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Wait a minute. Robin Hood steals money from my pocket, forcing me to hurt the public, and they love him for it? That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas!
— Sheriff of Nottingham ‧ Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker is indignant that a thief takes their money, supposedly forcing them to mistreat the public, yet is the one adored. Their petulant answer is to cancel every small kindness they can name, including gentler executions and Christmas itself. The outrage is self-serving and darkly comic.
Context reviewed