Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. He first appears in “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”, known as a Child Ballad, where he is a hired killer who attempts to kill Robin Hood but is killed by him. In later depictions, he has become a romantic rival to Robin Hood for Maid Marian’s love. “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne” dates from 1650, but its origins are much older than that. In it, Robin Hood and Little John walk through the forest. Robin speaks of a bad dream he had, of two men attacking him. While talking, they spot a distant stranger leaning on a tree. Little John tells Robin to wait while he approaches the stranger, but Robin objects as if accused of cowardice, telling John he’d like to break his head. John marches off in a huff, and is promptly captured by the Sheriff of Nottingham and tied to a tree, to be hanged. Meanwhile, Robin goes up to the stranger, Guy of Gisborne, who is clad in a horsehide robe. Guy is a hired killer seeking Robin Hood. They have a shooting contest, and Robin wins with ease. Robin identifies himself to the suspicious Guy, and the two fight. When Robin trips, Guy stabs him, but (after a brief prayer to Mary) Robin kills him with his sword. He dons the distinctive horsehide, cuts off Guy’s head, sticks it on the tip of his bow and slashes the face, rendering it unrecognizable. He then blows Guy’s horn to signal victory to the Sheriff. Disguised as Guy, and carrying what he passes off as Robin Hood’s head, Robin goes to rescue Little John. He convinces the sheriff to be allowed to kill Little John, but instead cuts him loose with an “Irish knife”. John then takes a bow and shoots the Sheriff through the heart.
Appearance List Short list of general Robin Hood media includes Ballads: A Gest of Robyn Hode; Robin Hood and the Monk; Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar; Robin Hood and Allin a Dalem; Robin Hood and Queen Catherin; Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow; Robin Hood and the Tanner of Blyth. Literature: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle (1883) [PG]; Robin Hood by Anonymous [PG]; Bold Robin Hood And His Outlaw Band by Louis Rhead (1912) [Internet Archive]; Robin Hood by Paul Creswick, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth (David McRay Publishers, 1917) [Internet Archive]; Robin Hood and the Men of the Greenwood (1920) [Internet Archive]; Robin Hood: His Deeds and Adventures as Recounted in the Old English Ballads (1923) [Internet Archive]. Comics: Arrow #2; Green Hornet Comics #7-10; Hit Comics #26, 51; Kid Eternity #2; Smash Comics #27; Jumbo Comics #67; Cat-Man Comics #26; Young Heroes #35-37; Treasure Chest of Fun & Facts vol. 3 #14-17; Boy Comics #3-32; Buster Brown #3, 9; Thriller Comics Library #4, 27, 29, 80, 91, 106, 114, 118, 122, 126, 130, 134, 138, 142, 154, 162, 186, 202, 214, 218; Robin Hood Tales #1-6 (Quality) [CB+]; Robin Hood and Company Comics vol. 3 #31-34 (Anglo-American) [CB+]; Robin Hood and His Merry Men #28-38 (Charlton) [CB+]; The Adventures of Robin Hood #1-8 (reprint) (Brown Shoe Co.) [CB+]; Robin Hood (Dell One-Shot) [CB+]; Robin Hood #1-8 (Magazine Enterprises) [CB+]; Robin Hood #1-2, 9-10, 15 (reprint) (I. W. Publishing / Super Comics) [CB+]. Film: At least five silent shorts from 1908-1913, Robin Hood (1922), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946), The Prince of Thieves (1948), Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950), Tales of Robin Hood (1951), et. al. TV: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1956, 143 episodes).
Sample Read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood [PG]
Description Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. He first appears in “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”, known as a Child Ballad, where he is a hired killer who attempts to kill Robin Hood but is killed by him. In later depictions, he has become a romantic rival to Robin Hood for Maid Marian’s love. “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne” dates from 1650, but its origins are much older than that. In it, Robin Hood and Little John walk through the forest. Robin speaks of a bad dream he had, of two men attacking him. While talking, they spot a distant stranger leaning on a tree. Little John tells Robin to wait while he approaches the stranger, but Robin objects as if accused of cowardice, telling John he’d like to break his head. John marches off in a huff, and is promptly captured by the Sheriff of Nottingham and tied to a tree, to be hanged. Meanwhile, Robin goes up to the stranger, Guy of Gisborne, who is clad in a horsehide robe. Guy is a hired killer seeking Robin Hood. They have a shooting contest, and Robin wins with ease. Robin identifies himself to the suspicious Guy, and the two fight. When Robin trips, Guy stabs him, but (after a brief prayer to Mary) Robin kills him with his sword. He dons the distinctive horsehide, cuts off Guy’s head, sticks it on the tip of his bow and slashes the face, rendering it unrecognizable. He then blows Guy’s horn to signal victory to the Sheriff. Disguised as Guy, and carrying what he passes off as Robin Hood’s head, Robin goes to rescue Little John. He convinces the sheriff to be allowed to kill Little John, but instead cuts him loose with an “Irish knife”. John then takes a bow and shoots the Sheriff through the heart.
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