# In the "Allena-Dale" Poem, What is 'Red Gold?'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 13, 2006, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146 "2006-03-13T07:16:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146/1 "2006-03-13T07:16:27Z")

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A few lof the first lines:

“Allen-a-Dale has no fagot for burning,  
Allen-a-Dale has no furrow for turning,  
Allen-a-Dale has no fleece for the spinning,  
Yet Allen-a-Dale has red gold for the winning.  
Come, read me my riddle! come, hearken my tale!  
And tell me the craft of bold Allen-a-Dale.”

Any guesses as to what “red gold” is? Blood? Honor? Or…

This has bothered me since high school. ( and, no, we didn’t come up with an answer there, either.)

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146/2 "2006-03-13T07:23:29Z")

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Red gold is an alloy of gold and copper. The term is fairly common in Irish literature as well; either it’s a naturally occurring alloy in the British Isles, or else medieval goldsmiths added it in for some reason. Modern jewelers apparently prefer “rose gold” for some reason.

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**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146/3 "2006-03-13T07:23:57Z")

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\<mod\>

To Cafe Society.

Allen-a-dale, huh? Haven’t heard that in years.

\</mod\>

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**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-allena-dale-poem-what-is-red-gold/348146/4 "2006-03-13T13:35:54Z")

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Thanks for the reply, Dr. Drake. I was unaware of that.

And apologies, Rico. I know a lot of poems have not set answer to certain phrases or terms, and I thought about CS, but was hoping there was a definitive answer. Funny the stuff that pops into your mind when reading this board in the wee hours…