Little John Contents Folklore Appearances in other media References Bibliography External links Navigation menu"NETHER HOUSE AND ATTACHED OUTBUILDING (1109770)""Little John and Dublin""Jamie Foxx to Join Taron Egerton in 'Robin Hood: Origins'""Little John Facts"Robin Hood and Little JohnRobin Hood and the Monk: An IntroductionFind a graveFind a graveesh2001000967
Robin HoodMaid MarianMerry MenLittle JohnMuch the Miller's SonWill ScarletArthur a BlandDavid of DoncasterWill StutelyFriar TuckAlan-a-DaleGilbert WhitehandThe Jolly Pinder of WakefieldSheriff of NottinghamGuy of GisbournePrince JohnBishop of HerefordRichard at the LeeKing RichardRobin HoodRobin HoodThe Adventures of Robin HoodThe Bandit of Sherwood ForestThe Prince of ThievesRogues of Sherwood ForestTales of Robin HoodThe Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie MenThe Men of Sherwood ForestSword of Sherwood ForestA Challenge for Robin HoodThe Scalawag BunchWolfshead: The Legend of Robin HoodThe Arrows of Robin HoodRobin and MarianAaj Ka Robin HoodO Mistério de Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood: Prince of ThievesRobin HoodRobin HoodRobin HoodThe Adventures of Robin HoodThe Legend of Robin HoodThe Legend of Robin HoodRobin of SherwoodThe New Adventures of Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood Makes GoodRabbit HoodRobin Hood DaffyRobin HoodwinkedRobin HoodRobin HoodYoung Robin HoodTom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry MouseWhen Things Were RottenThe Zany Adventures of Robin HoodMaid Marian and Her Merry MenRobin Hood: Men in TightsMexicali RoseRobin and the 7 HoodsNaan Sigappu ManithanNyayam Meere CheppaliCatch Me NowAlyas Robin HoodErlintonWillie and Earl Richard's DaughterRose the Red and White LilyRobyn and GandeleynA Gest of Robyn HodeRobin Hood and Guy of GisborneRobin Hood and the MonkRobin Hood's DeathRobin Hood and the PotterRobin Hood and the Curtal FriarThe Jolly Pinder of WakefieldRobin Hood and the TannerRobin Hood and the TinkerRobin Hood Newly RevivedRobin Hood and the Prince of AragonRobin Hood and the ScotchmanRobin Hood and the RangerThe Bold Pedlar and Robin HoodRobin Hood's DelightRobin Hood and Allan-a-DaleRobin Hood's Progress to NottinghamRobin Hood Rescuing Three SquiresRobin Hood Rescuing Will StutlyLittle John a BeggingRobin Hood and the BishopRobin Hood and the Bishop of HerefordRobin Hood and Queen KatherineRobin Hood's ChaseRobin Hood's Golden PrizeThe Noble FishermanThe Noble FishermanThe King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin HoodRobin Hood and the Golden ArrowRobin Hood and the Valiant KnightA True Tale of Robin HoodRobin of the WoodThe Curse of SherwoodThe Adventures of Robin HoodConquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin HoodRobin Hood: The Legend of SherwoodRobin Hood: Defender of the CrownVolumeLegendRobin HoodRobin Hood – czwarta strzałaLoveNot in Nottingham(Everything I Do) I Do It for YouThe Tale of GamelynMiss Robin HoodSon of the GuardsmanThe Son of Robin HoodThe Bandit of Sherwood ForestPrincess of ThievesRobin Hood Morality TestRobot of SherwoodRobin Good and His Not-So-Merry MenOnce Upon a Time
Adventure film charactersEnglish heroic legendsFilm sidekicksMerry MenRobin Hood charactersSidekicks in literatureTelevision sidekicks
Merry MenAndrew of WyntounWalter BowerA Gest of Robyn HodeRobin Hood's DeathRobin Hood and the MonkquarterstavesfilmtelevisionHathersageDerbyshireGrade 2 listedOffertonScotlandAlan Hale, Sr.Douglas FairbanksErrol FlynnJohn DerekArchie Duncan1950s TV seriesNicol WilliamsonJames Robertson JusticeClive MantleBin ShimadaRobin Hood no DaibōkenTerrence ScammellYoung Robin HoodPhil HarrisBearDavid MorrisseyNick BrimbleEric Allan KramerKevin DurandGordon KennedyJamie FoxxTony RobinsonBeverleyEast Riding of Yorkshire
“Little” John is said to have been Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.
Contents
1 Folklore
2 Appearances in other media
3 References
4 Bibliography
5 External links
5.1 Disputed/alleged burial locations
Folklore
Little John appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories,[1] and in the earliest references to Robin Hood by Andrew of Wyntoun in 1420 and by Walter Bower in 1440.[citation needed] In the early tales, Little John is shown to be intelligent and highly capable. In "A Gest of Robyn Hode", he captures the sorrowful knight and, when Robin Hood decides to pay the knight's mortgage for him, accompanies him as a servant.[2] In "Robin Hood's Death", he is the only one of the Merry Men that Robin takes with him.[3] In the 15th-century ballad commonly called "Robin Hood and the Monk", Little John leaves in anger after a dispute with Robin. When Robin Hood is captured, it is Little John who plans his leader's rescue. In thanks, Robin offers Little John leadership of the band, but John refuses. Later depictions of Little John portray him as less cunning.
The earliest ballads do not feature an origin story for this character. According to a 17th-century ballad, he was a giant of a man who was at least seven feet tall, and introduced when he tried to prevent Robin from crossing a narrow bridge, whereupon they fought with quarterstaves, and Robin was overcome. Despite having won the duel, John agreed to join his band and fight alongside him. From then on he was called Little John in whimsical reference to his size. This scene is almost always re-enacted in film and television versions of the story. In some modern film versions, Little John loses the duel to Robin.
Starting from the ballad tradition, Little John is commonly shown to be the only Merry Man present at Robin Hood's death.
Despite a lack of historical evidence for his existence, Little John is reputed to be buried in a churchyard in the village of Hathersage, Derbyshire. A modern tombstone marks the supposed location of his grave, which lies under an old yew tree. This grave was owned by the Nailor (Naylor) family, and sometimes some variation of "Nailer" is given as John's surname. In other versions of the legends, his name is given as John Little, enhancing the irony of his nickname.
According to local legend, Little John built himself a small cottage across the River Derwent from the family home. The site now has a 15th century Grade 2 listed ex-farmhouse and barn built on it, called Nether House[4] at Offerton.
In Dublin, a local legend suggests that Little John visited the city in the 12th century and was hanged there.[5]
Little John was a figure in the Robin Hood plays and games during the 15th to 17th centuries, particularly those held in Scotland.[citation needed]
Many historical figures are named Little John and John Little, but it is debatable which – if any – are the inspiration for the legendary character.[citation needed]
Appearances in other media
Alan Hale, Sr. played the role of Little John in three movies. He first played Little John as a young squire in 1922's Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. He reprised the role opposite Errol Flynn's Robin in 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood. And finally, he played an older Little John opposite John Derek, as Robin's son, in Rogues of Sherwood Forest from 1951.
Other notable film and TV Little Johns include Archie Duncan in the 1950s TV series, Nicol Williamson in Robin and Marian, James Robertson Justice in the 1952 Disney film The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, Clive Mantle in the 1980s TV series Robin of Sherwood, Bin Shimada as the voice of Little John in the anime series Robin Hood no Daibōken, Terrence Scammell as the voice of Little John in the animated series Young Robin Hood, Phil Harris as the voice of Little John the Bear in the 1973 Disney animated film Robin Hood, David Morrissey in Robin Hood and Nick Brimble in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - both in 1991, and Eric Allan Kramer in 1993's Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Kevin Durand plays John in 2010's Robin Hood. In this incarnation, he was a Scottish Foot Soldier in the Crusades and fought Robin over a lost bet, claiming he was cheating, then joined Robin, Will, and Alan when the King was killed.
In the BBC's Robin Hood, Little John is played by Gordon Kennedy. John meets Robin when his band of outlaws steal from Robin's band. He dislikes Robin immediately, but later comes to agree with him. John also has a wife, Alice and a son, both of whom believe he is dead until late in the first series. John is the oldest of the outlaws, and fights with a quarterstaff.
He was portrayed by Jason Burkart in the TV series Once Upon a Time and its spin-off Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
Jamie Foxx portrayed John in the 2018 movie Robin Hood.[6] In contrast to most versions of John, this version is officially known as 'Yahya'- which he says translates to 'John'- and is originally a Muslim fighting against Robin when they meet in battle during the Crusades, with this first encounter resulting in Yahya's left hand being cut off. However, when he sees Robin try to save his son from being executed by Sir Gisborne, he stows away on a ship taking Robin back to England with the goal of helping Robin take up an opposing role to the Crusades. Despite the loss of his left hand making it impossible for him to use a bow, he is still a skilled enough fighter to intercept Robin's arrows with only his staff, and soon adapts to the use of his metal-clad stump as another weapon in combat.
In the British television show Fact or Fiction, episode 4, hosted by Tony Robinson, it is postulated that "Little John" is in actuality the person Reynolde Greenleaf from near Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire.[7]
References
^ Richards, Jeffrey (1988), Swordsmen of the Screen: From Douglas Fairbanks to Michael York, London and Boston: Henly, Routledge & Kegan Paul, p. 190.mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em.
^ Holt 1982, p. 17.
^ Holt 1982, p. 25.
^ Historic England. "NETHER HOUSE AND ATTACHED OUTBUILDING (1109770)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
^ "Little John and Dublin". Come here to me!. Word press. April 20, 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
^ Kit, Borys (January 11, 2016). "Jamie Foxx to Join Taron Egerton in 'Robin Hood: Origins'". The Hollywood Reporter.
^ "Little John Facts". primaryfacts.com. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
Bibliography
Holt, JC (1982), Robin Hood, Thames & Hudson, ISBN 0-500-27541-6.
External links
Robin Hood and Little John (ballad), Bold outlaw
Knight, Stephen; Ohlgren, Thomas H (eds.), Robin Hood and the Monk: An Introduction, Rochester, information presented before a 15th-century Robin Hood ballad that features Little John in a prominent role.
Disputed/alleged burial locations
"St Michael and All Angels' Church, Hathersage, Derbyshire, England", Find a grave.
"Kirklees, England", Find a grave.
Adventure film characters, English heroic legends, Film sidekicks, Merry Men, Robin Hood characters, Sidekicks in literature, Television sidekicksUncategorized