Good King Richard (the Lionheart) is away from mediaeval England on the crusades, so his brother, the evil King John, rules the land and terrorises it's inhabitants with demands for ever higher taxes. People's champion and outlaw Robin Hood lives in Sherwood Forest with his band of Merry Men, who right King John's wrongs by robbing from the rich and giving to the rich. The gang is a comprised of a motley assortment of characters including the ironically named "Little John", lovable but stupid Will Scarlett, and portly Friar Tuck.
One day Robin and his men hear that Lady Maud, the wife of the Sherriff of Nottingham, is passing through the forest, with a few guards and a large trunk. So, they set of to intercept her. After a short fight the guards flee, leaving Robin and his men to relieve her of her valuables, and bid her goodbye, leaving her fuming in the forest. The men return to their camp and celebrate with a slap up feast prepared by the Friar and Will's mum, Gertie Scarlett (a typical pantomime dame). When the furious Lady Maud reaches Nottingham Castle, she demands that her husband and his sidekick, Sir Boris de Badlott, punish Robin, so they begin to hatch a plan.
Whilst walking in the forest, Robin's girl, Maid Marion, seeks shelter from a thunderstorm in a cave, where she then falls asleep. When she awakes, she finds two of the Sheriff's guards, the bungling Hotch and Potch, have also sought shelter in the cave. The guards capture her and take her back to the Sheriff, who whilst disappointed that they have not captured Robin, sees a way to use Marion as bait to lure him to the castle. Hotch and Potch are despatched to deliver a letter of invitation to Robin, via Mrs Scarlett, inviting him to an archery challenge, for which Maid Marion is the prize.
Can Robin Hood and his band win the contest to rescue the beautiful Maid Marion from the clutches of the wicked Sheriff whilst evading capture themselves?