ALAN-A-DALE

'Alan-a-Dale' (also spelled 'Allen-a-Dale', 'Allan-a-Dale', 'Allin-a-Dale', etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a member of Robin's band of outlaws, the "Merry Men".
He is a relatively late addition to the legend; he first appeared in a seventeenth century broadside ballad, Child Ballad 138, "Robin Hood and Allen a Dale", and unlike many of the characters thus associated, managed to adhere to the legend. In this tale, Robin rescues Alan's sweetheart from an unwanted marriage to an old knight. They stop the bishop from proceeding with the ceremony, and Little John marries Alan and his bride dressed in the bishop's robes.^[1]
Another variant appears in which the hero is not Alan but Will Scarlet, but Alan has taken over the role entirely.^[1]
Local legend in the village Dale Abbey near Ilkeston, half way between Nottingham and Derby, has it that he was from those parts (de la Dale; a'Dale).
Howard Pyle uses this tale in his book ''The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood'', but changes several details. He gives Alan's sweetheart the name Ellen, and introduces Friar Tuck into the story; Tuck is sought as the only priest who will perform the wedding in defiance of the bishop, and therefore, this tale is combined with that of ''Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar''.^[3]
He plays a prominent role in some later plays, children's novels, films, and television shows.
Alan-a-Dale's presence is a major influence on the Bard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

Contents

Modern incarnations

References

External links

Modern incarnations

★ Alan-a-Dale is the musical narrator of both Disney film versions of the Robin Hood legend. In the animated version, he was portrayed as an animated rooster and played the role of both narrator and minor ally to Robin Hood and Little John.

★ He is played by Elton Hayes in the 1952 film ''The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men''.

★ He is depicted in the 1973 animated film ''Robin Hood'' as a lute-playing rooster voiced by country singer Roger Miller.

★ Alan A ‘Dale was the subject of a comic song performed on Dudley Moore and Peter Cook's show, ''Not Only But Also'' in 1965.

★ He was played by Peter Hutchinson in the 1984 British television series ''Robin of Sherwood'', first appearing in the fifth episode, entitled "Alan A Dale".

★ LeVar Burton's character Geordi LaForge was cast as Alan-a-Dale in a Robin Hood fantasy episode of ''.

★ He is played by Joe Armstrong in the 2006 BBC production of ''Robin Hood''; He is portrayed as an expert pickpocket and a compulsive liar with a sarcastic nature, and no musical ability.

References

1. Holt, J. C. ''Robin Hood'' p 165 (1982) Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27541-6
2. Holt, J. C. ''Robin Hood'' p 165 (1982) Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27541-6
3. Michael Patrick Hearn, "Afterword", Howard Pyle ''The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood'', p 384 ISBN 0-451-52007-6

External links

★ ''Robin Hood and Allen a Dale''

★ Robin Hood and Allen-a-Dale, the ballad about him along with additional information

★ Allan A Dale character guide (on the official BBC site for the series), BBC Online, 2006

★ Guide to the 1984 Alan A Dale episode, Richard Carpenter