The cassette tape continues to play and Alexander begins to speak in his weakened voice, "Hello there, this is Alexander Alighieri. We are going to jump straight into what I have to say, for time is against me. Whilst venturing in the circle of greed, I met a man by the name of Robin Hood. I was astounded to find Robin Hood, my boyhood hero, in the Inferno. So I decided to go over and talk with him.  I asked Robin how he ended up in the Inferno."
Robin Hood replied, "Sir, what is your name and why do you ask?" 
I responded, "Well, sir, I am Alexander Alighieri. I am taking a journey of sorts here in the Inferno." Robin Hood asked me if I was dead. I had forgotten that detail, and explained to him that I was a visitor in the Inferno. I then told Robin Hood, "You are hero and savior to the poor! Why are you in the Inferno?"
Robin Hood rolled his eyes at me and said in an agitated tone, "Why does everyone insist I was such a good guy? I am not the hero people have made me out to be."
 I replied to him, "Whatever do you mean?" Robin straightened me out.
Robin started with his side of the story. "Everyone knows of my adventures, but they do not know about my dark deeds. Everyone always hears about Robin Hood the Prince of Thieves. But not a single one of them has a clue about the real Robin Hood. Now you will learn about the real Robin Hood. When we stole money I gave very little of it to the poor. To them I was giving a lot, but in reality I gave very little. I felt I needed the gold for myself. So I said the hell with them; it’s all about Robin Hood. Screw the poor; they do not deserve it."

I was shocked by this revelation. I proceeded to ask Robin in an almost desperate tone, "But why Robin Hood? Why would you do that?"

Robin Hood snapped at me, "I am the one who put my neck on the line, not them. I wanted as much money as I could get. Why should I give them anything?"

I apologized for angering Robin and asked him why he was filled with greed. Robin Hood with little remorse in his voice replied, "It was my gold, not theirs."

I then asked bluntly, "What is your punishment here in the Inferno?"

Robin Hood told me, "Well, when I arrived, the Judges were not sure what to do with me. You see, I murdered and stole from people. But after a close examination of my life, they could see greed was my sin. My greed outweighed far anything else I did. So, now I get to stay here for eternity. Meanwhile, the people I kept the gold from get to spend it frivolously." After a slight pause, Robin muttered under his breath, "When I think about that I want to throw up. Those pigs spending my money, damn them."

I thought to myself, "The world is wrong about you, Robin, completely wrong. The Robin Hood we know in our stories is generous and helps the poor.  He does not despise them and hoard his money away." So I decided to ask him, "Why did you want keep the money?"
Robin Hood replied nonchalantly, "No reason at all. I just wanted as much of it as I could get, pure and simple."

I then asked him, "Was killing a problem for you?"

His reply was disturbing to say the least.  "Not one bit," he replied. "Actually one of my favorite killings was Guy of Gisbourne." Robin, observing my quizzical brow, began his tale, "You see, Guy was sent to kill me by that dumb old Sheriff of Nottingham. The idiot first tested my archery skills to see if I was the mighty Robin Hood. After I won, Guy told me that it was time to die. We dueled and I killed him with my sword. Now I knew the Sheriff was supposed to meet Guy. So I devised a plan and put on Guy's clothes. Then I hacked off Guy's head and sliced his face up so they would not recognize it. The reason was so that they would think it was my head. I put the finishing touches on the head by donning it with my hat. I then blew the horn Guy was carrying on him. This was the signal that I, Robin Hood, was dead. One of the Sheriff's men shot a signal arrow and I knew where to go. As I approached the Sheriff's camp, I saw Little John tied to a tree. So, quickly, I devised a new plan. I brushed past all the guards and pulled my sword from its sheath. I then sliced the ropes holding Little John and spun around. I pulled my bow with an arrow and fired it into the heart of the Sheriff, that bastard. You should have seen him weep for mercy. It was a very comical sight." Robin Hood had a twinkle in his eye when he spoke of these killings.

I sat with Robin, wondering why he was not in a deeper circle for his murderous acts. His greed must fill his heart because his lust for murder seemed deeper. I bid Robin Hood a farewell and off I went. I bet you are as shocked as I was. Well, that concludes side one. Please flip the tape over to find out who the next hero I meet is.


Author's Note: My story here is two stories in one. First off, there is Alexander making a journey into Dante's Inferno and reaching the Circle of Greed. Secondly, I used Robin Hood, and his battle with Guy of Gisbourne. I took some creative liberties with Robin Hood, making him extremely greedy. I tried to push the idea that he was furious that people were spending the money that he once hoarded. That was his punishment because he knew they had the gold and his heart is filled with rage because of it. In the Middle Ages the tales of Robin Hood showed him to be a bandit or a thief. In the modern era, movies have recreated him to be a hero doing what is right. I wanted to open the idea that maybe Robin was not such a good guy; instead, maybe he was a black-hearted monster. Robin Hood really did kill and mutilate Guy's corpse and killed the Sheriff in the original story. Robin Hood was a complicated guy; he was what we would call in the wrestling industry a "tweener," someone who plays in the gray area between good guy and bad guy. He is not completely good or bad. Robin does enough of both to be neither, if that makes any sense. He killed Guy in a heinous way but then he saved Little John from certain death and what gold he steals he gives away.