Robin Hood was a (0) POPULAR (POPULATION) hero who 'stole from the rich to give to the poor', according to English 1FOLK and tradition. Whether or not there really was a person named Robin Hood who lived the outlaw life in the forest with a 'merry band of men' is 2KNOW .
Some 3HISTORY believe that 'Robin Hood' was in fact an alias used by 4THIEF of the time and that the legend arose because there were so many accounts of activities attributed to the name. Certainly there are stories from many different English regions associated with Robin. He may also have been a figurehead for 5OPPOSE to the Norman rulers of England.
The stories of Robin Hood often involve other 6MEMORY characters, such as forest-dwelling giant Little John, the greedy monk Friar Tuck, the musical Alan a Dale, Will Scarlett and Robin's love interest, Maid Marian. The villain of the story is the Sheriff of Nottingham, who is often portrayed as a money-grabbing 7TYRANNY with a 8HATE of Robin Hood. Poems, songs and plays about Robin Hood can be traced back to the 12th century, and the story has been adapted for TV and Hollywood many times.