Book Review: 'The Last Unicorn' - "Chapter 5"

Molly Grue from the film. Source

In which we are introduced to the other side character of the story, Molly Grue.

"Chapter 5"

The kidnapped Schmendrick and the horsemen travel through the woods and are stopped by someone asking for a password. After some back and forth, the sentry allows Jack Jingly and the rest to pass. 

They enter a small clearing in the woods where there is a campfire with ten or twelve men surrounding it. A red-haired man asks Jack who the newcomer is. He then calls for someone in the background to bring soup. Jack tries to tell the story of how he and his men met Schmendrick, but a woman steps forward and answers the red-haired man, saying "'the soup's no thicker than sweat as it is!'" She looks at Schmendrick and demands he be slit since he's not a townsman. Worried, Schmendrick slides off Jack's horse and introduces himself. He then asks the red-haired man if he is truly Captain Cully. Cully states that he is. He introduces Schmendrick to the woman named Molly Grue. 

Cully invites Schmendrick to the campfire and asks him what others say about himself and his men. The magician says all that he knows about Captain Cully, which he bases more on knowledge of folklore more than knowledge of Cully. He mentions King Haggard, and Cully shuns the name. Schmendrick mentions he knows a ballad about Cully that is sung in his country. Cully calls for his minstrel Willie Gentle to come forward and sing the song with his lute. Willie comes up and does just that. Afterward, Cully dismisses Willie and asks the magician if he is Mr. Child who seeks ballads, and the magician answers no. 

Cully asks Willie to sing another song. A man in the background asks for a song about Robin Hood. This leads to a heated conversation among Cully, Molly, and the rest of the group about how Cully and his men are nothing like the fictional Robin Hood and his merry men. Annoyed, Captain Cully asks Willie to play the songs, and Willie refuses. Cully is about to punch Willie, but Schmendrick steps in and offers to amuse the group.

The magician performs various feats similar to what he did at the Midnight Carnival. The rest cheers him on even though he flubs some of his magic tricks. While juggling some magic balls, Schmendrick drops the balls as they had been growing brighter. He closes his eyes and tells the magic "Do as you will." After saying those words, he falls on his knees.

Schmendrick opens his eyes a moment later, and he and the rest see a peculiar sight: Robin Hood and his band of merry men walking in the woods. Captain Cully doesn't believe what he sees, but his group and Molly Grue leave the campfire and head toward the figures. Cully looks at Schmendrick and laments how he will never be known because of the tales of Robin Hood. He then proceeds to sing the songs that Willie Gentle had sung before.