Robin Hood!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

a. Did Robin Hood really exist?

The first reference to Robin Hood is in the Farmer Peter (Peter the Labrador) by WilliamLangland (1377), where the lazy, a lazy priest, said: "I know the rhymes of Robin Hood. " Three years later, the Scottish chronicler John Fordun wrote about the character of Robin Hoodballads: "Please, better than everyone else.


b. What was he famous for?

Robin Hood became a popular folk figure starting in mediaval times continuing through modern literature films and televison!

c. Where was he from?

England.

d. Can you write a few lines about the story?

The 19th century ballad scholar Francis Child collected 38 separate Robin Hood ballads (and variant versions of them) in his ballad collection -- as well as a few other ballads which featured Robin Hood in some versions but not in others. Composed over hundreds of years, these ballads form the Robin Hood legend. Scenes from these tales have been used in many novels, movies and television shows.

Other sites have large ballad collections. I don't wish to duplicate their efforts. So, I only offer a handful of ballads.

I have used ballads from the 17th century and afterwards. I prefer the earlier ballads, but I think these later ones are written in easily understood English and don't need footnotes.

Also, I've included Alfred Noyes' Sherwood. And you'll find the first of Clayton Emery's Robin and Marian mysteries here too. And finally I've added two comic book stories from the 1950s.

You can also play one of the tunes used for many of the ballads.