# Robin Hood's Barn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 1999, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749 "1999-10-21T03:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/1 "1999-10-21T03:19:00Z")
SqrlCub’s topic reminded me of this litle disagreement I had with someone. We were driving and the route was kinda roundabout- he said “we have to go around Robin Hood’s barn here…” I said “around Robin’s barn - Robin Hood didn’t have a barn.” Which is it - Robin’s barn or Robin Hood’s barn? ---
**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/2 "1999-10-21T05:37:00Z")
It’s the Sheriff of Nottingham’s barn. Hope that helps. – Sylence * * * And now, for my next trick, I will talk in spooky half-references. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleCrackwhore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@PurpleCrackwhore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleCrackwhore)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/3 "1999-10-21T05:40:00Z")
Are you sure it wasn’t bairn… he was a brit you know… coulda been little baby robins that needed to be circled * * * “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing, does the painter do good things.” --Edgar Degas ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/4 "1999-10-21T12:18:00Z")
I’ll try to look up the phrase tonight, if I remember, and see what I can find. I thought Robinhood was a single word, like boyhood or girlhood. Means to feel like a bird and go hopping around eating earthworms. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/5 "1999-10-21T23:08:00Z")
I take you’ve never heard this expression before? I thought it was a common one -meaning having to get somewhere in a roundabout way. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/6 "1999-10-22T03:29:00Z")
C. E. Funk, in **A Hog On Ice** claims that since Robin Hood had no barn, his granary consisted of the planted fields surrounding Sherwood, and “going around Robin Hood’s barn” meant wandering all over the fields surrounding Sherwood to gather his grain. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/7 "1999-10-22T16:18:00Z")
Am I the only person who has never, in his entire life, heard this expression before? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/8 "1999-10-22T16:23:00Z")
I’ve never heard it; you must be delusional. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/9 "1999-10-23T05:37:00Z")
Actually, I had not heard it _this way_ until very recently. I grew up with my mom saying “all 'round Robinson’s barn” and had always figured it was a reference to some out-in-the-sticks farmer’s property. If I ever heard anyone say “Robin Hood’s” I must have either translated it to “Robinson’s” in my head or simply dismissed their use of the phrase as being an odd derivation. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![DarkDragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@DarkDragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkDragon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robin-hoods-barn/9749/10 "1999-10-23T05:44:00Z")
Ive never heard that expression before either. And Robin Hood is two words. According to the myth the Hood was a part of Sheerwood Forest evil spirits lived. This was a feared place. Robin of the Hood, or Robin Hood. The Sherif intended to scare the peasents into thinking Robin was some evil demon trying to steal there money.