Babes in the Wood

Babes in the Wood is a traditional English children's tale that has long served as a popular subject for pantomime and has lent its name to various unrelated works. Over time, the title itself has entered common language as a metaphor for innocent or inexperienced individuals unwittingly entering into dangerous or hostile situations.

The classic story tells of two young children, orphaned after the death of their parents and left in the care of an uncle and aunt. Driven by greed, the uncle arranges for the children to be murdered so he can seize their inheritance. He deceives his wife by claiming the children are being sent to London to be raised. The hired ruffians, however, quarrel—one more sympathetic than the other kills his partner and promises the children he will return with food. He never comes back. Lost and alone in the forest, the children eventually die. According to the tale, robins gently cover their bodies with leaves.

As is typical of morality tales, the story continues with the uncle suffering divine retribution for his wickedness. In later, more sanitized versions intended for young readers, the children’s souls are taken bodily into Heaven. The tale often concludes with a stern warning to guardians and caretakers: those who betray the trust placed in them will face the wrath of Heaven.

Because the original story is brief and its subject matter somber, modern pantomime adaptations tend to blend it with elements from the Robin Hood legend—often incorporating characters like Maid Marian—to provide more action and entertainment suited for young audiences.

Local folklore places the origin of the story in Wayland Wood, Norfolk, where it is said the uncle lived at nearby Griston Hall. The children’s ghosts are rumored to haunt the woods to this day, and the village signs in Griston and neighboring Watton depict scenes from the tale. In this version, the uncle pays two men to kill the children, but they abandon them in the forest instead. The children, helpless and alone, eventually perish.

A different version from Lancashire claims the story is based on real events from 1374, when Robert de Holland unlawfully seized the land of young Roger de Langley and his bride. The children fled into the woods, where they were sheltered by loyal retainers until their rightful guardian, John of Gaunt, rescued them.