| Arthur a Bland | |
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Real Name |
Arthur a Bland |
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First Appearance |
Unknown |
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Created by |
English Folklore |
Origin[]
Arthur a Bland is, in English folklore, a member of Robin Hood's Merry Men, though his chief appearance is in the ballad in which he joins the band.
Arthur a Bland appears in one ballad Robin Hood and the Tanner of Blyth. He is going through Sherwood when Robin accuses him of poaching. When they fight and Arthur beats Robin, Robin invites him to join the band. In some versions, he is Little John's cousin.
In English Mummer's Plays, Arthur a Bland's fight with Robin is incorporated into the general fight/death/healed setting. Most of the lines derive from the ballad, though there seems to be material from Robin Hood and the Shepherd mixed in.
For instance, when Robin Hood has been beaten by Arthur, Little John comes over the hill and Robin tells him what has happened:
The story reappeared in later versions. Howard Pyle in his The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood set the bout between Little John and Arthur a Bland, and had Arthur appear in various later adventures as a minor character.
Public Domain Appearances[]
Ballads:
- Robin Hood and the Tanner of Blyth
Stage:
- Mummer's Plays
Literature:
- The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood