Little John

Origin
One of the earliest figures in the ballads of Robin Hood John was a large cunning man who joined Robin as an outlaw in the Greenwood after defeating him using his signature quarterstaff and witnessing Robin's generosity. John was the earliest named of the Merry Men. He had no wife nor children in the original tales but more modern stories have given him both.

Name
John's surname was given variously as a variation on Nailer or Little. When John went undercover as a servant to the Sheriff of Nottinham he used the alias Reynold Greenlefe which was a name he borrowed from a fellow Merry Man who competed in the Archery Contest for the gold and silver arrows.

Meeting Robin
Robin came upon John going the other way on a narrow bridge. As neither of them stood aside to give way to the other they ended up fighting in the middle of the bridge. The larger John defeated Robin with his favored weapon and sent the Nobleman into the river. Robin reacted by calling his Merry Men and inviting John into the band where he would become one of Robin's most loyal friends and one who had no problems questioning Robin's choices.

Merry Men
John and Will Stutely were among the first named of Robin's gathered Merry Men, a band of outlaws including, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and in some cases Maid Marian and of which John was second in command, at least once being offered leadership of the Merry Men by Robin after John had saved his life. When the rightful King returned to England John was pardoned alongside all the rest of Robin's band although at least one legend has him being hung in Dublin in the 12th century.

Ballad:

 * A Gest of Robyn Hode
 * Robin Hood's Death
 * Robin Hood and the Monk
 * Robin Hood and the Old Wife

Literature:

 * 1883 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

Board Games:

 * Sheriff of Nottingham, Merry Men Expansion (Arcane Wonders)

Film:

 * 1912 Robin Hood Outlawed
 * 1913 In the Days of Robin Hood
 * 1922 Robin Hood played by Alan Hale, Sr.
 * 1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood played by Alan Hale, Sr.
 * 1948 The Prince of Thieves
 * 1950 Rogues of Sherwood Forest played by Alan Hale, Sr.
 * 1954 The Men of Sherwood Forest
 * 1973 Robin Hood voiced by Phil Harris
 * 1976 Robin and Marian played by Nicol Williamson
 * 1991 Robin Hood played by David Morrissey
 * 1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves played by Nick Brimble
 * Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) played by
 * 2010 Robin Hood played by Kevin Durand
 * 2018 Robin Hood played by Jamie Foxx

Television:

 * 2014-2016 Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood (wiki) voiced by Jake Paque
 * 2006-2009 BBC's Robin Hood (wiki) played by Gordon Kennedy
 * 1997-1998 The New Adventures of Robin Hood played by Richard Ashton
 * 1991-1992 Young Robin Hood voiced by Terrence Scammell
 * 1984-1986 Robin of Sherwood played by Clive Mantle
 * 1955-1959 The Adventures of Robin Hood played by Archie Duncan (106 episodes)