Alan a Dale

Origin
Alan a Dale's story of rescuing his fiance from an unwanted marriage with an older knight appears to have been adapted from an earlier similar tale of Will Scarlet doing much the same thing but that had dropped Will's name for a time for a nameless suitor before the suitor became Alan.

Merry Men
Robin spotted Alan cheerfully singing his way through the forest wearing a splash of eye catching scarlet, and then the next day the same young man was seen trudging through the greenwood. When Robin asked him what caused the change in demeanor, in most tellings after first ascertaining Alan didn't have any gold for him to steal, he learns that Alan's bride to be is being forcefully married to an old knight. When Alan recognizes the famous outlaw he asks for his help in saving the woman he's been courting for over seven years in exchange for his services as a and loyalty. Robin gleefully accepts this opportunity to infiltrate and stop an unwanted wedding and helps Alan and the bride get wed instead. Following the wedding Alan and his wife flee back to the greenwood with the Merry Men (though in some tellings the order is different and they only getting married once they arrive at Robin's hangout and meet Friar Tuck) and Alan becomes their minstrel.

Later Life
Alan was pardoned along with Robin and the rest of the surviving Merry Men when the rightful king returned.

Ballads:

 * Robin Hood and Allen a Dale

Film:

 * Robin Hood (1912)
 * Robin Hood (1913)
 * Robin Hood (1922)
 * The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
 * The Prince of Thieves (1948)
 * Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950)
 * The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954)
 * Robin Hood (1973)
 * Robin and Marian (1976)
 * Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
 * Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
 * Robin Hood (2010)

Television:

 * Robin of Sherwood
 * Robin Hood