Editing English folklore (section)

=== Characters and personifications ===
[[File:322 The Romance of King Arthur.jpg|left|thumb|An image of '[[Questing Beast|The Questing Beast]]', a monster slain by King Arthur and his knights in Malory's {{lang|fr|[[Le Morte d'Arthur|Morte Darthur]]}}]]
[[King Arthur]] is the legendary king of the Britons, the Once and Future King and True Born King of England. The origins of King Arthur and his exploits are vague due to the many reproductions of his character. The {{lang|la|[[Historia Brittonum]]}} and the {{lang|la|[[Annales Cambriae]]}} reference many battles of an Arthur, {{lang|la|Annales Cambriae}} also referencing [[Mordred]], a rival, and [[Merlin]], a wise mentor. Although these sources have been used as proof for Arthur's origins, their credibility has been disputed as mythology rather than history.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Green |first=Thomas |title=Concepts of Arthur |publisher=Tempus |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-7524-4461-1 |location=Gloucestershire}}</ref> As English folklore has progressed, King Arthur's retellings have been classified into romances such as [[Thomas Malory|Malory]]'s {{lang|fr|[[Le Morte d'Arthur|Morte Darthur]]}}, chronicles such as [[Geoffrey of Monmouth|Geoffrey]]'s {{lang|la|[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]}}, and fantasies such as {{lang|cy|[[Culhwch and Olwen|Culhwch ac Olwen]]}} (whose author is unknown).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fulton |first=Helen |date=2009 |title=A companion to Arthurian literature |location=Chichester |publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell]] |pages=21–29 |isbn=978-1-4443-0583-8}}</ref>

[[Robin Hood]] was a vicious outlaw who expressed the working-class' disenchantment with the status quo.<ref name="Assayed">{{cite thesis |last=Assayed |first=Layān |date=2015 |title=The Medieval Rhymes of Robin Hood: An Inquiry into Outlaw Territory |publisher=[[University of Haifa]]}}</ref> Through Robin Hood, the forest (called the "greenwood" by folklorists) transformed from the dangerous, mystical battleground of Arthur to a site of sanctuary, comradery, and lawlessness.<ref name="Keen">{{cite book |last=Keen |first=Maurice |date=2001 |title=The Outlaws of Medieval Legend |location=Canada |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] Group |pages=1–8 |isbn=0-203-35004-9}}</ref> Rather than a philanthropic thief of the rich, Robin Hood's tales began in the 15th century as a brutal outlaw, ballads revelling in his violent retaliation to threats. Robin Hood fought to protect himself and his group the [[Merry Men]], regardless the class, age, or gender of their enemy. In stories such as '[[Robin Hood and the Widow's Three Sons]]' and '[[The Tale of Gamelyn]]', the joyful ending is in the hanging of the sheriff and the officials; in '[[Robin Hood and the Monk]]''','' Robin Hood kills a monk and his young helper. Paradoxical to English values of strict adherence to the law and honour, Robin Hood was glorified in ballads and stories for his banishment from society.{{r|Assayed}}

[[Puck (folklore)|Robin Goodfellow]], or Puck, is a shape-changing fairy known for his tricks. Since some English superstition suspected that fairies were demons, 17th century publications such as 'Robin Good-Fellow, his Mad Prankes and Merry Jests' and 'The Anatomy of Melancholy' portrayed him as a demon.<ref name="Simpson & Roud">{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jacqueline |author1-link=Jacqueline Simpson |last2=Roud |first2=Steve |author2-link=Steve Roud |date=2003 |title=A Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-172664-4}}</ref>

[[Lubber fiend|Lob]], also called loby, looby, lubbard, lubber, or lubberkin, is the name given to a fairy with a dark raincloud as a body. It has a mischievous character and can describe any fairy-like creature from British folklore. It can be confused with [[Lubber fiend|Lob Lie-By-The-Fire]], a strong, hairy giant which helps humans.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bane |first1=Theresa |author1-link=Theresa Bane |date=2013 |title=Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology |publisher=McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers |page=219 |isbn=978-0-394-40918-4}}</ref>