Many Names...

The Green Man is a universal archetype.  Throughout history he has had different guises and many names.  Buddha is considered to be a Green Man as he was born in a tree.  Osiris, Adonis, Dionysis, Al Khidr are also Green Men.  More contemporary Green Men are Robin Hood, the May King and even the Jolly Green Giant.  Some say even Yoda is a Green Man with his wisdom and teaching of Luke Skywalker.  There are many more names for this egnima.  The Green Man continues to pique our interest.
The Green Giant (greengiant.com)
  Al Khidr (www.khidr.org)


Buddha - http://www.patheos.com/blogs/monkeymind/2009/04/marking-the-buddhas-birth.html
Interesting article on Buddha and trees: http://sacredsites.com/asia/india/bodh_gaya.html



Robin Hood

One of my favorite authors, Terri Windling (author of The Wood Wife [my long time favorite book of hers] and many other fine books) edited a series of short stories with different aspects of the Green Man several years ago (see: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Man-Anthology-Mythic-Forest/dp/B003F76FMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340191170&sr=8-1&keywords=green+man+windling).  She also has an outstanding treatise of art and philosophy on her Endicott Studio site on the Green Man and the Green Woman: http://www.endicott-studio.com/gal/galgreen.html which includes fantastic art by Brian Froud of  Faerie fame.  The image below is copyrighted to Brian Froud and there is a link to his other Green Men on the Endicott Studio site listed above.

With all of his many faces, I have found the Green Man as a guide -- a loving, fatherly type figure.  I suppose this is why/how he is portrayed in the Green Man series to Sylvia.  Years ago, I knew a storyteller from Gambia.  He told me of his cultures views on God and Christ.  He said that God is a laughing God who chuckles over his children and all of their antics on Earth.  I have always enjoyed this positive, warm image of an omnipotent being.  Madeleine L'Engle speaks of "The Laughing Christ" -- a statue that portrays an important piece in her book A House Like a Lotus.  Another portrayal. 

The Muslim faith has Khidr, or the green one.  Al Khidr was a guide to Moses.  Where he sat in the desert, everything turned green.  http://www.spiritandflesh.com/Paganism_Islam_Green_Man_Al_Khidr.htm

More mystery...