Robin Hood - zu gut, um wahr zu sein

Text by Manfred Weiß; English version by Mike Svoboda and Manfred Weiß (G,E)

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Legends have the characteristic that they are told anew for many years, and even centuries, and at some point no-one knows any more what the true story was. Such is also true with Robin Hood. Luckily, however, we have a witness who lived at the same time as Robin and really knew how it truly was: Marian, Robin’s great love, can finally describe for us the true story from her own perspective.

So, for example, we discover that Robin didn’t fight with a bow and arrow, as shown in many films, but with a variety of wind instruments. Yes, Robin was a musician, and he was such a virtuoso that he could lay robbers low, put down bandits and make young women profess their love with it. But, one thing after another.

Marian gets to know Robin when he, with his trumpet, beats off a robber who wanted to steal the jug full of milk collected for her hungry siblings. She is very impressed with the young man, who is courageous, selfless, modest and quiet – but before she could thank him, he has already gone away.

But, Love’s arrow has already hit Marian’s heart – Robin is the man of her dreams. Innumerable heroic acts must be performed – and so Robin has almost no time for Marian, and she asks herself, might it be better if there were more Robins, so that one could always have time for her? But no, she loves only one!

And as the angry, always drunk Sheriff of Nottingham takes money from a beggar and Marian looks on quite insolently, Robin is once again on the scene, rescuing the donations and Marian’s honour. Marian tells him of her love for him, and Robin is speechless. She kisses him anyway, but then the wild hordes of the King arrive, and Robin must hide himself.

Marian bravely confronts the men who want to arrest Robin because he takes from the rich to give to the poor. But the evil troop won’t be dissuaded, and lead Marian away. Alone in her dungeon, her thoughts circle around Robin, and suddenly he’s there – he has been able to play the troop into a deep sleep, and free his love. Now the both of them stand side by side with the poor and give back what was taken from them. And it looks as if the world can be a just and fair place: not just through Superman and Batman, but also through lots of Robins and Marians.

Comic