Robin Hood was the legendary hero of England who stole from the rich to help the poor. The stories about Robin appealed to common folk because he stood up against-and frequently outwitted-people in power. Furthermore, his life in the forest-hunting and feasting with his fellow outlaws, coming to the assistance of those in need-seemed like a great and noble adventure.Early SourcesThe earliest known mention of Robin Hood is in William Langland's 1377 work calledPiers Plowman,in which a character mentions that he knows "rimes of Robin Hood." This and other references from the late 1300s suggest that Robin Hood was well established as a popular legend by that time.One source of that legend may lie in the old French custom of celebrating May Day. A character called Robin des Bois, or Robin of the Woods, was associated with this spring festival and may have been transplanted to England-with a slight name change. May Day celebrations in England in the 1400s featured a festival "king" called Robin Hood.Later VersionsBy the 1500s, more elaborate versions of the legend had begun to appear. Some of these suggested that Robin was a nobleman who had fallen into disgrace..