Babes in the Wood

The expression has passed into common language, referring to inexperienced innocents entering unawares into any potentially dangerous or hostile situation.

Around 1840, Richard Barham included a spoof of the story in his Ingoldsby Legends, under the title of The Babes in the Wood; or, the Norfolk Tragedy.

Fox's treatment included a wicked witch and a house of candy, elements borrowed from the Hansel and Gretel folk story.

[3][4] It starred Bobby Bennett as Robin Hood, Peter Goodwright as Alan A'Dale, Susan Maughan as Maid Marian, Roy Rolland as Nanny Riley, John Gower as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Eddie Large as Private Large, Syd Little as Private Little, Colin Prince as Little John, Norman Collier as Will Scarlett, Bonnie Langford as Babe Tilly, and Mark Curry as Babe Willy.

The children flee to the nearby woods and are cared for by loyal retainers until they are rescued by their legal guardian John of Gaunt.

The 1915 Broadway musical Very Good Eddie featured a song entitled Babes in the Wood by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Schuyler Greene.

A recording of this song was included in the 1993 CD Jerome Kern Treasury, sung by Hugh Panaro (Eddie) and Rebecca Luker (Elsie), and conducted by John McGlinn (Angel CDC 7 54883 2).Eddie: Then put on your little hood, And we'll both be, Oh, so good!

Cole Porter's song Babes in the Wood, from his 1928 musical Paris, is a modern and sardonic rewriting of the story: They were lying there in the freezing air When fortunately there appeared A rich old man in a big sedan And a very,very fancy beard He saw those girls and cheered Then he drove them down to New York Town Where he covered them with useful things Such as bonds and stocks, and Paris frocks Traditional English singers Bob and Ron Copper sang Babes in the Wood and their version was released on the EFDSS LP Traditional Songs from Rottingdean.