Much, the Miller’s Son is one of the Merry Men in the tales of Robin Hood. He appears in some of the oldest ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode and Robin Hood and the Monk, as one of the company. In A Gest of Robyn Hode, he helps capture Richard at the Lee and when Robin lends that knight money to pay off his debts, he is one of the Merry Men who insists on giving him a horse and clothing appropriate to his station. In Robin Hood and the Monk, he is one of the rescuers of the captive Robin. In this brutal ballad, Moche kills a page boy so that the boy can not bear word that the outlaws killed the monk of the title. He then disguises himself as the page and Little John disguises himself as the monk. The implication that Much is of small stature is not made explicit. In other tales he was known as Midge, the Miller’s Son. This is the name by which he is known in Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar and Robin Hood and Queen Katherine (version 145B). It is also the name used by Howard Pyle for the character in his Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. This is in further contrast to the ballad Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale where he is known as Nick, the Miller’s Son.
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 Much, the Miller’s Son is one of the Merry Men in the tales of Robin Hood. He appears in some of the oldest ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode and Robin Hood and the Monk, as one of the company. In A Gest of Robyn Hode, he helps capture Richard at the Lee and when Robin lends that knight money to pay off his debts, he is one of the Merry Men who insists on giving him a horse and clothing appropriate to his station. In Robin Hood and the Monk, he is one of the rescuers of the captive Robin. In this brutal ballad, Moche kills a page boy so that the boy can not bear word that the outlaws killed the monk of the title. He then disguises himself as the page and Little John disguises himself as the monk. The implication that Much is of small stature is not made explicit. In other tales he was known as Midge, the Miller’s Son. This is the name by which he is known in Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar and Robin Hood and Queen Katherine (version 145B). It is also the name used by Howard Pyle for the character in his Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. This is in further contrast to the ballad Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale where he is known as Nick, the Miller’s Son.
