"He was wearing a thobe and a white skull cap. He was very fair skinned with a long whispery ginger beard, tallish and fat."

 Or maybe it was Santa (after eating tandoori prawns) and he got lost since Christmas and is tearing his hair out ...

Oh Richard, you are such a hero!  I particularly liked the bit where you ran round the mountain and remounted your steed without your hat falling off :D

My very own Cowboy to dream about - sigh