Robin Hood

Robin Hood is the archetypal English folk hero, an outlaw who, in modern versions of the legend, stole from the rich to give to the poor. Although most noted for his material egalitarianism, in the stories he also pursues other types of equality and justice. However, as mentioned below, Robin Hood was not quite so generous in the original medieval legends. In the end, since most events in the various Robin Hood stories are fictional, arguments over the "real" or "true" Robin Hood are unlikely to reach any conclusion. Even if Robin Hood or a similar person did indeed exist, finding concrete evidence about his life is highly improbable.

Other trivia

• Dooh Nibor. Spelling "Robin Hood" backwards yields "Dooh Nibor"?a name that describes the reverse of Robin Hood?a government or politician who "stole from the poor to give to the rich."
• Monty Python parodied Robin Hood in 1973 with Dennis Moore, a bumbling outlaw who distributed unwanted items stolen from the rich and given to the poor, particularly Lupins. He was soon persuaded to steal wealth from them, but overdoes it so badly that even the singers of his theme song mock him as stupid.