Rabbit Hood
Encyclopedia
Rabbit Hood is a 1949 Bugs Bunny
cartoon
which parodies the Robin Hood
story.
In the cartoon the Sheriff of Nottingham
catches Bugs eating the King's carrots and is about to arrest him, when Little John
shows up and tells them that Robin Hood
is on his way.
The cartoon ends with the appearance of "the real" Robin Hood in the form of a clip from the classic 1938 movie
, which starred Errol Flynn
(he received a personal copy of this film in exchange for the right to use his earlier image).
This cartoon is the origin of the infamous "knighting" exchange, where Bugs Bunny is dressed up like a king, and proceeds to brain the Sheriff with his sceptre
while dispensing an oddball title with each strike:
s of Robin Hood
and Little John. Bugs is silencing an alarm attached to a carrot. He is caught by the Sheriff of Nottingham
and is about to be put to the rack
when Little John
(depicted as fat fellow) appears and introduces Robin Hood. However, Robin Hood does not appear afterwards. Bugs and the Sheriff continue to converse, but Bugs averts the latter's attention by telling him about the king's arrival. Bugs clubs the Sheriff while the latter is bowing and runs off.
While examining the castle wall trying to scale it, Bugs is again chased by the Sheriff up to the Royal Rose Garden, which the Sheriff regards as "royal ground". Upon hearing this, Bugs dupes the Sheriff once again by acting as a real estate agent and successfully selling the land to the Sheriff, who plans to turn the garden into a "Six-roomed Tudor". As The Sheriff is building his house, he realises his mistake as he is now infuriated about building a house in the Garden.
The Sheriff shoots an arrow which hits Bugs while he is scaling the castle wall. Bugs falls into Little John's hands. Bugs then uses the opportunity to introduce Little John and the Sheriff to each other and divert the Sheriff's attention once again. During the exchange, the Sheriff spies Bugs leaving and shrugs off Little John. Bugs convinces the Sheriff that the King is indeed coming while the Sheriff tries not to be fooled once again. But when the Sheriff turns to prove to himself that Bugs is just lying, he is surprised to see Bugs dressed first as a clarion
player and then as a royal crier before reappearing as the King. The Sheriff, recognising Bugs as the King obligingly bows down. Bugs knights the Sheriff by bonking him on the head with his scepter. Afterwards, the Sheriff, already dazed from the repeated hits, sings "London Bridge Is Falling Down
" and falls on a cake quickly baked by Bugs during the song.
Bugs hears Little John once again introducing Robin Hood, but Bugs interrupts and mocks Little John, knowing about Robin's failure to appear the first time. This time however, Little John tells Bugs not to "Talk mean like that" and Robin indeed appears (played by Errol Flynn
, in live-action footage from The Adventures of Robin Hood
). Bugs however doubts that's him.
(1958), in which Daffy Duck
played Robin Hood
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
which parodies the Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
story.
In the cartoon the Sheriff of Nottingham
Sheriff of Nottingham
The Sheriff of Nottingham was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Nottingham and bringing criminals to justice. For years the post has been directly appointed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and in modern times, with the existence of the police force, the position is...
catches Bugs eating the King's carrots and is about to arrest him, when Little John
Little John
Little John was a legendary fellow outlaw of Robin Hood, and was said to be Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.-Folklore:He appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories...
shows up and tells them that Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
is on his way.
The cartoon ends with the appearance of "the real" Robin Hood in the form of a clip from the classic 1938 movie
The Adventures of Robin Hood (film)
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley. Filmed in Technicolor, the picture stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Claude Rains.-Plot:...
, which starred Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
(he received a personal copy of this film in exchange for the right to use his earlier image).
This cartoon is the origin of the infamous "knighting" exchange, where Bugs Bunny is dressed up like a king, and proceeds to brain the Sheriff with his sceptre
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
while dispensing an oddball title with each strike:
- Sheriff: *bows*
- Bugs: “Arise, Sir Loin of BeefSirloin steakThe sirloin steak is a steak cut from the rear back portion of the animal, continuing off the short loin from which T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut....
!” *strikes Sheriff over the head with his sceptre* - “Arise, Earl (oil) of ClovesOil of clovesOil of cloves, also known as clove oil, is an essential oil from the clove plant, Syzygium aromaticum.* CAS number: 8000-34-8It is a natural analgaesic and antiseptic used primarily in dentistry for its main ingredient eugenol...
!” *strike* - “Arise, Duke of Brittingham!” *strike*
- “Arise, Baron of MünchhausenBaron MunchhausenKarl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales....
!” *strike* - “Arise, Essence of MyrrhMyrrhMyrrh is the aromatic oleoresin of a number of small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, which grow in dry, stony soil. An oleoresin is a natural blend of an essential oil and a resin. Myrrh resin is a natural gum....
!” *strike* - “Milk of Magnesia” *strike*
- “Quarter of Ten!”
- Sheriff: (dazed, slurred) “You are too kind, your majesty.”
- Bugs: (to audience) “Got lots of stamina!”
Plot
There is a wall covered with Anti-poaching notices and wanted posterWanted poster
A wanted poster is a poster distributed to let the public know of an alleged criminal whom authorities wish to apprehend. They will generally include either a picture of the alleged criminal when a photograph is available, or of a facial composite image produced by a police artist...
s of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
and Little John. Bugs is silencing an alarm attached to a carrot. He is caught by the Sheriff of Nottingham
Sheriff of Nottingham
The Sheriff of Nottingham was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Nottingham and bringing criminals to justice. For years the post has been directly appointed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and in modern times, with the existence of the police force, the position is...
and is about to be put to the rack
Rack
- Kinds of racks :* Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted* Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use* Breast...
when Little John
Little John
Little John was a legendary fellow outlaw of Robin Hood, and was said to be Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.-Folklore:He appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories...
(depicted as fat fellow) appears and introduces Robin Hood. However, Robin Hood does not appear afterwards. Bugs and the Sheriff continue to converse, but Bugs averts the latter's attention by telling him about the king's arrival. Bugs clubs the Sheriff while the latter is bowing and runs off.
While examining the castle wall trying to scale it, Bugs is again chased by the Sheriff up to the Royal Rose Garden, which the Sheriff regards as "royal ground". Upon hearing this, Bugs dupes the Sheriff once again by acting as a real estate agent and successfully selling the land to the Sheriff, who plans to turn the garden into a "Six-roomed Tudor". As The Sheriff is building his house, he realises his mistake as he is now infuriated about building a house in the Garden.
The Sheriff shoots an arrow which hits Bugs while he is scaling the castle wall. Bugs falls into Little John's hands. Bugs then uses the opportunity to introduce Little John and the Sheriff to each other and divert the Sheriff's attention once again. During the exchange, the Sheriff spies Bugs leaving and shrugs off Little John. Bugs convinces the Sheriff that the King is indeed coming while the Sheriff tries not to be fooled once again. But when the Sheriff turns to prove to himself that Bugs is just lying, he is surprised to see Bugs dressed first as a clarion
Clarion
-In music:* Clarion , a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages* Clarion register of clarinets, ranging from B4 to C6-Places:* Clarion, Illinois, USA* Clarion, Iowa, USA...
player and then as a royal crier before reappearing as the King. The Sheriff, recognising Bugs as the King obligingly bows down. Bugs knights the Sheriff by bonking him on the head with his scepter. Afterwards, the Sheriff, already dazed from the repeated hits, sings "London Bridge Is Falling Down
London Bridge is Falling Down
"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 502.-Lyrics:...
" and falls on a cake quickly baked by Bugs during the song.
Bugs hears Little John once again introducing Robin Hood, but Bugs interrupts and mocks Little John, knowing about Robin's failure to appear the first time. This time however, Little John tells Bugs not to "Talk mean like that" and Robin indeed appears (played by Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
, in live-action footage from The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood (film)
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley. Filmed in Technicolor, the picture stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Claude Rains.-Plot:...
). Bugs however doubts that's him.
Censorship
- The ABC version of this cartoon cuts the part after The Sheriff of Nottingham is duped into building a house in the King's garden to remove the part where The Sheriff gnashes his teeth (with carpenter nails in them) and shouts, "Oooh! I hate myself!" then hits himself over the head with the hammer several times while yelling, "I do, I do, I do!"
- The infamous "knighting scene" (where Bugs bashes the Sheriff over the head several times with a scepter) was drastically cut short when it aired on ABC.
See also
Robin Hood DaffyRobin Hood Daffy
Robin Hood Daffy is a 1958 Warner Brothers theatrical cartoon short, part of the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese...
(1958), in which Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
played Robin Hood