The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood first published by Scribner's in 1883, and met with immediate success, ushering in a new era of Robin Hood stories. It helped solidify the image of a heroic Robin Hood, which had begun in earlier works such as Walter Scott's 1819 novel "Ivanhoe". In Pyle's wake, Robin Hood has become a staunch philanthropist protecting innocents against increasingly aggressive villains. Along with the publication of the Child Ballads by Francis James Child, which included most of the surviving Robin Hood ballads, Pyle's novel helped increase the popularity of the Robin Hood legend in the United States. "The Merry Adventures" also had
Robin Hood (comic opera) his archers arrive and the chorus sings "Come the Bowmen in Lincoln Green" (the color of their costumes) about their ideal life in the woods and are welcomed to an archery contest. Allan-a-Dale gets into an argument (in song) with Robin about love and kissing. Friar Tuck joins the argument, and one of the milkmaids, Maid Marian, sings "I Came As a Cavalier". Robin Hood and Maid Marian sing a duet "Though It Was Within This Hour We Met". The Sheriff of Nottingham appears and announces his plan to arrange a marriage of his nephew Guy of Gisborne to the