The King with Horse's Ears - Irish Folktale

In the low-lying mountains of the Irish Island and among its green lush hills lived once King Labhraidh Loingseach. He had a secret, but had learned that keeping it isn’t always best and that it is good to be able to laugh at yourself.

King Labhraidh was a very sensitive about the way he looked. His crown was designed in such a way that it covered his ears. Why? He wanted to make sure that nobody would discover his secret. What was the secret? He was born with horse’s ears!

Horse’s ears or not, he still needed a haircut as everybody else. Every six weeks a barber was selected randomly to cut the king’s hair. Afterwards, the barber was thrown into dungeon and killed. The King didn’t want to take any chance.

The news spread throughout the kingdom quickly. Soon no barber could be found to cut the king’s hair.

Upon the seventh week without his haircut, the king got furious and ordered two of his soldiers to fetch a barber or their lives would be on the line. The soldier knew the true meaning of king’s words and knew to better come back with a barber.

They searched eagerly on the first day with no luck. The second day seemed no better until they came across a remote village in the mountains. Young barber by the name of Johnny Gruagach, who lived with his mother, was about to open the front door of his barbershop when he was grabbed and tied by two soldiers. “You are to give a haircut to the king,” announced one of the soldiers.

While the soldiers were approaching the castle, the young barber’s mother entered his shop for a chat, but to her surprise it was empty.

She ran across the tiny village yelling, “Has anybody seen Johnny?”

A neighbor rushed toward her, “I thought you knew. The soldiers took him to the castle to give the king a haircut.” Her cries reached the whole village.

Eventually she was calmed by kindly neighbors and vowed to plead with the king for her son’s life. And that’s what she did. She set on the long trek to the castle.

Once there, she threw herself on the floor in front of the king and pleaded with her tearing eyes. “Johnny is all I have. The little he earns keeps us from starving. I beg you to spare him.”

The king was moved, but wondered if he could trust the young barber. “I will spare his life, but if he doesn’t keep my secret, you will both respond with your lives.”

The woman thanked the king repeatedly and returned home.

In the adjacent room, small and dark, her terrified son was awaiting the king.

A short time later, the king entered the room and sat on a simple chair. The barber instinctively removed the crown. To his astonishment, tow horse’s ears popped up. Johnny suppressed a laugh.

Once the haircut was done, the king spoke. “Let me give you a warning. Your life is being spared today, but if you ever speak a word of this to anybody, not only you, but also your mother will pay for this with your lives.”

Upon his return to the village, people wondered how he escaped with his life. But promise was a promise. He wouldn’t say a word. However, his desire to share his secret was getting stronger and stronger to a point that he couldn’t eat or sleep. His worried mother fetched a doctor.

“Well, he seems to be perfectly fine,” announced the doctor after a thorough examination. “Is something on your mind that is bothering you?”

After a short hesitation, the boy burst out, “I have a secret, which I cannot reveal.”

“Well,” the doctor stroked his long grey beard, “Why don’t you to the Wood of Direen and find the tallest oak tree at the edge of the forest. Tell your secret to its trunk. This way you will relieve yourself without breaking your promise.”

And that’s what the boy did the following morning. In no time the boy felt great.

A month later, the king hosted a big feast to celebrate a great harvest. All the people were invited, including the poets and musicians.

On the day of the feast, the king’s famous harpist noticed that his harp’s base was cracked. He rushed to the nearby Wood of Direen and cut a piece of timber from an oak tree at the edge of the forest. He returned to the castle and repaired his harp just in time for the feast.

“Let’s begin the feast with the music,” declared the king.

The harpist gently stroked the strings. But to the utter dismay of all, these words rang out, “King Labhraidh Loingseach has two horse’s ears.”

The king grew in rage at first. But as giggles spread across the room, prompting some laughs, the king’s rage loosened. He lifted his crown, revealing the huge ears and laughed out loud himself.

 

Source: The King with Horse’s Ears and Other Irish Folktales by Batt Burns