Robin Hood & The Forestmen Tidbit

[leafan]

I never realised until today that the Forestmen were actually led by Robin Hood himself!

It makes reference in this wiki, but I was looking through an old catalogue today and the sets are actually listed as Robin Hood sets, such as 6066 'Robin Hood's Secret Cave'.

I just thought that was interesting.

Edited November 25, 2018 by leafan
Added hyperlink

[KotZ]

Yeah, there's a lot of fun things like this throughout old LEGO themes. It would be great if they could do something similar for a new theme.

[MAB]

It is interesting how they didn't use the name Robin Hood on the set boxes and even in that advert refer to him as Robin not Robin Hood. Perhaps they felt more easy about using the Robin Hood name in specific literature such as the comic or catalogues but not on the boxes. Whether this is legal or for recognition, I don't know.

[leafan]

Yeah it is strange but I don't think there's any legal issue with using the name Robin Hood, but I could be wrong. It's public property.

It was in the 1991 catalogue (UK) and was changed to Forestmen by the time that the 1992 catalogue released.

Wolfpack were also called "Wolf People"; I guess because Wolf Men sounds a bit Hammer Horror haha.

[x105Black]

I found this interesting as well.  When I was a kid I always imagined the Forestmen to be like elves rather than Robin Hood and his merry men.  Then again, I was a reader of fantasy novels.  I'm sure that informed my play.

[Aine]

17 hours ago, x105Black said:

I found this interesting as well.  When I was a kid I always imagined the Forestmen to be like elves rather than Robin Hood and his merry men.  Then again, I was a reader of fantasy novels.  I'm sure that informed my play.

For me they were always RH and his merry men, simply due to the fact that the 80's TV series came to the public in just aboutthe time lego made the Forestmen. 

[sander1992]

Robin Hood is mentioned in the Castle commercial from 1988 (at least in the Dutch version).

 

[Wout]

I don't know if It was really  supposed to be Robin Hood.

I think every local country distribution group of Lego wrote their own descriptions for the sets.

In dutch they were called "Vrijbuiters" which could be roughly translated as robbers or people who want loot without paying for it.

I looked on Brickfactory in the european catalogues for different countries and they were called in french "hors-la-loi" (correct me if I'm wrong).

In an old danish catalog from 1989 they were described as "Skovfolket" which means something like Forestpeople.

I think it was more easier for the UK distribution group to name them "Robin Hood and his merry men" then think of a complete new name while their actions and part of the story were quite the same to Robin Hood.

[Aine]

"Skovfolket" sounds like some viking/folk metal band. :-)
I like the generic nature of 1980's lego, it gave it a personal touch, coz you may have turned the dudes into whomever you wished to. But that doesn't mean that I dislike LotR!

[ultor]

I hope release some new castle kit :)

[Witold]

It was never said directly, but as a kid I always knew that the forestman are lead by Robin Hood and this has to be a guy with read sleeves. Don't ask me why :)