One day, Robin Hood went hunting alone in the forest. He had told his men that if he should fall into any danger and could not escape he would blow his horn so that they might know and come to help him. When he was crossing a river by a long bridge he met a huge man at the middle. And neither of the two would give way to the other. Robin Hood got angry and put an arrow to his bow and made ready to shoot. The stranger said it was unfair for Robin Hood to shoot a man who had only a staff in his hand. Hearing this Robin Hood lay down his bow and pulled up a small tree and returned to the stranger.

They agreed to fight on the bridge, and that the one who first fell in the stream would be the loser. Robin Hood first struck the stranger a blow, but the stranger did not fall. Then the stranger gave him such a hit on the head that blood flowed. This made him so angry that he attacked the stranger violently as if he wanted to kill him. But then he received another blow and fell into the river. The stranger laughed loudly. Robin Hood swam to the bank, pulled out his horn and blew it so that the valley echoed with the sound. At this fifty men came out of the wood, all in green, and they asked Robin what had happened. Robin said the stranger had caused him to fall into the water. When his men were going to seize the stranger to duck him as well, Robin Hood stopped them. He praised the stranger for his strength and courage, and asked him what his name was and if he would be one of his men, living a merry life in the forest. The stranger said his name was John Little, and he was very glad to join them and to be true to Robin Hood.

But the merry men preferred to call the stranger Little John. Of course it was only a joke, because he was actually seven feet high and more than three round at his waist. Little John later became the leader of the band just below Robin Hood.