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[[Image:Robin Hood and Little John, by Louis Rhead 1912.png|right|thumb|"Robin Hood and Little John", Illustration by [[Louis Rhead]] to ''Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band: Their Famous Exploits in Sherwood Forest'']] |
[[Image:Robin Hood and Little John, by Louis Rhead 1912.png|right|thumb|"Robin Hood and Little John", Illustration by [[Louis Rhead]] to ''Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band: Their Famous Exploits in Sherwood Forest'']] |
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'''Little John''' is a [[legend]]ary |
'''Little John''' is a [[legend]]ary outlaw associated with [[Robin Hood]]. He is said to have been Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the [[Merry Men]]. The [[sobriquet]] "Little" is a form of [[irony]], as he is usually depicted as a gigantic, seven-foot-tall warrior of the [[List of forests in the United Kingdom|British forests]], skilled with [[bow and arrow|bow]] and [[quarterstaff]]. |
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==Folklore== |
==Folklore== |
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Little John appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories,<ref>{{Citation | first = Jeffrey | last = Richards | title = Swordsmen of the Screen: From Douglas Fairbanks to Michael York | page = 190 | publisher = Henly, Routledge & Kegan Paul | place = London and Boston | year = 1988}}.</ref> and in the earliest |
Little John appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories,<ref>{{Citation | first = Jeffrey | last = Richards | title = Swordsmen of the Screen: From Douglas Fairbanks to Michael York | page = 190 | publisher = Henly, Routledge & Kegan Paul | place = London and Boston | year = 1988}}.</ref> and in the earliest references to Robin Hood by [[Andrew of Wyntoun]] in 1420 and by [[Walter Bower]] in 1440.{{Citation needed| date = March 2007}} 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.{{Sfn | Holt | 1982 | p = 17}} In "[[Robin Hood's Death]]", he is the only one of the Merry Men that Robin takes with him.{{Sfn | Holt | 1982 | p = 25}} 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. |
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The earliest ballads do not feature an origin story for this character |
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 [[quarterstaff|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 and in a play that reversed his first and last names (as his proper name was John Little). 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. |
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[[Image:Tomb of Little John 14-04-06.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Little John's grave in St Michael's Church graveyard, [[Hathersage]]]] |
[[Image:Tomb of Little John 14-04-06.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Little John's grave in St Michael's Church graveyard, [[Hathersage]]]] |
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Starting from the ballad tradition, Little John is commonly shown to be the only Merry Man present at Robin Hood's death. |
Starting from the ballad tradition, Little John is commonly shown to be the only Merry Man present at Robin Hood's death. |
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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. |
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. |
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In Dublin, |
In Dublin, a local legend suggests that Little John visited the city in the 12th century and was hanged there.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://comeheretome.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/little-john-and-dublin/ | title= Little John and Dublin | work = Come here to me! | publisher= Word press | date= Apr 20, 2010 | accessdate= 2011-02-07}}</ref> |
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Little John was a figure in the Robin Hood plays |
Little John was a figure in the Robin Hood plays and games during the 15th to 17th centuries, particularly those held in [[Scotland]]. |
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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 | date = May 2013}} |
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==Appearances in other media== |
==Appearances in other media== |
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In the [[Netflix]] series ''[[House of Cards (U.S. TV series)|House of Cards]]'', when main character [[Frank Underwood (House of Cards)|Francis Underwood]] becomes Vice President he is given the code name "Little John" by the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]]. |
In the [[Netflix]] series ''[[House of Cards (U.S. TV series)|House of Cards]]'', when main character [[Frank Underwood (House of Cards)|Francis Underwood]] becomes Vice President he is given the code name "Little John" by the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]]. |
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He was portrayed by [[Rusty Goffe]] in the [[Doctor Who]] [[Doctor Who (series 8)|Series 8]] episode, [[Robot of Sherwood]]. He is here presented as a [[Dwarf (Germanic mythology)|Dwarf]], who originally appears out from behind a large, stereotypical portrayal of the character. |
He was portrayed by [[Rusty Goffe]] in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' [[Doctor Who (series 8)|Series 8]] episode, [[Robot of Sherwood]]. He is here presented as a [[Dwarf (Germanic mythology)|Dwarf]], who originally appears out from behind a large, stereotypical portrayal of the character. |
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⚫ | 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://primaryfacts.com/8359/little-john-facts-and-information-about-the-legendary-robin-hood-outlaw/|title=Little John Facts|publisher=primaryfacts.com|accessdate=October 24, 2017}}</ref> |
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==Other references== |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Benkei|Musashibō Benkei]] |
* [[Benkei|Musashibō Benkei]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{Citation | url = http://www.boldoutlaw.com/rhbal/bal125.html | title = Robin Hood and Little John |
* {{Citation | url = http://www.boldoutlaw.com/rhbal/bal125.html | title = Robin Hood and Little John | type = ballad | publisher = Bold outlaw}} |
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* {{Citation | url = http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/monkint.htm | publisher = Rochester | title = Robin Hood and the Monk: An Introduction | editor1-first = Stephen | editor1-last = Knight | editor2-first = Thomas H | editor2-last = Ohlgren}}, information presented before a 15th-century Robin Hood ballad that features Little John in a prominent role. |
* {{Citation | url = http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/monkint.htm | publisher = Rochester | title = Robin Hood and the Monk: An Introduction | editor1-first = Stephen | editor1-last = Knight | editor2-first = Thomas H | editor2-last = Ohlgren}}, information presented before a 15th-century Robin Hood ballad that features Little John in a prominent role. |
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{{Robin Hood}} |
{{Robin Hood}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:English heroic legends]] |
[[Category:English heroic legends]] |
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[[Category:Merry Men]] |
[[Category:Merry Men]] |
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[[Category:Robin Hood characters]] |
[[Category:Robin Hood characters]] |
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[[Category:Sidekicks in literature]] |
[[Category:Sidekicks in literature]] |
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[[Category:Television sidekicks]] |
[[Category:Television sidekicks]] |
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