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.
有一天，罗宾汉独自到林子里去打猎。他跟手下人说好，一旦他遇到危险无法脱身，他就吹号招呼他们前来救助。他从一条长长的窄桥上过河时，在桥的正中遇到一个大个子。两人都不肯给对方让路。罗宾汉发起火来，把箭搭在弓上，瞄准对方。那陌生人说，罗宾汉向手里只有一根棍子的人射箭，未免有欠公平。于是罗宾汉放下弓箭，拔了一棵小树回来。
两人说定，就在桥上一比高低，先掉进河里的就得认输。罗宾汉先打中那人一棍，但那人身躯庞大，只晃了晃，没掉下去。陌生人接着一棍子打在罗宾汉的头上，打得头破血流。这下可惹恼了罗宾汉。他发起狠来，恨不得结果那人的性命。但他急中生错，让对方看出破绽，一棍子把他打落在水里。陌生人哈哈大笑。罗宾汉游上岸，吹起号角来。号角声在山谷里回荡。霎时间，从林子里冒出50个身穿绿衣的汉子，问罗宾汉为何事召唤他们。罗宾汉说明原因，汉子们就要动手把那人按进水里，但罗宾汉阻止了他们。他夸奖陌生人的力量和勇气，问他是否愿意入伙，在森林里过快活日子。陌生人自称名叫约翰•利特尔，很愿意入伙为罗宾汉效力。
但罗宾汉一伙把他的姓和名颠倒过来，改成了小约翰。这当然是开玩笑，因为小约翰是个大个子，身高七英尺，腰围有三英尺多。后来小约翰成了罗宾汉的副手。
题外话：中国人提起神箭手，总能想起楚国的养由基，他百步穿杨，箭无虚发。英国传说中的神箭手，则非罗宾汉和小约翰莫属了。