Little John a Begging
Encyclopedia
Little John A Begging is Child ballad 142 and about Robin Hood
. It exists in two variants, one fragmentary.
sends Little John
out, disguised as a beggar. In the fragmentary one, Little John apparently exchanges clothing with a beggar, as the surviving ballads opens with his complaint that they do not fit. In both variants, he meets up with beggars who realize that he is not one of their company. They fight, and Little John wins.
The fragmented version breaks off there, but in the complete one, Little John discovers they were carrying a great deal of money and takes it.
, in his The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
, transferred this adventure to Robin.
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. It exists in two variants, one fragmentary.
Synopsis
In one variant, Robin HoodRobin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
sends Little John
Little John
Little John was a legendary fellow outlaw of Robin Hood, and was said to be Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.-Folklore:He appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories...
out, disguised as a beggar. In the fragmentary one, Little John apparently exchanges clothing with a beggar, as the surviving ballads opens with his complaint that they do not fit. In both variants, he meets up with beggars who realize that he is not one of their company. They fight, and Little John wins.
The fragmented version breaks off there, but in the complete one, Little John discovers they were carrying a great deal of money and takes it.
Adaptations
Howard PyleHoward Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
, in his The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood of Great Renown in Nottinghamshire is an 1883 novel by the American illustrator and writer Howard Pyle. Consisting of a series of episodes in the story of the English outlaw Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, the novel compiles traditional material into a...
, transferred this adventure to Robin.
External links
- Little John A Begging, both variants
- Little John A Begging, with commentary