Legends
Legends are stories about heroes in history. Over the years, these stories have changed. Today many of the stories have got more fiction than fact.
The Legend of ROBIN HOOD
A very popular British legend is the story of Robin Hood. Many people believe Robin Hood was real. There are many historical reasons for it. Eight hundred years ago, there was a Sheriff of Nottingham, a Prince John and a King Richard. There was even a Robin of Locksley. But was he the real Robin Hood?. Did he really steal from the rich to give to the poor? No one really knows.
Robin Hood was an outlaw who, according to legend, lived in Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham. He regularly fought against his enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin is known for dressing in green, for being a skillful archer and for robbing the rich to give to the poor. His band of Merry Men included Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet.
Robin is usually said to have lived in the 11th or 12th centuries, although the earliest reference to him in a song was during the 14th century. He is described as a yeoman, or knight. Robin is said to have hidden from his enemies in the Major Oak tree in Sherwood Forest. The huge tree measures about 30 metres around and is almost 1,000 years old.
If Robin was a real person, there is a grave at Kirklees Priory in Yorkshire said to be his. Legend says that when he knew he was dying, Robin fired an arrow, asking to be buried where it landed. Nottinghamshire is promoted as ‘ Robin Hood County’ , and there are hundreds of places named after the outlaw.
Robin Hood has been portrayed in over 100 films and many books. He has been played by Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe, and portrayed as a fox in the Disney cartoon version.
Activities
Activity 1 This is a version of the story. Fill in the gaps with the PAST SIMPLE of the verbs in brackets. Once upon a time there ………………. 1(be) a King of England – King Richard – who ………………. 2(go) to fight with the Crusades with the Knights Templar and ………………. 3(leave) his kingdom in the hands of his younger brother, John. Prince John was greedy and corrupt. He ………………. 4(raise) taxes to a very high level and ………………. 5(take) farmers from their lands. So, the English people ………………. 6(live) in misery. One day there was the news that King Richard had been arrested by the King of Austria and the people ………………. 7(have) to pay more taxes to release him. The only one was who was happy was Prince John and his friend the Sheriff of Nottingham.
But there was someone who ………………. 8(not agree) with Prince John – Robin of Locksley – and he ………………. 9(accuse) the Sheriff of helping Prince John stealing the poor. He was considered an outlaw and ………………. 10(move) away to Sherwood Forest where he ………………. 11(assume) the name of Robin Hood. He soon ………………. 12(became) friends with other people who followed his ideas. Friar Truck, Little John and Will Scarlett ………………. 13(be) his best friends and ………………. 14(decide) to live with Robin in the forest. Robin was an excellent archer and he and his “Merry Men” ………………. 15(set) about tormenting and robbing the rich and the government, frequently holding up carts travelling through the forest full of gold from the recently collected taxes. Then Robin ………………. 16(give) all the money to the poor.
Prince John became angry at Robin’s doings and ………………. 17(order) the Sheriff to arrest him but he always ………………. 18(fail) to do it. But, Prince John ………………. 19 (know) two things:; one, that Robin was very good with the bow and the arrow; two, that Robin was in love with his niece Maid Marian. So, he ………………. 20 (decide) to organize an archery contest and the winner would receive the hand of Maid Marian in marriage. Robin decided to go to the contest but he knew that he would be arrested if he ………………. 21(attend) it. So, he went to the competition disguised and he ………………. 22 (win) it. But Prince John ………………. 23(understand) it was Robin and ………………. 24 (arrest) him. Robin’s friends soon ………………. 25(come) to rescue him. They set the castle on fire and ………………. 26(help) Robin to run away. King Richard soon ………………. 27(return) to England and he knighted Robin. Finally Robin Hood and Maid Marian ………………. 28(get) married and lived happily ever after….
Activity 2 Answer these questions on the previous text: 1. Who was the King of England? 2. What was Prince John like? 3. What did Robin accuse Prince John of? 4. Why did Robin steal the gold from the government carts? 5. Why did Prince John organize an archery contest? 6. How did the “merry Men� rescue Robin?
Activity 3 Write a composition about a legend you know. Describe the hero, say when and where he/she lived and tell what happened to him or her.