de Talmont's escaped?
-Yes, my lord.

-I was told otherwise.
-Sir Guy wanted it kept from you.

Yes, of course we would, wouldn't he.

-You found this?
-Yes, my lord.

-And kept it from Gisburne?
-I know his hand, my lord.

Yes, Captain. So do I...

-Why?
-Well...

It's not easy to - to put into words.

You came to the castle with your father several
times. You must have noticed my interest.

-Your - "interest"?
-More than interest.

I saw you looking at me,
if that's what you mean.

It's part of what I mean.
I find myself - attracted to you.

Do you? And does the Sheriff know
you were "interested" in a Jewess?

I've left the Sheriff.
I've taken enough insults.

Why should I go on being belittled.

Why should I continue to serve him
knowing I'm the better man?

I mean to take service with the Earl
of Chester. You're coming with me.

I don't mind that you're a Jewess.
That can be changed when I marry you.

-You're going to marry me?
-Yes.

-So simple.
-No - it won't be simple.

- No, I am betrothed to Aaron of Lincoln.
-That's unimportant. It can be dealt with.

-The way you dealt with my people in Nottingham?
-That was a riot...

Which you know was going to happen.
Didn't you?

You must have done, because you warned us.
Why didn't you warn the others?

That wasn't part of the plan.
Besides...

..there was nothing I could do.
I was only obeying orders.

But you didn't obey orders, did you?

You decided who would die and
who would live! You. You decided.

But I've saved you! I've saved your family!
Don't you understand?

Oh yes, I understand. It's you that doesn't.

-Listen to me, Sarah...
-No. You listen to me.

Everything about you disgusts me.

Your cruelty and your arrogance.
Your ignorance and conceit.

How could you think I could marry you?

You - with my people's blood on your hands.
To be your wife!

To renounce everything I believe in!

I despise you. I loathe you!

And I'd rather die
than have anything to do with you!

You're hysterical.
It's been an ordeal, I know.

But I see you need a man
to match your spirit.

Let me go!
Let me go!

Leave her alone!

-D'you want them to die?
-No!

Where are you taking her?

-Sarah!
-She's to be mine, De Talmont.

You cannot do this. It is forbidden!

-Let her go! Let her go!
-Wait here!

Wait here!
Gisburne!

Gisburne, bring her back!
Gisburne!

Gisburne!

I beg you. Let her go!

Gisburne!

I beg you, Gisburne!

We must wait where we are!
He'll come back. I know he will!

Sarah!

Father!

-What is it?
-Noises. From here.

Does anyone see anything?

-Nasir?
-Horsemen. Three, maybe four...

Bit of a mystery, this.

What are you doing down there?
It's all right. I won't hurt you.

It's children.

-Poor little devils.
-Come on. It's quite safe now.

-We want to help.
-To help?

What are you doing in Sherwood on your own?

Find me on my own at this time of the day.

Shalom.

They are Jews.

-Do you know any English?
-Yes.

-D'you know any of their talk Nasir?
-A little.

-Where is your mother?
-Mother is dead.

-And your father?
-He's looking for - the man who -

who took Sarah.
-Who is Sarah?

Our sister.

Don't cry.

Don't you worry, because we're gonna
find them. I promise you that.

Tuck, Much...
Stay with them.

John, Nasir...
We're going hunting.

Which way do these footprints show?

Robin!

-He's alive.
-Stay with him, John.

Get him back to the others.
Nasir?

Gisburne...

The horse is lame.

Get down!

What's the matter with you?

Listen. Your old life is over.

I can give you everything you want -
don't you understand?

-I'll kill myself before I marry you.
-Don't be so stupid.

We'll rest. We've a long journey ahead.

Nasir, it's Will!
Stop him.

You could've killed me!

-You looking for Gisburne?
-Gisburne?

-He's got the girl with him!
-Where?

Come on.

My father will appeal to the king.

Let him. All Jews belong to the king.

You're his property. I'll buy you from him!

Gisburne!

-I want the girl, Gisburne!
-She's mine, Wolfshead!

After them!

You've been practising Gisburne.

Drop it, Gisburne.
Drop it.

Good boy.

-We were looking for you.
-You found me, didn't you?

Here.

-You robbed them?
-Well...

I've been wrong before...

I am not saying you're right all the time,
because you're not.

But...

you - you brought us all together - and...

there's only one leader.

Well that's it.

Gisburne...

Hello!

Do you realize you are now the tallest
man in Sherwood?

Now!

I can't say I approve of your company,
De Talmont.

Though there's not much to choose between
outlaws and outcasts is there.

Don't move!

-Where's Gisburne?
-He took my daughter

Yes, I thought that must be it.

He's very... susceptible.

Where's the King of Sherwood?

Captain...
The boy.

No!

-He's hunting Gisburne.
-How ironic! So am I!

But I seem to have done better
than I dare to hope.

Down.

-How did you find us?
-We found your servant.

And - after a little persuasion
she told us you were heading for Lincoln.

Keeping off the roads, of course.

-The Sheriff's got them.
-Has he?

-Yes.
-Well, let's do it now.

-We can't, Will.
-What do you mean "we can't"?

Children.

Captain...

Search the baggage.
-Soldier.

What beautiful workmanship, De Talmont.

Must be priceless!
Any other trinkets?

A book.

-Let me see it.
-I warn you, Sheriff.

Warn me?

What is it? A book of spells?

How to turn lead into gold perhaps?
-Do not open the book!

How absurd!

No!

Sheriff...

No!
No!

No!

Keep away from me.
Keep away!

The serpents!

See how they curl like smoke!

Thicker and thicker!

There!

There!
There!

My hands!
My hands!

Rotting!

Look...

See the leeches - the leeches!

They're all plotting against me!

They're pulling me down!
Down!

Fingers - fingers at my throat.

The dead are coming out of their graves!

Dragging me under the slime!

I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.

Get them away!
Get them away from me.

Their breath -
the stinking stinking breath

One night they'll come -
they'll come when I'm asleep

and the daggers will stab -
stab - stab!

Do you know who I am Sheriff?

Tie him up!

-Are you going to hang us?
-You haven't been judged.

-Who accuses these men?
-I accuse them!

They plotted, to kill my father!
To kill all of us!

They murdered the Jews in Nottingham!

Eye for eye: tooth for tooth!

They must die!
-And I say let them live.

The most beautiful thing anyone can do,
Sarah, is to forgive.

It is also the sweetest form of revenge.

You've been sentenced. Sheriff.

On your way!

You'll be our guests until you are ready
to leave for Lincoln.

Nasir will show you the way.

Sir - what did he see in the book
that made him go mad?

His own wickedness.