The Little Red Hairy Man
This is a classic fairy tale of Derbyshire. It is a version of a type of tale classified as "The Wild Man as Helper". There are many tales across the UK and Europe that fit into this classification. Typically, some kind of fairy helper, in this case the Little Red Hairy Man, appears to one or more characters and appeals for charity. Depending upon the character’s response, the fairy helper will either deliver bad luck or good fortune - as we shall learn. I also used this tale as inspiration for the ‘Tale of T’Owd Man’, which you can read here.
As to where precisely in Derbyshire this tale takes place, it is uncertain, but it definitely occurs around the former lead mining areas around Winster, Wirksworth, Wensley and Youlgrave. I have chosen to set it in Youlgrave, but it makes little difference to the story. I have also included a nod to our wonderful Derbyshire cheeses, which is not in the original tale …
THE LITTLE RED HAIRY MAN
In the town of Youlgrave there lived a lead miner and his family; his wife and three sons. In order of age they were named; Job, Jacob and Jack. Now, back in those days, lead mining was not a trade that one would make a fortune from. The hours were long, the work was back-breaking hard and it had its many dangers. So, it was not unusual that a young man might, someday, hope for better. Indeed, the old lead miner dearly wished that his sons may make a better life for themselves and not have to follow him for the rest of their natural days.
One day, the eldest son, Job, decided that it was high time that he set out for the bright lights of Buxton, there to find his fortune. Now Job was not the brightest lamp in the mine, so to speak and was known around Youlgrave for his bad temper and bullying nature, hence nobody would be sad to see him pursue his fortune elsewhere. So with the traditional travelling fayre of bread and cheese, Job set out for Buxton. He travelled down the road, giving the ancient stones of Arbor Low a wide berth, so as not to encounter the boggart that all knew lived there. Once he reached the old Roman road at Parsley Hay, Job settled down on a rock, by the woods, to enjoy his lunch. He had barely taken his bread and cheese out of his sack, before he heard a rustle in the bushes behind him and out popped what could only be described as a little red hairy man!
“Oh,” said the little red hairy man “I am so hungry and that’s as fine a chunk of Hartington Blue as I’ve ever smelt. Would thee be so kind as to gimme a morsel o’ that?”
“What!” Exclaimed Job “Bugger off ya strange little boggarty man!” And, with that, Job leapt up and delivered a swift kick to the little red hairy man’s behind, sending him sailing into the bushes, from which he’d emerged.
Job immediately got up, packed his lunch and set off up the road to Buxton. It must be said, though, that Job was not the most patient of individuals and, after walking a few miles up the road to Buxton and finding no-one to give him a lift on any passing cart or carriage, he gave up the whole fortune finding escapade as a bad job and went home.
As always seems to happen in this type of story, the middle brother, Jacob, was next to try his hand at finding fair fortune on the beguiling byeways of Buxton. Jacob was not a bully, in the way that his elder brother was, but he was surely an unpleasant individual. He was snide, sarcastic and very demeaning of people; always looking to criticise and to plot against others. He had a mean streak wider than the River Bradford that flowed through Youlgrave. One morning, armed with his traditional bread and cheese, Jacob, like Job before him, set out for Buxton. He too gave Arbor Low and its resident boggart a wide berth - he wasn’t stupid, after all - and, he too, stopped to relax on a stone, by the woods at Parsley Hay. Sure enough, he heard a rustling in the shrubs behind him, which turned out to be the very same little red man who had appeared to Job.
“Oh,” said the little red hairy man “I am so hungry and the sage in that beautifully green Sage Derby is making my little red tummy rumble. Would thee be so kind as to gimme a morsel o’ that?”
“Of course!” Said Jacob, with a crooked smile upon his face. He broke off a morsel of the rich herby cheese and tempted the little red hairy man forward, as if appealing to a frightened puppy. As soon as the little red hairy man reached for the morsel of cheese, Jacob snatched it away! “Gerrout of it, ya little beggin’ boggart!” The little red hairy man sprang back in shock and landed roughly on his backside, which was still sore from the kick it had received from Job, a few days previously. This caused Jacob to laugh so much that he spat out the chewed remains of bread and cheese, in his evil mirth. “There ya goo.” Chuckled Jacob “Tha can ‘ave what’s left on t’ floor there!”
“Well,” replied the little red man, still somewhat flustered, “it’s not the most generous serving. But, one good turn deserves another, so ahl gi thee this in return. In t’ middle o’ this ‘ere wood, there is a mine where you could earn your fortune, if ya so inclined.” And, with that, he shuffled off, chewing dejectedly on the partially regurgitated remnants of Jacob’s bread and cheese.
Taking the little red hairy man’s advice, Jacob trudged into the wood. Before long, he found the entrance to the old mine. It was in a sorry state and looked quite worn out, and, not being one particularly disposed to anything that looked like hard work, Jacob dismissed it, packed up his things and headed up the road to Buxton.
Now, Jacob was considerably sharper than Job and actually made it as far as Buxton. However, the good citizens of Buxton were considerably more worldly wise and urbane than those in Jacob’s home town - no disrespect intended to the good people of Youlgrave - and Jacob’s underhand ways did not get him far, before he was drummed out of town, with his tail between his legs.
And so it came to the youngest brother, Jack, to set out for fame and fortune in Buxton. As you would expect, being the youngest and this being a classic fairy tale, Jack was the kindest and most generous of the brothers; loved and trusted by all. When it came time for Jack to leave, his mother packed him up with a chunk of the best Peakland Blue cheese, bread and even some Derbyshire oatcake, for Jack was her favourite. He set off for Buxton with a spring in his step and a song in his heart. He did not avoid Arbor Low, for the day was bright and he knew that boggarts would not come out in the light of the sun. Like his brothers before him, Jack sat down to rest upon a stone, in the shade of the woods at Parsley Hay. As had happened to his siblings before him, a rustling in the undergrowth behind him marked the appearance of the little red hairy man.
“Nah.” Said the little red hairy man “Is that not the finest cheese that Derbyshire ever did produce? The very sight of it makes mi spine tingle and mi mouth ta water. Might you share just a small bit wi me?” Implored the little red hairy man.
“Of course.” Said Jack “I’d be happy to!” Jack took a generous chunk of his Peakland Blue and, wrapping it up in a piece of oatcake, handed it over to the little red hairy man. Tentatively at first and probably remembering Jacob’s false charity, the little red hairy man took the offered food and wolfed it down. “Nah that were a grand piece of cheese and lovely moist oatcake too!” Exclaimed the little red hairy man. “My pleasure.” Said Jack and proceeded to share his fayre with the curiously diminutive character.
After they had shared Jack’s food, the little red hairy man said “Nah, in return for your charity, ahl gee ya some advice. Just a few yards in t’ woods ‘ere, there is a mine. Goo into it and you’ll earn yer fortune.” And the little red hairy man shuffled off into the undergrowth. Jack packed up his things and followed shortly afterwards. Sure enough, he soon came upon the old, ramshackle mine entrance. Standing by it was the little red hairy man, holding onto a windlass that was attached to a sturdy old bucket. “Come on nah and get thee in t’ bucket and ahl lower thee down inta the mine, there to find your fortune!” So, being a trusting sort, Jack clambered into the bucket and the little red hairy man lowered him down into the darkness. The light from above faded, until Jack could not see his hand in front of his face. Strangely though, after a while, the mine shaft started to lighten, not from above, but with a light from below.
Jack stepped out into as green and pleasant a land as the dales of his home, far above. Lo and behold, who should be standing there, but the little red hairy man himself! “Nah lad, yer on yer way to yer fortune. In these parts there’s a gret castle, made all o’ copper. In t’ castle a vicious giant ‘olds a princess captive. All you ‘ave ta do, is slay t’ giant, set t’ princess free and let ‘er goo om.”
Well, Jack was hardly equipped for serious giant-slaying, but, thankfully, the little red hairy man supplied Jack with a fine suit of armour and a sword. The little fellow then produced a gleaming copper ball that crackled with a life of its own. He then cast the ball to the ground and it rolled off very purposefully ahead of him. Knowing what was expected of him Jack set off in pursuit of the copper ball. Before long, he came to a great, glistening copper castle. As if magnetised, the copper ball clanged against the doors of the castle, creating a mighty clarion call. The titanic doors were thrust open and out stormed a mighty giant, armoured in copper and armed with a huge human-crushing mace. With a roar, the giant spotted Jack, “What ‘ave we ‘ere? Prepare to be squashed, little ‘uman bug!” The giant rushed towards Jack, but Jack was nimble and Jack was quick, and he sidestepped the giant, causing the mighty titan to trip over his own feet. Quick as a flash, Jack swung about and chopped the giant’s head off! He then went into the castle and freed the princess, who ran off back home. If Jack were expecting more gratitude, at this point, the story does not tell.
Jack returned to the mine entrance and there stood the little red man, this time, holding a silver ball in his hands. “I think yer can guess what’s next?” Jack nodded in agreement. The little red hairy man cast the silver ball to the ground, where it crackled with life and took off across the fields. Jack followed and, sure enough, he soon came across an even mightier castle, made of silver that glistened like the full moon.
Like its copper cousin before it, the silver ball rolled up against the mighty gates of the castle and clanged loudly against them. “Oo’s that outside mi castle walls?” Boomed a mighty voice from within. “Tis I, Jack, the slayer of giants!” Replied Jack, now feeling more confident after his previous giant killing exploits. The silver doors burst open, accompanied by an incoherent roar from the giant within. The mighty titan barreled out towards Jack, wielding a silver battle axe and bedecked in silver armour. Once again, Jack was too agile for the clumsy giant and, before too long he had him in knots and crashing to the floor, where Jack swiftly relieved him of his head. Jack proceeded into the silver castle and swiftly set the princess free. She thanked Jack and fled off, back to her parents. Jack was once again left feeling slightly unrewarded and could not help but wonder why these princesses seemed lacking in the gratitude department.
So Jack made his way back to the mine entrance. Where, sure enough, the Little Red Hairy Man awaited his return. “Well lad. Thou’s right tekken to this giant slaying malarky an’ no mistake.” Said the diminutive ruddy dwarf - because, for literary variety, I can’t keep saying the Little Red Hairy Man. “Well, ‘ere’s ya final task, after which, ya fortune will be assured. Ther’s a final castle. Thisun’s made all o’ gold. The princess inside is the most beautiful of all, but the giant is the biggest and most brutal o’ the three.” So, producing a golden ball, the Little Red Hairy Man cast it to the floor and Jack set off after it.
Before long, Jack arrived outside an incredible, gleaming golden castle. As expected, the golden ball clanged itself against the castle doors and a voice roared out “‘Oo darest disturb my rest?” “Tis I.” Replied Jack “Slayer o’ the bronze giant and the silver giant, and soon to be slayer of the gold un too!” The mighty gates were thrown open and there stood the biggest of the giants yet, clad all in golden armour from head to toe and holding a mighty golden sword. With an ear-splitting battle cry, the golden giant leapt forward. He was certainly more skilled and less clumsy than his brothers, and Jack was hard-pressed from the outset. He ducked and dived and dodged, being smaller and swifter than the giant, but, every time he swung at the giant, Jack’s sword clanged loudly off the heavy golden armour and he could nary nick the giant’s skin. Jack was beginning to tire and was sorely in need of some good fortune. The giant towered over Jack, raised his sword into the clouds and swung it down, in a mighty slashing movement. AT the final second, Jack dodged aside and the giant’s sword buried itself deep into the ground. Seeing his opportunity, Jack dodged to the side and brought his own sword swiftly down onto the unprotected neck of the golden giant; cleaving his head from his shoulders.
After a brief rest, to catch his breath, Jack proceeded into the golden castle and broke down the door of the dungeon, where the princess was held. Happily for Jack, this princess was overjoyed to be rescued and was more than grateful. So, collecting a cartload of gold treasure from the castle, Jack and his princess returned to the mineshaft, where the Little Red Hairy Man married them. The happy couple returned above ground and Jack took the princess back to Youlgrave, where he built a fine house for them and one for his mother and father too, where they all lived happily ever after …
… However, Jack's brothers were not nearly so happy and, filled with envy, decided they would go to the mineshaft to gain their fortunes too. Upon arriving there, they argued about who would go down in the bucket first; neither trusting the other to lower them down. So, as they jostled together in the bucket, the old windlass finally gave up the ghost and broke apart, sending them both hurtling to their deaths, at the bottom of the mineshaft. Later, when Jack and his father went to look for the brothers, they found the remains of the windlass and the sides of the shaft caved in, thus sealing off the entrance to the country below and its gleaming castles closed forever.