Hanrahan the Red

Baile began walking through the dark wood. Although surrounded by noisy insects of all kinds, the place was eerily quiet. Baile continued on for some time, but realized that he never grew fatigued nor hungry. The low red sun never rose nor set, and the youth began to question whether or not he was actually making progress to finding another human. He plodded on, tired only mentally.

At last the boy came to a place where the trees became less dense. Following the direction this led him, he finally encountered another soul. Baile easily spotted the man from a distance, seeing his bright red hair and large stature. Approaching the man cautiously, Baile asked, “Good sir, what day is it, and can you tell me where I happen to be?”

As the man spoke, a hint of amusement was gleaming in his eyes. Baile expected from this a sarcastic answer, but received instead words spoken in a knowing, mature tone. “Boy, you are in the Seven Woods, and it surely is Samhain Eve. I'm sure you know that Samhain marks the end of the harvest, but have you ever realized that it is also the beginning of the darker half of the year? Interesting that you should appear on this day... However, I’m assuming that you want to know a bit more than that, eh?”

Baile then inquired, "Sir, if you could be so kind as to tell me what this place is..."

The red-haired man looked amused once more. “‘Tis the land of Master Aengus. Have you realized that you aren’t breathing anymore, lad?”

Baile had, in fact, not realized that he was no longer breathing, but was not too surprised. “When I awoke, I had a recollection of dying from heartbreak. I was told that my lover, Aillinn of Leinster, had died. Why, then, am I here? And who are you, sir?”

“Aillinn of Leinster, you say. I wonder why that sounds so familiar... Anyway, I am Hanrahan the Red, boy, and I’ve a school ‘round that bend there. Kind of funny, having a school down here, eh? But, I taught when I was living and now that I’m here, I don’t know what to do besides keep on teaching. In my life, I liked to write poetry. When you’ve got an eternity to spend in one place, how else d’you pass the time? I once was in your situation, lad, surprised by the types I’d meet ‘round here. The faeries and the like. Some unpleasant beings in these woods, too, mind you. Come to find out, my poetic words have more of an effect down here. Is there anything else that I can help you with, lad?”

Baile sensed a hidden meaning behind Hanrahan’s words. The youth knew that many mystical events were said to have happened on Samhain, and he had seen the ritualistic bonfires and the animal slaughters preparing for winter every year. Baile discerned a magical presence in the red-haired man. He dared to ask, “If your words can lead me to my lover, sir, I will forever be in your debt.”

Hanrahan’s eyes once again took on a look of amusement. “Forever is a long time, boy. I’d be careful with the promises that ye make in a place like this.” Baile, however, somehow knew that Hanrahan the Red had a good heart, and he trusted him.

Taking Baile’s silence as approval, Hanrahan closed his eyes and began to speak:

Though I am old with wandering

Through hollow lands and hilly lands,

I will find out where she has gone,

And kiss her lips and take her hands;

And walk among dappled grass,

And pluck till time and times are done

The silver apples of the moon,

The golden apples of the sun.

“What have you just spoken, sir?” asked Baile.

“Twas the song of Master Aengus, lad. I wrote it many years ago, long before my death. I am sure that the Master is listening, too. The Master has a certain respect for me, I know. Now that I have spoken his song to you, I am sure that he will grant you some protection in your journey to find your love. Still, he treasures his games, son. Be wary on your path. Get on, now, boy.”

Baile thanked Hanrahan the Red and continued into the thickening trees.

Author’s Note: Hanrahan the Red is a fictional character of W. B. Yeats’ which he wrote about in various contexts. Hanrahan is of large stature has red hair, which is a sign of mystical powers. I wanted to find a relevant poem by Owen Roe O’Sullivan, the poet that Yeats built the character Hanrahan the Red off of, to include in this story, but it was hard to find a good amount of his work online. Instead, I included a poem by Yeats himself. If you would like to explore some of O'Sullivan's works through little bits of longer works and their analysis, click the link here: link. Owen Roe O'Sullivan had been a school master like Hanrahan the Red and was said to be the last great Gaelic poet. Also, the holiday Samhain (our 'Halloween') is an important day for mysticism in Irish mythology. If you would like to learn more about this holiday, visit this Wikipedia link here: link. The poem that Hanrahan the Red spoke to Baile is part of one of Yeats’ poems, and it is called The Song of Wandering Aengus. I have included the whole poem below. I hope you have enjoyed this little peek into Celtic mythology. I appreciate any suggestions that you wish to contribute.



The Song of Wandering Aengus by W. B. Yeats


I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

Yeats, W. B. “The Song of Wandering Aengus.” A Poet to His Beloved, St. Martin's Press, 1985.

Albert Bierstadt painting on Coeur d'Alene