Hey Kdin! I just saw your biiig post on Robin Hood and you are onto something! It was my fav movie as a kid and I think I know why they picked Lions, a badger and a wolf. There are old European fables called the tales of Reinecke the fox. The title character is a sorta malevolent but very smart trickster and one of his main enemies is the wolf who is swarmy and tries to get in the kings (a lion) good grace. The badger is the animal's priest, because his fur remind people of a cassok.
The use of lions for royalty and a fox for Robin had always made a ton of sense for me. It’s been a trope for a long time and it’s a fun trope, so I’m into it.
But I had no idea about a badger being a priest because of the fur resembling a cassock, that’s CLEVER.
I do wonder if that is indeed where Disney drew some inspiration, would be neat if true!
Still craving that Lioness Maid Marian content though.