Trivia from the Hood Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

The first known reference to Robin Hood is in Piers Plowman, written by William Langland in 1377, and it refers to even older ballads. The "Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode", one of the oldest complete stories, was written in the 15th century. Other versions have been written by John Keats and Alfred, Lord Tennison.

A contemporary of Shakespeare, Anthony Munday, wrote two plays containing the Earl of Huntinton as a character.

Answer: True

He's the horse being ridden by Maid Marion during the attack in the woods, where Errol swings across on a vine and says "Welcome to Sherwood!".
I wonder why Trigger didn't fight off the merry men and carry Marion safely back to Nottingham?
There have been other famous "guest appearances" in the Robin Hood genre. Patrick Troughton, familiar as one of the many actors to portray Britain's Doctor Who, starred as Robin Hood in a live TV program in 1953. He also turned up a few times in the better remembered Richard Greene series.
Oh, and yes, the story is true - there's IS a car in one of the scenes.

Answer: Richard Greene

Richard Greene, star of the 1955 British TV series, is the grandson of William Friese-Greene.

Answer: 'The Black Arrow', by Robert Louis Stevenson

Ben Jonson wrote his adventure of Robin Hood in 1641, to be exact - "The Sad Shepheard, or a Tale of Robin Hood". A witch tries to break up Robin and Marion - with the help of the fairy Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow!
Guess which Robin wins?
Sir Walter Scott's story, incidentally, is the first time Robin is portrayed as a Saxon Noble. Up until then he was just a Yeoman, and not particularily anti-Norman. His usual victims were corrupt churchmen - monks, friars, and bishops.
Although Robert Louis Stevenson's story 'The Black Arrow' features characters in Lincoln green, wearing hoods and carrying bows, it is set during The War of the Roses.
Piers Plowman is believed to be the first appearance, at least in print, of 'Robin Hood'.
Maybe they were Robin's great-great grandchildren?

Answer: Friar Tuck

In fact, the earliest stories include an adventure in which Little John impersonates a fat friar - this may be the origin of the character. Tuck was not only a good fighter, he was a great animal trainer - when he first met Robin, he had a pack of dogs that fought off the Merry Men.

Answer: All of them have a claim

In his later days, when Robin and his band returned to outlawry, he is supposed to have made his camp, not in Sherwood, but near Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. A local pile of stones is called "Robin's Castle" Lincoln, of course, is where he and his men went to get their clothes of Lincoln green.
Yorkshire has the best claim. Several stories have Robin Hood living there, rather than in Nottinghamshire, and several traditions say Robin was born in Yorkshire.

Answer: Little John

Far from being a dumb ox, the original John Little was clever, and had several adventures of his own in the early stories. One of the earliest has him impersonate a friar, and some scholars believe that this was the inspiration for the later character of Friar Tuck.

Answer: True

In 1640, the Robins, led by Alexander Popham, lost in the elections, but still sided with Cromwell and the Parliament forces. Robin has often been used for political purposes. One tale has him take to the sea and stop French pirates.

Answer: True

Robin the Boy Wonder? He was billed in the Forties as "the young, laughing Robin Hood of Today". The costume was said to be based on Robin Hood's, too.(Funny - I don't remember Errol wearing lime-green shorts.)
Incidentally, the earliest known Canadian comic book was a Robin Hood comic. "Robin Hood and Company" was first published in 1941, and was based on a comic strip of the same name first published in 1935.

Answer: All of these

Shakespeare mentions him in 'As You Like It'; Mark Twain has Tom Sawyer playing Robin Hood, and Sir Walter makes Robin a character in 'Ivanhoe'.
For more information on Robin and his band, go to www.boldoutlaw.com.
Thanks for playing.