Robin's Merry Men

Robin Hood would, of course, be nothing without his faithful band of Merry Men. From Little John and Friar Tuck, to Maid Marian and Will Scarlett, we take a look at this motley crew of faithful fugitives. Read on below to discover their own individual stories and how they came to join the Merry Men...

Little John

Perhaps the most well-known of the Merry Men, Little John appears in all of the six original tales, but his story is given more detail in later centuries.

John and Robin were both yeomen - a low ranking military officer - and therefore had lots in common. John is usually described as a giant of his day and a highly skilled fighter. During their first meeting, John refuses to let Robin cross a bridge and a fight ensues. Being a giant of seven feet and a highly skilled fighter, John wins the battle, but eventually agrees to join Robin and his men.

John is described as a steadying influence on Robin’s wild character, showing patience when Robin is moody, irritable and argumentative with him, but depsite this they often fall out. When Robin’s temper gets him into trouble John is constantly coming to the rescue. 

Maid Marian

While Maid Marian dips in and out of the original Robin Hood tales, her story goes much deeper than that of Robin's other comrades and her character is much more intricate than first impressions may have you believe.

With the return of crusaders in the 11^th century, stories of the Virgin Mary, St Mary of Egypt and even the merrymaid (or mermaid) were brought back to England, forming the basis of Marian’s character. This female archetype, made up of an entangled mix of Eastern and European mythology and folklore, fascinated so many people that many began covertly practising ‘Mary-worship’ under the cult of ‘Mary-Gipsy’, which would eventually lead to the moniker ‘Merry England’.

Later introduced into the Robin Hood tales as part of English May festivities during the Tudor era, Marian was essentially the May Queen, put in role to wed Robin, who had by then become ‘the man in green’ and spirit of spring during the fertility celebrations.

Throughout centuries, varying depictions of Marian are cast, from strong and able to chaste and delicate. In French variants she also had a boyfriend called Robin and was a sweet and innocent shepherdess, while in English versions, she became a bawdy wench, played by a boy in drag as part of a Morris dance. In a play in 1560 she is even identified as ‘a lady free’ who could be given as prize to Friar Tuck.

Friar Tuck

Friar Tuck, the jolly monk of Robin's Band, first appears in one of the original tales, known as Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar. In this story Robin and his men are bragging of their fighting prowess when WIll Scarlett tells of a friar in Fountain Abbey who he believes could beat both Robin and Little John in a fight. Robin vows not to eat or drink until he meets the friar, and when he finally finds him by a riverside, he is feeling weary. He asks the monk to carry him across the water, and Tuck, being a good, holy man obliges, but once on the other side, he draws his sword and demands Robin carry him back. Robin agrees, only to once again demand the friar carry him across when they reach the bank, and Friar Tuck again agrees, only to throw him in the water half way. Robin blows his horn and within moments the Merry Men appear, while Tuck has whistled for a pack of dogs to defend him. At this point they decide to become friends, and Friar Tuck joins the men.

In 1560 the play ‘Robin Hood and the Friar’ shows that his character has become fixed by adopting the name of ‘Friar Tuck’. This was the alias of Robert Stafford, a chaplain and a leader of a gang of robbers in Sussex in 1417 – yes, a real outlaw!

Will Scarlett

Will appears in a supporting role in a number of the original tales. Today we associate him with the colour, so he is depicted in film and books as wearing red instead of everyone else’s Lincoln Green. However originally his name appears in different forms, including Scadlock, Scalok, Scarlock, and Scathelok, before settling on Scarlett. You can see his grave in the churchyard at Blidworth.

Much, the Miller’s Son

The original tales suggest Much was just a boy. However he was as good an outlaw as a full grown man. Much comes into his own in Robin Hood and the Monk when he is called upon by Little John to help rescue Robin.

Allan-a-Dale

This wandering minstrel of the band does not appear in the early ballads but takes lead role in his own 18th century story. The Merry Men come across the forlorn Allan, whose sweetheart is betrothed to an old knight against her will. On the day of the wedding Robin ambushes the ceremony, forcing the bishop to stop the wedding, and then performs the marriage himself while dressed in the bishop's robes.

Click here to read about Robin Hood's enemies.