Robin hood - the most famous noble robber. Many people are familiar with the legendary biography of the leader of forest shooters of Sherwood forest. And although he himself is a myth, however, over the centuries, this myth, like the bottom of a ship, and was covered with shells. We will try to deliver the vessel with name "Robin hood" in dry dock, to cleanse it from the later layers.

Using common Council, we will not try to do too much and focus on historical ballades and Chronicles, lowering fantasy and movies.

First of all, is to get acquainted with name: Robin Hood. So, Robin - Robin, or the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), Krasnograd bird family Drozdovich of the group of sparrows. Nickname hood - not only means ' hood", on one of the dialects of the so-called "the forest" (wood). It is no coincidence that the word continuously, starting from the very first fragments ballads, rhymes with the name of Robin hood. In the pagan celebration of the solstice, later joined with Christian Christmas, Germans, to which belonged including the Anglo-Saxons, sacrificed to the Supreme God, known under different names. In modern languages, including German, it is often called Wotan (Wotan), water (old English: W?den), Scandinavian One. He was portrayed in a wide-brimmed hat or a hood covering his face.

"But, of course, Robin hood - no water or, rather, not only water, " explains the author of the most modern Russian biography of Robin hood historian and writer Vadim Erlichman. - The first part of its name clearly does not belong to the German Supreme God, and another character, though associated with Vodena some important feature. Besides the terrible water could hardly carefree, dancing Morris (old male dance with jumps and turns, requiring great virtuosity) in the may groves. This role is more suitable his son Baldr - young God of fertility, reminiscent of Dionysus, or Krishna.

Must be such that God was, and the Anglo-Saxons, but his name over the centuries Christianity was forgotten, replaced by the name of his French counterpart Robin. In medieval France may theatrical performances were called "pastoral"and their main characters love each other shepherd and shepherdess, called Robin (more precisely, Robin and Marion. About 1280, trouver Adam de La al of Arras wrote "Game of Robin and Marion" (Le Jeu de Robin et Marion) for her master, count Robert Artois, skokausko Naples by "sweet France". "Play" quickly spread throughout Western Europe; in England, she fell on fertile soil the may local games, heroes which was fashionable French names. By the way, a French name Robin robin (from the Latin rubenia - "red") came to England at the same time with the pastoral Adam de La Ala, and this coincidence can be no accidental".

The heroine of the ballads of Robin hood maid Marian (Maid Marian), also came from the may of games, has its prototype pagan goddess of fertility, which in Christianity was associated with two characters of the gospel story - Mary Magdalene and Mary James, the wife of Cleopas. According to one legend, both Mary after the crucifixion of Jesus was gone by the ship to Western Europe. In the 15th century, when Robin was claimed the title of King may, Marian became the may Queen. Friend or even a wife Robin hood Marian was considered not earlier than in the 17th century.

But back to Robin hood. Modern historian notes that in medieval France ' Robin" called the lamb, which correlated with the devil. Nickname Robin Good small (Robin Goodfellow) were playful and mischievous forest spirit Pak known, by the way, "a Midsummer night" by Shakespeare. And there are Parallels with their common prototype - Celtic forest deity known under the name of "the green man". Yes, and the Robin had left a noticeable trace in the English language. In such folk sayings and Proverbs, as crooked as Robin Hood's bow - "folded in three deaths", to overshoot Robin Hood - "shoot to exhaustion", all around Robin Hood's barn - "to walk around it, to go in a roundabout way" and others.

"Another possible "grandparent" Robin revealed in 1584 researcher English superstition Reginald Scott, - says Vadim Erlichman. In his book, "the Review of the issue of witches" he suggested that Robin hood leads descended from the German "Goblin" (or rather, Kobold) Hudgena or Hodukina (better still, read: Hedican, Hedelin, Chudaikin, Hyden - H?deken, H?dekin, H?dekin, H?tchen - the last word means hat" and etymologically dates back to the felt hat, I wonder whether it is like on the head of Wotan? - Ed.). This character of ancient legends lived in the castle of Bishop Hildesheimer and played with its inhabitants jokes sometimes innocent, sometimes very cruel, for example, chopped to pieces grazynskiego his boy-servant, give its meat to the Bishop and other inhabitants of the castle".

The researcher concludes: "the Image of Robin hood in folklore arose from a combination of the two mythological characters - martial of the Supreme God of the Anglo-Saxons and his son, the gods of love and fertility, cheerful patron may games. But this does not mean that the same name could not call yourself a man, who settled in the wilderness and not ladadi with the law because sovereignism dialect Robin Hood meant back and "robbery in the forest" (rob in hood). If such a person was not, the people of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire wouldn't have to write a ballad about a long time ago (even recently) the forgotten pagan idol. After all, the ballad, anyway folk, is not a fairy tale, and it seldom completely fictitious hero".

About the real prototypes of Robin hood will talk some other time.