Many years ago in the Forests of Sherwood lived an ordinary man. His name was Robin. He spent his time making arrows for his longbow - a weapon he was very good at using, and helping those less fortunate than himself. He did not like how the rich Norman Noblemen treated the poorer Saxon people who had to work very hard every day, living in small huts while the Normans wasted money on big feasts in large castles.
The King of England, King Richard, was a Norman, and enjoyed hunting, and allowed many dear to roam around the Forest ready to be hunted. The only people allowed to hunt these deer though were the Normans, and there were nasty punishments for any Saxon caught killing a royal dear.
King Richard was an Honest, religious man. He had left England to join in a Crusade to save Jerusalem from being invaded by people he did not like. He placed his brother, Prince John, in charge of looking after the country. Prince John was an evil, and nasty man. He plotted against the people and took their money. With the help of the Sheriff of Nottingham he managed to make as much money as he could from the people of Nottingham.
Robin had been caught killing a royal deer with his longbow, and had been declared an outlaw by Prince John. He had lost his house, his money and everything else that he owned.
The Saxon people took pity on Robin, and they helped him to live in the forest, giving him food and shelter when he needed it. In return Robin offered to protect them from Prince John and his Knights.
While Robin helped to defend the Saxon people against the Normans, he became friends with a local poacher, a man who stole food from the Royal Forest by the name of Will Scarlett. Soon the two men became good friends, and together they helped more and more people.
In times of warm weather Robin and Will would spend their days in the deep of the Forest at the Major Oak. A large tree that had a large open space around it. In later times this was to become the main hideout of Robin and his outlaw band.