Far away, in the deep blue sea, there is a magical green island – an island so green that it is called the Emerald Isle, because its green hills and meadows sparkle in the sunlight like a jewel.
On this island there are two kinds of inhabitants – those usually visible in the daytime, and those usually visible at night.
Not long ago there was a girl who lived on the magical green island – a girl known as Molly with the Golden Hair. Molly lived with her mother and father in the capital city of the island, and they lived in a comfortable home, but they were not happy.
The father and mother argued frequently, because the father wanted Molly to study hard so she could grow up to be rich, and the mother wanted Molly to pray hard so she would grow up to be good. But what Molly with the Golden Hair really wanted to be when she grew up was to be free. She wanted to travel and see the world beyond the Emerald Isle, and she wanted to be an artist or an actress or a writer. But her father and mother said such daydreams were wild, and not practical.
One night, Molly with the Golden Hair was laying in bed, feeling sorry for herself, when she heard some strange music coming from the attic. Curious, she got out of bed and went up to the attic. She peered through a crack in the doorway, and saw, to her amazement, a wild-looking old man with a white beard, who was leaping and prancing about and dancing merrily to the music.
Molly stared at him in wonder. He wore dark clothes, except for a bright red cap and a bright red coat. What Molly didn’t know was that the man was a Far Darrig, one of the many kinds of people usually visible only at night.
Far Darrigs haunt people’s houses, living in the attic or on the roof or in some out-of-the-way place. But they’re not ghosts – they’re alive. They are very, very, old men who usually live alone, and they like to sing and dance and drink. A Far Darrig can be a good man, or he can be mean – depending on how you treat him. He has the power to grant three wishes to anyone who can find him, but he likes to play a trick on the person making the wishes.
As Molly with the Golden Hair stared at the old man with the bright red cap and bright red coat as he leaped about the attic, suddenly the music stopped. With a howl, the Far Darrig cried, “You’ve caught me – and wasn’t I having a lovely dance! And now I suppose you’ll be wanting your three wishes.”
Molly was startled, and didn’t know quite what to say, but she gathered her wits about her and replied, “Yes, sir, I would.”
“All right, all right then, tell me your first wish. But remember – I may ask for something in return.”
Molly thought about it, and said, “I wish my father and mother and I could live together in peace and love.”
Before she could say anything more, the Far Darrig shouted, “I’ll think about it! And now, let’s dance.” From out of nowhere the wild music returned, and Molly with the Golden Hair couldn’t help herself as she danced all night with the man in the bright red cap and bright red coat.
The next day Molly was so tired that she slept all day. When she finally got up, she said nothing to her father and mother about her nighttime adventures.
That night, she lay in bed wondering if her wish would come true, and whether she’d get a chance to make her two other wishes. Suddenly she heard the strange music coming from the attic. Once again she went upstairs, and once again she found the Far Darrig dancing merrily.
“And it’s your second wish you’ve come for, I’m thinking,” smiled the man in red to Molly.
“Yes, sir,” she answered.
“Wish away!” exclaimed the Far Darrig.
“I wish for the freedom to travel and to express my self as a creative person.”
“I’ll think about it,” muttered the Far Darrig. “But remember – I may ask for something in return. And now, let’s dance.” Once again the exciting music came out of nowhere, and Molly with the Golden Hair danced the night away with the man in the bright red cap and bright red coat.
On the third night, Molly lay in bed, excited. She thought and thought about her last wish, and looked forward to seeing the Far Darrig again. But the music didn’t come. Night after night she waited for the music, and when it still didn’t come, she went up to the attic anyway, but it was always empty.
Weeks and months went by, with still no sign of the Far Darrig. Meanwhile, her parents argued with each other and with Molly, and the comfortable house was occupied by an unhappy family. One day her father was so angry and upset that he had a heart attack. He was taken to a hospital, where the doctors said he might not live. Molly was afraid, and realized how much she loved her father. That night, she cried herself to sleep.
In the middle of the night she was awakened by wild music coming from the attic. She rushed upstairs, and there was the Far Darrig, dancing away as merrily as ever.
“I’ve come for my third wish,” said Molly with the Golden Hair.
“So I see,” the Far Darrig replied.
“I want you to make my father well,” demanded Molly.
“And what will you do for me if I grant your three wishes?”
“Anything!”
The man in the bright red cap and bright red coat smiled. “And it’s tired that I am of the cold and loneliness of the attic. I want you to share your life with me – body, mind, and soul.”
“I can’t do that!” Molly protested. “You look like a vagabond, and my parents would never let someone like you live in our respectable household.”
“So you don’t want your three wishes, then?”
“Yes I do!” cried Molly.
“Then make your choice!” snarled the man in red.
Molly was terrified. The thought of sharing her life with the old man was frightening. But she realized that she loved her father very much, and would do anything to save him.
Finally Molly spoke to the Far Darrig. “All right – I accept you into my life.”
“Then your wishes are granted!” shouted the Far Darrig. “And now, let’s celebrate our life together with a rollicking dance!”
The music began, and in spite of herself Molly with the Golden Hair found herself dancing joyously all night with the man in the bright red cap and bright red coat.
Molly never saw the Far Darrig again.
Maybe it was a coincidence, but her father recovered nicely from his heart attack, and lived a long, healthy life.
And maybe it was a coincidence, but Molly and her father and mother stopped bickering, and realized how much they loved each other.
And maybe it was a coincidence, but Molly grew up to be a fine travel writer, famous around the world as Molly with the Bright Red Hair, from the magical green island in the deep blue sea.
© 2001
David Wigginton 