Olde English
Although it has never been established that Robin Hood existed in real life, references to his lore began to appear in 13th century England. The ballad Robin Hood and the Monk, one of the oldest Robin Hood tales, written around 1450 A.D., sets up the classic legend of the hero and his conflict with an unspecified local sheriff. Above is an illustration of Robin Hood's Merry Men by Lucy Fitch Perkins.

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