April 9, 2025 • 20 mins
A man enters a magical realm for love, but homesickness draws him back—under strict rules. Will he follow the rules? A what happens if he doesn’t?
Michael Barrington lives near San Francisco and writes mainly historical novels: Let the Peacock Sing, The Ethiopian Affair, Becoming Anya, The Baron of Bengal Street, No Room for Heroes. Passage to Murder is a thriller set in San Francisco. Magic at Stonehenge is a short story collection. Take a Priest Like You is a memoir. He has published more than 60 short stories and also blogs on his website: www.mbwriter.net.
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash
You can read "The Storyteller: The Shannike" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Please feel free to contact me through the website contact form.
Follow us on:
Instagram
Facebook
Bluesky
Substack
Michael Barrington lives near San Francisco and writes mainly historical novels: Let the Peacock Sing, The Ethiopian Affair, Becoming Anya, The Baron of Bengal Street, No Room for Heroes. Passage to Murder is a thriller set in San Francisco. Magic at Stonehenge is a short story collection. Take a Priest Like You is a memoir. He has published more than 60 short stories and also blogs on his website: www.mbwriter.net.
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash
You can read "The Storyteller: The Shannike" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Please feel free to contact me through the website contact form.
Follow us on:
Bluesky
Substack
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the Kaidon Kai Podcast, where the eerie, the mysterious,
and the spine chilling come alive in stories that linger
long after the last word is spoken. I'm your host
Linda Gould, and tonight I'm reading The Storyteller The Shani
Kay by Michael Barrington. The Shaani Kay is an Irish
(00:30):
wandering storyteller who's invited into the home of a poor family.
He spins a tale of mythical love of a man
who dares to follow his heart into a magical kingdom
drawn by a woman of other worldly beauty. But even
paradise has its price. Michael Barrington lives near San Francisco
(00:51):
and writes mainly historical novels. Let the Peacock Sing, The
Ethiopian Affair, Becoming Anya, The Baron of Bengal Street, No
Room for Heroes. Passage to Murder is a thriller set
in San Francisco. Magic at Stonehenge is a short story collection.
Take a Priest Like You is a memoir. He has
(01:11):
published more than sixty short stories and also blogs on
his website mb writer dot Net. So Now dim the lights,
settle in and listen to the story Teller. The shani
K by Michael Barrington and Joy. It all happened because
(01:37):
of dar Dockery. If he hadn't been in Tulsk that day,
and if the skies hadn't opened, forcing him to spend
the night at his sister's house, and if he hadn't
met the shaani K, there would be no story to tell.
The shawne K looked old. How old was difficult to say,
but he had a gently creased and weather beaten face.
(02:00):
His bushy gray hair spilled out from under a red
stocking cap. He wore a long black coat, which he
never removed, over what looked like hand woven dark wool pants.
A sturdy pair of well worn brown boots completed his
outfit save for the canvas bag he carried slung over
his shoulder. The women, much more so than the men,
(02:23):
remarked on his bright blue eyes that seemed at the
same time to be warm and welcoming, yet also piercing,
as if they could see right through a person. It
was a very special occasion when a shaani Kay, a
mysterious mendicant story teller, came to town. Everybody in Roscommon,
(02:44):
even if they had never actually heard one speak knew
of their ability and skills. Children from infancy learned the
stories of Irish ancestors from their parents and grandparents, who
in turn had heard them directly from a Shaani Kay.
And if Dar hadn't been so bold as to ask
if he would come to four Mile House, this story
(03:05):
would never have seen the light of day. Of course,
four Mile House was not a house, as anyone in
Roskommen would tell you. It was almost a village. The
land was mainly peat, bog and flinty soil. Life was harsh,
the only comfort coming from being close knit families. The
(03:25):
people were so poor, so uneducated, and the place so small,
no Shaanni Ka had ever paid them a visit. Nobody
would have dreamed that it could ever be possible. The
man only asked two questions. How many families are ye? Seven?
(03:47):
Dar answered, and what's your name? Dar Dockery, sir? And then,
with a far away look, the Shawnei k said, so
your name is the seventh letter of the alphabet Gaelic
and it means oak. You are the seventh son of
(04:10):
the seventh Sun, and laying a hand on his shoulder, continued,
the ladybug has seven spots. The number of planets with
the sun and moon is seven, and so two is
the number of the colors of the rainbow. On the
day of seven weathers, there will be high wind, rain,
frost and snow, thunder, lightning and sunshine. Tomorrow will be
(04:36):
that day, so I will come. I will spend seven
days with you. After rushing home to share the news,
the excitement was palpable as the heads of each family
squeezed into Una Dakari's kitchen and, in almost disbelief, discussed
the shiny Cay's coming. They were poor, but their welcoming
(04:59):
would be rich. They were determined he would take away
happy memories from four mile house. He would spend one
night in each cottage, but the last night would be
with dar Una, his wife, and their seven children. Sensing
their inquisitiveness on the first night, the old man, no
Shawny Kay ever had a name. The old man said,
(05:23):
I will allow one question or request from each family,
but nobody dared respond, save one small child, who innocently asked,
why do you wear a red hat? Sir, Red is
the color of magic, he replied, and it has been
so since the beginning of time. As darkness came, his
(05:46):
storytelling began. Nobody wanted to sleep. People were overawed and
enthralled as the man effortlessly shared one fantastic tale after another.
It amazed everybody that in the morning, after only a
little sleep, they felt fresh and energized. Each night, after
(06:09):
he had told his last story, the Shawny Kay offered
a piece of wisdom to that household. Nobody in four
mile House could write, but the head of each family
tried to preserve what he heard by sharing it with
the neighbors. There are two things not easily controlled, and
they are hunger and jealousy. Fentinea Flynn recalled. Trees are
(06:31):
silent guards, they are listeners, and they hold knowledge mankind
has long forgotten. Repeated Kahir Maloy, don't sell your hen
on a wet day, Aidan O'Conner recalled with a frown
of incomprehension. But everybody else just nodded in false profundity.
(06:52):
When he walked around the village watching them at work,
people smiled and waved. Since his arrival, everyone's spirit had changed.
Moira Cronin believed that her one cow gave more milk
than ever before, and families were happier. While children cried less.
After that first day, the weather changed, turning to blue
(07:15):
skies and sunshine. He noticed an old, dirty white cart horse,
its boons sticking out and its coat coarse and patchy,
pulling a plow. Then he saw Dar behind. It is
that your horse, the shiny Kay asked, approaching and touching
the horse's face. It is, sir, Dar replied, Then feed
(07:36):
him well tonight he'll be traveling soon. Not fully understanding
what he heard, but nonetheless unwilling to contradict the old man,
Dar did what he had requested. The seventh night filled
them with mixed feelings, knowing it would be the last
time the shainy Kay would be with them. However, excitement
(07:58):
grew as he told the stories of the Dream of Angus,
where the Dagda cast a spell to make the sun
and moon stand still for nine months so that Angus
could be conceived and born on the same day. It
scared the young ones when he recounted the history of
the Children of Leir, where a druid's wand turned four
children into white swans. Pausing between stories, the oil lamp
(08:20):
caused a glint from the gold ring on his finger.
Una had noticed it the very day he arrived. It
was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she was curious.
I have a question, sir. His kindly eyes and a
nod showed she could continue. Could you tell us about
(08:40):
your ring? In a strong but soft voice, the shiny
kay began looking around the room at all the faces
hanging on his every word. Long ago, a fisherman from
the Claragnr Galway, engaged to be married, was captured by
pirates and sold into slavery. Taken to Algeria, North Africa,
(09:05):
he became the property of a rich Moorish goldsmith, who
trained him until he became a master craftsman and a
free man. Never forgetting the girl he had left behind,
he fashioned his first Kladakh ring in solid gold as
a gift for her, and then came back home, only
to find she had married another and left the town.
(09:30):
He died of a broken heart, but his people adopted
the ring. They always made it of solid gold and
know it only by its Irish name of Feine Kladagh.
It shows two hands holding a heart in the middle
and a crown at the top. The heart symbolizes love,
the hands friendship, and the crown loyalty. And fidelity. If
(09:56):
the ring is worn with the heart pointing outwards, it
means the perse and is courting a woman. If it
points inwards towards the heart, it symbolizes marriage. The old
man held up the back of his hand so Una
could see it better. Ah, it must be worth a fortune,
she replied, And then daringly she asked, with the heart down,
(10:21):
then there must be a woman in your life. The
shining Gay's eyes sparkled and he paused as memories of
another time flooded in. You know I cannot answer, he said.
That would be a second question. But now I'll tell
(10:42):
you the story of Tirnanog. Many years ago there lived
a great and noble warrior named Osheen, the son of
Fenn Mukoul, the leader of the Fiana clan. While hunting,
they saw an extraordinary sight. A young woman came riding
(11:04):
towards them on a spirited, snow white horse. She was
the most beautiful person anyone had ever seen, with long
red hair down to her waist and wearing a pale
blue dress. She seemed surrounded by light. As she brought
it to a stop, the horse's host struck some stones,
(11:26):
sending small sparks into the air, and in a voice
that sounded like the music of a harp, she said,
I am Neve, and my father is the king of Tirnanog.
I am looking for the noble warrior Oshen to invite
him to return with me to the land of the eternal.
Young Oshan stepped forward to greet her. As his eyes
(11:49):
met Neve's, it was love at first sight. Come with
me to Tirnanog. Neive pleaded, and after only a moment
sas itation, O'shan swung up behind her onto the snow
white horse, and together they crossed the sea to Tirnanog.
Having grown up in Ireland, O'shan would never have believed
(12:12):
that a more beautiful land existed. In this magical place.
Nive and O'shan's love grew deeper as she shared the
treasures of her enchanted homeland. Three hundred years passed as
though it were but a single day. No one in
Tirnanog fell sick. Nobody knew of sadness, nobody aged. They
(12:34):
lived in endless, youthful moments filled with happiness. Despite a
life of pleasure and his deep love for Neive. A
small part of Oshin's soul was lonely. Such feelings were
unknown in Tirnanogu, but his longing to return to Ireland
(12:54):
overwhelmed him. Nive couldn't ease his loneliness and reluctantly allowed
him to return, agreeing because she loved him. You must
go and ride my snow white horse there, she said.
But then she added a serious warning. If you ever
get down from my horse or set foot on Irish soil,
(13:18):
you can never return to tirnanog Riding the snow white horse,
Oshan reached his homeland and found everything had changed to him.
It felt as though just three short years had passed,
but it was actually three hundred. His family and friends
had long passed. The Fiana no longer hunted in the hills,
(13:42):
and the castle he once called home was now in ruins.
In his quest to find his family and his grief
at their loss, he forgot to care for the beautiful
snow white horse. Despite its hunger and fatigue, it continued
to respond to Oshin. Finally, with a sad heart, he
turned the horse back toward the sea to return to
(14:04):
tynanog He came upon a group of men working in
a field, and as the horse reached them, its fatigue
caused it to stumble. Its hoof hit a stone. Osheen
bent down to pick it up, planning to take it
to Tyirnanog. He felt certain that carrying back a piece
of Ireland would ease his sadness. But as his hand
(14:28):
grasped the stone, the straps holding his saddle broke and
he fell to the ground. Within moments, Oshan, aged three
hundred years, Without its rider, the horse reared up and
rushed into the ocean, returning to Tirnanog and its beloved Neve.
(14:49):
The men in the field witnessed something that amazed them.
Not only had they seen a young man age before
their eyes, they also saw a tired old plow horse
race into the sea. Rushing to his aid, the men
carried Oshean to Saint Patrick. When he met the saint,
Oshan spoke about his family history, his love for Nive
(15:10):
in the land of Eternal Youth Tirnanog, But Saint Patrick
could not console him, and the old man simply lay
down and died. Even to this day, the fishermen and
lighthousekeepers still tell of foggy nights. When the moon is full,
they sometimes see a shimmering snow white horse dancing in
(15:31):
the waves along the shores of Ireland. Some say that
the beautiful red haired maiden in a pale blue dress
who rides the horse still searches for Oshan. There were
gasps around the cottage as he finished his story. Children
just stared in awe at the shiny Kay, not fully
taking in what they had just heard. Men looked shocked,
(15:56):
women wept. When everyone had laughed, and the children put
to bed alongside the animals, knowing they would be warm there,
Dar said, we have prepared our bedroom for you. Let
me show you where it is. Thank you kindly, Dar,
but I'll not be needing it. Rest there with your
(16:16):
wife and young ones. I'll sleep here in the rocking
chair next to the fire. If you would throw another
piece of turf onto it, I'll be just fine. At
that moment, Una came in and stood quietly listening. Before
we sleep, let me give you both a final word
for your kindness and generosity. Running water reveals the sounds
(16:41):
of the other world to those who know how to listen.
As the night noises nursed everyone to sleep, the shiny
Ky listened, the wind gently rustling through the thatched roof
and the faint tap tap of the loosely fitting shutters
provided the music he needed. Was time to go. He'd
(17:02):
prepared for this moment. As the red glow from the
peat fire warmed his body, and shainne Ky felt himself
slowly being transformed. First his feet began to melt, then
his legs, and next his torso, stopping just below his heart.
(17:22):
Life stood still for one last second as he smiled
and nodded, and then he was gone. All that remained
was a pull of wax on the rocking chair, which
turned into water. But as it evaporated, something else was
lying there. Shining brightly from the light of the fire
(17:44):
was his cladakh ring. When Una came in to replenish
the fire in the morning, she saw the empty chair
and the ring and wondered there was no sign of
the shiny kay. Then she heard the sounds of their
white plow galloping into the distance, and she knew. What
(18:08):
I love about this story is that it isn't just
an Irish story. In Japan, they have the tale of
Roshima Tarro, a fisherman who saves a turtle and is
taken to an undersea palace and then he too is
granted a magical stay, only to miss home. But when
he's granted the opportunity to return with one condition, well,
(18:31):
he doesn't follow that condition. In Greece, there's Orpheus who
braves the underworld to reclaim his love Eurydicy, as long
as he doesn't look back, and of course he does,
and she's lost forever. These are stories that echo across
cultures and centuries, and they tell the same truth that
(18:54):
human hearts are restless. We crave wonder even when everything
seems perfect. We yearn for home. When we are in
beautiful situations, we chase our dreams, but we always carry
that ache of what we've left behind, and we struggle, always,
(19:19):
always with the one rule that matters most in those situations,
trust and doing what is asked of us. So thank
you Michael so much for such an interesting story. Please
check out the kaiton Kai substack to see comments about
Michael's life and how his experiences informed his writing, and
(19:43):
please subscribe to the podcast. More subscribers bring these stories
to more people. The kaiiton Kai also has a Facebook
page and we are on Instagram. Thank you so much
for listening today and i'll see you next week. Eight
Welcome to the Kaidon Kai Podcast, where the eerie, the mysterious,
and the spine chilling come alive in stories that linger
long after the last word is spoken. I'm your host
Linda Gould, and tonight I'm reading The Storyteller The Shani
Kay by Michael Barrington. The Shaani Kay is an Irish
(00:30):
wandering storyteller who's invited into the home of a poor family.
He spins a tale of mythical love of a man
who dares to follow his heart into a magical kingdom
drawn by a woman of other worldly beauty. But even
paradise has its price. Michael Barrington lives near San Francisco
(00:51):
and writes mainly historical novels. Let the Peacock Sing, The
Ethiopian Affair, Becoming Anya, The Baron of Bengal Street, No
Room for Heroes. Passage to Murder is a thriller set
in San Francisco. Magic at Stonehenge is a short story collection.
Take a Priest Like You is a memoir. He has
(01:11):
published more than sixty short stories and also blogs on
his website mb writer dot Net. So Now dim the lights,
settle in and listen to the story Teller. The shani
K by Michael Barrington and Joy. It all happened because
(01:37):
of dar Dockery. If he hadn't been in Tulsk that day,
and if the skies hadn't opened, forcing him to spend
the night at his sister's house, and if he hadn't
met the shaani K, there would be no story to tell.
The shawne K looked old. How old was difficult to say,
but he had a gently creased and weather beaten face.
(02:00):
His bushy gray hair spilled out from under a red
stocking cap. He wore a long black coat, which he
never removed, over what looked like hand woven dark wool pants.
A sturdy pair of well worn brown boots completed his
outfit save for the canvas bag he carried slung over
his shoulder. The women, much more so than the men,
(02:23):
remarked on his bright blue eyes that seemed at the
same time to be warm and welcoming, yet also piercing,
as if they could see right through a person. It
was a very special occasion when a shaani Kay, a
mysterious mendicant story teller, came to town. Everybody in Roscommon,
(02:44):
even if they had never actually heard one speak knew
of their ability and skills. Children from infancy learned the
stories of Irish ancestors from their parents and grandparents, who
in turn had heard them directly from a Shaani Kay.
And if Dar hadn't been so bold as to ask
if he would come to four Mile House, this story
(03:05):
would never have seen the light of day. Of course,
four Mile House was not a house, as anyone in
Roskommen would tell you. It was almost a village. The
land was mainly peat, bog and flinty soil. Life was harsh,
the only comfort coming from being close knit families. The
(03:25):
people were so poor, so uneducated, and the place so small,
no Shaanni Ka had ever paid them a visit. Nobody
would have dreamed that it could ever be possible. The
man only asked two questions. How many families are ye? Seven?
(03:47):
Dar answered, and what's your name? Dar Dockery, sir? And then,
with a far away look, the Shawnei k said, so
your name is the seventh letter of the alphabet Gaelic
and it means oak. You are the seventh son of
(04:10):
the seventh Sun, and laying a hand on his shoulder, continued,
the ladybug has seven spots. The number of planets with
the sun and moon is seven, and so two is
the number of the colors of the rainbow. On the
day of seven weathers, there will be high wind, rain,
frost and snow, thunder, lightning and sunshine. Tomorrow will be
(04:36):
that day, so I will come. I will spend seven
days with you. After rushing home to share the news,
the excitement was palpable as the heads of each family
squeezed into Una Dakari's kitchen and, in almost disbelief, discussed
the shiny Cay's coming. They were poor, but their welcoming
(04:59):
would be rich. They were determined he would take away
happy memories from four mile house. He would spend one
night in each cottage, but the last night would be
with dar Una, his wife, and their seven children. Sensing
their inquisitiveness on the first night, the old man, no
Shawny Kay ever had a name. The old man said,
(05:23):
I will allow one question or request from each family,
but nobody dared respond, save one small child, who innocently asked,
why do you wear a red hat? Sir, Red is
the color of magic, he replied, and it has been
so since the beginning of time. As darkness came, his
(05:46):
storytelling began. Nobody wanted to sleep. People were overawed and
enthralled as the man effortlessly shared one fantastic tale after another.
It amazed everybody that in the morning, after only a
little sleep, they felt fresh and energized. Each night, after
(06:09):
he had told his last story, the Shawny Kay offered
a piece of wisdom to that household. Nobody in four
mile House could write, but the head of each family
tried to preserve what he heard by sharing it with
the neighbors. There are two things not easily controlled, and
they are hunger and jealousy. Fentinea Flynn recalled. Trees are
(06:31):
silent guards, they are listeners, and they hold knowledge mankind
has long forgotten. Repeated Kahir Maloy, don't sell your hen
on a wet day, Aidan O'Conner recalled with a frown
of incomprehension. But everybody else just nodded in false profundity.
(06:52):
When he walked around the village watching them at work,
people smiled and waved. Since his arrival, everyone's spirit had changed.
Moira Cronin believed that her one cow gave more milk
than ever before, and families were happier. While children cried less.
After that first day, the weather changed, turning to blue
(07:15):
skies and sunshine. He noticed an old, dirty white cart horse,
its boons sticking out and its coat coarse and patchy,
pulling a plow. Then he saw Dar behind. It is
that your horse, the shiny Kay asked, approaching and touching
the horse's face. It is, sir, Dar replied, Then feed
(07:36):
him well tonight he'll be traveling soon. Not fully understanding
what he heard, but nonetheless unwilling to contradict the old man,
Dar did what he had requested. The seventh night filled
them with mixed feelings, knowing it would be the last
time the shainy Kay would be with them. However, excitement
(07:58):
grew as he told the stories of the Dream of Angus,
where the Dagda cast a spell to make the sun
and moon stand still for nine months so that Angus
could be conceived and born on the same day. It
scared the young ones when he recounted the history of
the Children of Leir, where a druid's wand turned four
children into white swans. Pausing between stories, the oil lamp
(08:20):
caused a glint from the gold ring on his finger.
Una had noticed it the very day he arrived. It
was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she was curious.
I have a question, sir. His kindly eyes and a
nod showed she could continue. Could you tell us about
(08:40):
your ring? In a strong but soft voice, the shiny
kay began looking around the room at all the faces
hanging on his every word. Long ago, a fisherman from
the Claragnr Galway, engaged to be married, was captured by
pirates and sold into slavery. Taken to Algeria, North Africa,
(09:05):
he became the property of a rich Moorish goldsmith, who
trained him until he became a master craftsman and a
free man. Never forgetting the girl he had left behind,
he fashioned his first Kladakh ring in solid gold as
a gift for her, and then came back home, only
to find she had married another and left the town.
(09:30):
He died of a broken heart, but his people adopted
the ring. They always made it of solid gold and
know it only by its Irish name of Feine Kladagh.
It shows two hands holding a heart in the middle
and a crown at the top. The heart symbolizes love,
the hands friendship, and the crown loyalty. And fidelity. If
(09:56):
the ring is worn with the heart pointing outwards, it
means the perse and is courting a woman. If it
points inwards towards the heart, it symbolizes marriage. The old
man held up the back of his hand so Una
could see it better. Ah, it must be worth a fortune,
she replied, And then daringly she asked, with the heart down,
(10:21):
then there must be a woman in your life. The
shining Gay's eyes sparkled and he paused as memories of
another time flooded in. You know I cannot answer, he said.
That would be a second question. But now I'll tell
(10:42):
you the story of Tirnanog. Many years ago there lived
a great and noble warrior named Osheen, the son of
Fenn Mukoul, the leader of the Fiana clan. While hunting,
they saw an extraordinary sight. A young woman came riding
(11:04):
towards them on a spirited, snow white horse. She was
the most beautiful person anyone had ever seen, with long
red hair down to her waist and wearing a pale
blue dress. She seemed surrounded by light. As she brought
it to a stop, the horse's host struck some stones,
(11:26):
sending small sparks into the air, and in a voice
that sounded like the music of a harp, she said,
I am Neve, and my father is the king of Tirnanog.
I am looking for the noble warrior Oshen to invite
him to return with me to the land of the eternal.
Young Oshan stepped forward to greet her. As his eyes
(11:49):
met Neve's, it was love at first sight. Come with
me to Tirnanog. Neive pleaded, and after only a moment
sas itation, O'shan swung up behind her onto the snow
white horse, and together they crossed the sea to Tirnanog.
Having grown up in Ireland, O'shan would never have believed
(12:12):
that a more beautiful land existed. In this magical place.
Nive and O'shan's love grew deeper as she shared the
treasures of her enchanted homeland. Three hundred years passed as
though it were but a single day. No one in
Tirnanog fell sick. Nobody knew of sadness, nobody aged. They
(12:34):
lived in endless, youthful moments filled with happiness. Despite a
life of pleasure and his deep love for Neive. A
small part of Oshin's soul was lonely. Such feelings were
unknown in Tirnanogu, but his longing to return to Ireland
(12:54):
overwhelmed him. Nive couldn't ease his loneliness and reluctantly allowed
him to return, agreeing because she loved him. You must
go and ride my snow white horse there, she said.
But then she added a serious warning. If you ever
get down from my horse or set foot on Irish soil,
(13:18):
you can never return to tirnanog Riding the snow white horse,
Oshan reached his homeland and found everything had changed to him.
It felt as though just three short years had passed,
but it was actually three hundred. His family and friends
had long passed. The Fiana no longer hunted in the hills,
(13:42):
and the castle he once called home was now in ruins.
In his quest to find his family and his grief
at their loss, he forgot to care for the beautiful
snow white horse. Despite its hunger and fatigue, it continued
to respond to Oshin. Finally, with a sad heart, he
turned the horse back toward the sea to return to
(14:04):
tynanog He came upon a group of men working in
a field, and as the horse reached them, its fatigue
caused it to stumble. Its hoof hit a stone. Osheen
bent down to pick it up, planning to take it
to Tyirnanog. He felt certain that carrying back a piece
of Ireland would ease his sadness. But as his hand
(14:28):
grasped the stone, the straps holding his saddle broke and
he fell to the ground. Within moments, Oshan, aged three
hundred years, Without its rider, the horse reared up and
rushed into the ocean, returning to Tirnanog and its beloved Neve.
(14:49):
The men in the field witnessed something that amazed them.
Not only had they seen a young man age before
their eyes, they also saw a tired old plow horse
race into the sea. Rushing to his aid, the men
carried Oshean to Saint Patrick. When he met the saint,
Oshan spoke about his family history, his love for Nive
(15:10):
in the land of Eternal Youth Tirnanog, But Saint Patrick
could not console him, and the old man simply lay
down and died. Even to this day, the fishermen and
lighthousekeepers still tell of foggy nights. When the moon is full,
they sometimes see a shimmering snow white horse dancing in
(15:31):
the waves along the shores of Ireland. Some say that
the beautiful red haired maiden in a pale blue dress
who rides the horse still searches for Oshan. There were
gasps around the cottage as he finished his story. Children
just stared in awe at the shiny Kay, not fully
taking in what they had just heard. Men looked shocked,
(15:56):
women wept. When everyone had laughed, and the children put
to bed alongside the animals, knowing they would be warm there,
Dar said, we have prepared our bedroom for you. Let
me show you where it is. Thank you kindly, Dar,
but I'll not be needing it. Rest there with your
(16:16):
wife and young ones. I'll sleep here in the rocking
chair next to the fire. If you would throw another
piece of turf onto it, I'll be just fine. At
that moment, Una came in and stood quietly listening. Before
we sleep, let me give you both a final word
for your kindness and generosity. Running water reveals the sounds
(16:41):
of the other world to those who know how to listen.
As the night noises nursed everyone to sleep, the shiny
Ky listened, the wind gently rustling through the thatched roof
and the faint tap tap of the loosely fitting shutters
provided the music he needed. Was time to go. He'd
(17:02):
prepared for this moment. As the red glow from the
peat fire warmed his body, and shainne Ky felt himself
slowly being transformed. First his feet began to melt, then
his legs, and next his torso, stopping just below his heart.
(17:22):
Life stood still for one last second as he smiled
and nodded, and then he was gone. All that remained
was a pull of wax on the rocking chair, which
turned into water. But as it evaporated, something else was
lying there. Shining brightly from the light of the fire
(17:44):
was his cladakh ring. When Una came in to replenish
the fire in the morning, she saw the empty chair
and the ring and wondered there was no sign of
the shiny kay. Then she heard the sounds of their
white plow galloping into the distance, and she knew. What
(18:08):
I love about this story is that it isn't just
an Irish story. In Japan, they have the tale of
Roshima Tarro, a fisherman who saves a turtle and is
taken to an undersea palace and then he too is
granted a magical stay, only to miss home. But when
he's granted the opportunity to return with one condition, well,
(18:31):
he doesn't follow that condition. In Greece, there's Orpheus who
braves the underworld to reclaim his love Eurydicy, as long
as he doesn't look back, and of course he does,
and she's lost forever. These are stories that echo across
cultures and centuries, and they tell the same truth that
(18:54):
human hearts are restless. We crave wonder even when everything
seems perfect. We yearn for home. When we are in
beautiful situations, we chase our dreams, but we always carry
that ache of what we've left behind, and we struggle, always,
(19:19):
always with the one rule that matters most in those situations,
trust and doing what is asked of us. So thank
you Michael so much for such an interesting story. Please
check out the kaiton Kai substack to see comments about
Michael's life and how his experiences informed his writing, and
(19:43):
please subscribe to the podcast. More subscribers bring these stories
to more people. The kaiiton Kai also has a Facebook
page and we are on Instagram. Thank you so much
for listening today and i'll see you next week. Eight
Popular Podcasts
Fudd Around And Find Out
UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd brings her championship swag to iHeart Women’s Sports with Fudd Around and Find Out, a weekly podcast that takes fans along for the ride as Azzi spends her final year of college trying to reclaim the National Championship and prepare to be a first round WNBA draft pick. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a world-class athlete in the public spotlight while still managing schoolwork, friendships and family time? It’s time to Fudd Around and Find Out!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.