Leprechaun in Late Winter

by Mary Pope Osborne

  The soaring sounds of the music inspired Jack to soar with his words, too. He looked at his notebook and sang:

  In a swirl they leave,

  so wild, so free,

  with a lonely girl

  to the hill of the Shee!

  “Jack, no!” shouted Annie.

  A mighty blast of wind nearly blew Jack and Annie off their rock. They crouched down and covered their heads. When the wind grew calm, they stood up—just in time to see the swirling cloud of light vanish back into the old forest.

  The Shee were gone. Once again, sky blended with water and earth in a veil of silver mist.

  “Whew,” Jack said breathlessly. “That was amazing!”

  “Jack! Do you know what you just did?”

  “Yeah, I made the Shee appear and disappear,” Jack said. “I used my notes from Mary’s story, just like we planned.”

  “Yes, you did that,” said Annie. “And you made Augusta disappear, too!”

  “What?” said Jack.

  “The Shee took Augusta!” said Annie. “I tried to stop you, but it was too late! You’d already sung those words—”

  “What words?” said Jack.

  “You sang: In a swirl they leave, so wild, so free, with a lonely girl to the hill of the Shee!” said Annie.

  “I was just reading from my notes!” said Jack. “They took Augusta? Are you sure?”

  “Yes! She’s gone!” said Annie.

  “Oh, no!” said Jack. He and Annie ran to the ridge above the river. “Augusta!” he shouted.

  There was no sign of Augusta’s red cape anywhere.

  “See? She’s gone,” said Annie.

  “It’s all my fault!” said Jack.

  “You couldn’t help yourself,” said Annie.

  “But I’m responsible!” said Jack. “We have to get her back!”

  “Maybe Mary can help us,” said Annie. “She—”

  “Wait, listen,” said Jack. “What’s that sound?”

  Squeaky noises were coming from behind the pile of small boulders. It sounded as if someone was trying to play the magic whistle. But the sound was definitely not magical.

  “The whistle! I must’ve dropped it!” said Annie.

  “Maybe it’s Augusta!” said Jack.

  Jack and Annie ran back and looked over the rocks.

  A man no higher than Jack’s knee was blowing into the whistle. The man wore a green jacket and a three-cornered red cap with a white feather. He had big ears, a bushy red beard, skinny little legs, and silver buckles on his shoes.

  “Oh, man,” said Jack.

  “A leprechaun!” whispered Annie.

  Jack and Annie just stared at the leprechaun as he blew into the whistle. His small, bony fingers danced over its six holes. But only squeaks, chirps, and hollow tweeting sounds came out.

  The leprechaun blew harder and harder. Then he stopped. He turned the whistle over and looked at it closely. He shook his head and frowned.

  “Hello!” said Annie.

  The leprechaun jumped and looked up. “Well, hello yourself!” he said, grinning. “You startled me! Here, take this back. It’s no use to me, as you can plainly hear.”

  The little man held up the whistle. Jack reached over the rock and took it. He slipped it back into the pocket of his coat.

  “Listen, we need your help,” said Jack. “Our friend—”

  “Oh, you humans! Always in such a hurry!” the leprechaun said.

  “Sorry,” said Jack, “but we really need you to help us. You see—”

  “First of all, who are you?” the leprechaun asked.

  “I’m Jack. She’s my sister, Annie,” said Jack. “Our friend—”

  “Ah, well then, Jack and sister Annie, I’m Willy,” said the leprechaun. “Now, let’s get a few things straight right away—never call me Little Willy or Tiny Willy. I don’t like it. And never, ever call me Wee Willy. That’s the one I hate the most.”

  “Okay, fine!” said Jack. “But—”

  “Jack, let me handle this,” said Annie. She turned to the leprechaun. “Willy, why didn’t you go back over the river with the Shee?”

  “Ask me why I came over the river in the first place, and I’ll tell you the answers to both questions,” said Willy.

  “Okay, why did you come over the river in the first place, Willy? And why didn’t you go back across with the Shee?” said Annie.

  “Answer number one: I was having a bit of a nap in the reeds when I heard your whistle playing,” said Willy. “Before I knew it, I was moving with the Shee across the bridge. Probably you didn’t see me. Lost in the swirl of things, I was.”

  “Excuse me—” started Jack.

  “I’ve heard some good whistle playing,” Willy said. “But yours, missy, was like none I’ve ever heard from a human—not in the nine hundred years of my life. So! Answer number two: I didn’t go back over the river because I wanted to find out the secret of your playing. Well?”

  “That’s easy,” said Annie. “The whistle played itself. It wasn’t me.”

  “Ah, you’re a modest girl,” said Willy. “And you like to keep the secrets of your talents to yourself.”

  “Not really—” said Annie.

  “Listen, Willy!” Jack broke in. “Can you help us? We lost our friend, Augusta. It was my fault. I sang about a lonely girl. Then she was taken by the Shee—”

  “Yes, I saw that,” said Willy. “Whisked away, she was. So I’m guessing now you want me to help you find her. Is that it?”

  “Yes! That’s it!” said Jack.

  “We were going to ask Mary Sheridan to help us,” said Annie. “But you probably know the way better. And—”

  “Wait a minute,” said Willy. “Did you say Mary Sheridan?”

  “You know Mary?” said Annie.

  “Know her?” said Willy, grinning from ear to ear. “Why, if I were four feet taller, I’d have married Mary Sheridan years ago.”

  “Really?” said Annie.

  “Oh, yes, indeed, we’re very good friends,” said Willy. “You see, I live in what you might call the In-between. I have one foot in the magical world of the Shee. And I have one foot in the mortal world of humans, like Mary. Ah, lovely Mary …”

  “Yeah, Mary’s great,” said Jack. “But now—”

  “You want me to guide you to your missing friend,” said Willy.

  “Right, right!” said Jack.

  “I can do that, but what will you give me for it?” said Willy.

  “What do you mean?” asked Jack.

  “What will you give me for helping you find your friend? My time’s very valuable, you know,” said Willy.

  “We don’t really have anything,” said Jack.

  “We’re poor and miserable,” said Annie.

  “I can see that,” said Willy. “All right then, how about this: I’ll lead you to your friend, and you’ll teach me how to play the whistle the way you play it. Fair enough?”

  “Sorry, I—” said Annie.

  “Deal!” Jack broke in.

  “Jack?” said Annie.

  “Annie, it’s a deal,” Jack said. He was ready to promise anything to save Augusta!

  “Good!” said Willy. “I’d love to play like that for Mary someday. Now, the path I’m about to show you is very, very secret. You must never show another living soul.”

  “Of course not,” said Jack.

  “Then come with me,” said Willy, “and I’ll lead you across the water to the home of the Shee!”

  The leprechaun scrambled down the steep bank of the river.

  Jack started to follow, but Annie grabbed him. “Jack, the whistle won’t work for Willy!” she said.

  “I know,” said Jack. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we just have to save Augusta! Come on!”

  Jack and Annie hurried after Willy to the wide, rushing river.

  “How do we get across?” Jack asked.

  “Follow me along the river,” said Willy, “and I’ll sh
ow you. Step lightly.”

  Willy skipped ahead of them along the riverbank. Jack and Annie followed. Jack tried to step lightly, but it was impossible. Slopping through the mud, his boots filled with ooze and made squishing sounds with every step.

  The river grew narrower and narrower, twisting and turning like a snake. The mist grew thicker, until Jack could hardly see a thing. He bumped into Willy, almost knocking him over.

  “Careful, laddie!” said the leprechaun.

  “Sorry,” said Jack.

  “All right,” said Willy. “Here’s where we cross. Hop from stone to stone after me.” Willy disappeared into the mist, crossing the river. Annie followed him.

  Jack started across, too. He tried to hop carefully from stone to stone, but the stones were slippery. On his third hop, his boot slid off a mossy rock, and he splashed into the freezing water!

  “Jack, are you okay?” Annie called in a loud whisper.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine!” Jack said. He scrambled up. His clothes were soaked and heavy. He really was miserable now. He waded to the other side of the river and joined Annie and Willy.

  “Ah, you fell in,” said Willy. “That happens sometimes. Come with me now, into the forest.”

  Jack, Annie, and Willy walked under the trees. They passed old oaks and maples that creaked in the wind. Jack shivered in his soaking wet clothes.

  A big black crow called from a high, bare branch.

  Willy jumped, then laughed. “Ah, ’tis probably Patrick Daly,” he said. “Rumor is the Shee changed him into a crow for stealing a pair of the High Queen’s shoes.”

  “Changed him into a crow?” said Jack.

  Willy nodded. “One of the Shee’s favorite tricks,” he said, “changing humans who displease them into animals.”

  “Oh,” said Jack.

  A white rabbit scampered through the forest. “That bunny over there is no doubt the former Mrs. Shan McCartie. She was rude to the High King,” said Willy.

  “Rude to the High King?” said Jack. He was starting to feel like he was trapped in a nightmare.

  “The Shee cannot bear the rudeness of humans,” said Willy. “Look there.” He pointed to a fawn peeking out from behind a fir tree.

  “Aww, it’s so cute,” said Annie.

  “Cute? Maybe. Maybe not,” said Willy. “Could easily be old John Foley. I heard he was changed just for being a grouch! Come along.”

  Willy led Jack and Annie through the forest until they came to a tangle of briars and brambles. “The hollow hill of the Shee lies just beyond this thicket,” he said to them. “Do you still want to go and find your friend?”

  “Yes,” Jack and Annie both whispered.

  “Then off you go, and good luck to you,” said Willy, tipping his hat.

  “What? Aren’t you coming with us?” said Jack.

  “Oh, my, no,” said Willy. “The Shee would be furious if they knew I’d shown humans the path to their secret hiding place. And I certainly don’t want to live the rest of my life as a weasel.”

  “But won’t they be angry at us for finding their secret hiding place?” said Jack.

  “Possibly,” said Willy. “Here’s what I recommend you do: politely tell the High King and the High Queen that you’ve just come looking for your dear friend to take her back to her loving family. The Shee place very great value on friendship and family.”

  “Okay,” said Jack. “Friendship and family …”

  “And remember: be simple, direct, and honest at all times,” said Willy.

  “Simple, direct, honest,” repeated Jack.

  “And polite, that’s the most important—very, very polite,” said Willy.

  “Very polite,” said Annie. “Got it.”

  “Another thing,” said Willy. “In the world of the Shee, the old tales still live. So do not be afraid if you see odd sights floating about. They’re just bits and pieces of the old stories. Now go. Be simple, direct, honest, and polite, and save your dear friend before she’s lost forever.”

  “Thanks, Willy,” said Annie.

  “Best of luck,” said Willy.

  “See you later,” said Jack.

  “Aye, I’ll be waiting for you,” said the leprechaun.

  Jack and Annie crouched down and started through the thicket. Thorns and briars pulled at Jack’s wet coat. They scratched his hands and got caught in his hair.

  Jack battled his way through the tangled brush until he caught up with Annie. They both pushed their way out of the thicket and stepped into a glade.

  “Wow, it’s like Mary said,” whispered Annie. “It is like summer here.”

  No rain fell. No wind blew. Warm sunshine shone on the emerald-green glade. In the middle of the glade was a large grassy mound. At the foot of the mound was a small doorway framed by stones.

  “That must be it—the hollow hill,” said Jack, “the secret home of the Shee.”

  “And that must be someone from an old story,” whispered Annie. She pointed to a woman floating above the green mound.

  The woman wore a wreath of flowers on her head and carried a branch with silver apples. She vanished in the sunny haze.

  “Whoa,” whispered Jack.

  A small sailing ship then appeared in the air. It had white sails and flags flying. The ship, too, vanished. Then an old woman spinning at a spinning wheel appeared … then a wispy dragon … then a knight with a sword. The parade of images faded into the sunshine like wisps of smoke.

  “Whew,” said Jack.

  “Listen,” said Annie.

  The sound of drumming was coming from the doorway of the grassy mound. “Come on, let’s look inside,” said Annie.

  Jack and Annie snuck close to the small doorway. It was no higher than Jack’s waist. He and Annie knelt down and peeked inside.

  The hollow hill was filled with a pale-green light. Very small dancers, none more than eight inches tall, were bathed in the light. As drummers pounded tiny drums, the dancers danced together in rows. They held their arms straight by their sides and kicked their legs and turned around and around to the rhythm of the drums.

  A small shining couple sat on high golden chairs watching the dancers. They wore golden crowns.

  “They must be the High King and the High Queen,” whispered Annie.

  Jack and Annie watched until the rows of dancers parted. Then they could see a third person watching the dance. She was no taller than the dancers. Draped around her shoulders was a red cape.

  “It’s Augusta!” said Annie.

  “Augusta!” whispered Jack. “She’s—she’s tiny!”

  “They must have shrunk her!” whispered Annie.

  “Hide!” whispered Jack. He crawled away from the door. Annie crawled after him. They pressed their backs against the grassy mound.

  “Why are we hiding?” asked Annie.

  “We can’t let them see us!” said Jack. “They might shrink us, too!”

  “But how are we going to save Augusta?” asked Annie.

  “I don’t know,” said Jack.

  “Hey, I just remembered something,” said Annie. “Didn’t Mary say the girl in her story would have become small if she’d gone inside the hollow hill?”

  “Yeah, she did,” said Jack. “So maybe that means you can only get shrunk if you go inside.”

  “Right,” said Annie. “So let’s go back to the doorway and call from outside. We’ll be simple, direct, honest, and very polite, like Willy said. We’ll tell the king and queen we’ve come to take our friend back to her family.”

  “But wait a minute,” said Jack. “How can she go back to normal life with her family if she’s only eight inches tall?”

  “Good point,” said Annie.

  “This is so weird,” said Jack.

  “Let’s worry about her size later,” said Annie. “For now, we just have to help her escape.”

  “Right,” said Jack. “Let’s try it.”

  Jack and Annie crawled back to the entrance of the hollow hill a
nd peeked inside.

  In the pale-green light, a very small Augusta stood watching the dancers.

  “Excuse us, please!” Annie called.

  The drumming stopped. The dancers froze. All eyes turned to Jack and Annie. The High King and High Queen looked startled.

  “Who are you?” the king called. “How did you find us?”

  “That’s not important!” said Annie. “We are very sorry to bother you! But we’ve come to get our very dear friend Augusta! We have to take her home to her very loving family!”

  “Please! Thank you!” added Jack, trying to sound polite.

  Before the king or queen could speak, Augusta rushed forward. “No! I don’t want to go home!” she screamed in a high little voice. “I don’t want to leave the Shee!”

  “Whoa,” said Jack. That was a surprise. Maybe Augusta was under a spell!

  “Leave here at once!” the High King commanded Jack and Annie in a squeaky voice. “You were not invited! You have no business here!”

  “Yes, we are leaving right away. But Augusta has to come with us!” Annie called. “Thank you!”

  “She’s right!” said Jack. “Augusta has to come with us, please. Thank you!”

  “No! I want to stay here!” said Augusta. “I’m not good for anything at home! Mary was right, I’m not happy there!”

  Jack was amazed—Augusta wasn’t under a spell. She really wanted to stay with the Shee!

  “The girl will stay with us!” the High King shouted. “Go, now! Now!”

  “No way!” Jack blurted out. “We won’t leave without Augusta!”

  The crowd gasped.

  “What?” roared the High King.

  “Sorry, sorry,” said Jack. “I meant—”

  “You will pay for this rudeness!” the king yelled.

  Before Jack and Annie could get away, the king thrust out his arm. Sparks flew from the tips of his tiny fingers. Suddenly Jack and Annie couldn’t move their arms or legs!

  The king kept pointing at them. “Skunks?” he shouted at the crowd. “Or weasels?”

  “Neither, please! Thank you!” shouted Jack. He was glad he could still talk!

  But the crowd began chanting in strange, high voices, “Skunks! Skunks! Skunks!”