Patrick and the Leprechaun

This is the story of St. Patrick. But he wasn't always a saint, once upon a time he was a naughty little boy who ran away from home. How he ended up meeting a Leprechaun and becoming a saint.

Patrick and the Leprechaun

 

Once there was a boy named Patrick and he was a brat. He refused to help with the chores, eat his vegetables or take a bath and threw tantrums when he didn’t get his way. He never listened to his parents, who only wanted the best for him. Instead he ran away, for he was certain he could do better on his own.

Patrick stole money from his parents and slipped away one night. He rode slowly in the dark letting the moon and his pony guide his way. He imagined a place with lots of people, smiling and laughing, open and generous to a young boy like him. After a while he noticed torch light on the road ahead, and before he could decide what to do, they were on him. A group of men holding torches galloped up and seized his pony’s bridle. Their menacing faces glared at him in the torch’s flicker.

“Where are you going lad?” A man asked glaring and grinning like a spider might when it finds a fly in its web.

“Nowhere,” Patrick said with his heart in his throat.

“No one goes nowhere at night laddy, I think you should comes with us all the same.” Said the man holding his pony.

“NO!” Patrick yelled and tried to jump off his pony but he was quickly tied down by another man. His yelling did him no good, a gag was stuffed in his mouth and they were leading him away.

Soon they got to a dock where a ship was waiting and the men loaded it with many crates, boxes, bags and horses. There were people tied together in groups of ten, each was marched into the ship. Next he was untied from his pony and it was lead over the gangplank and onto the ship. He was pushed down a series of steps and dark hallways and shoved down a ladder, a trap door closed over his head.

In the room there were many people, sitting on stacks of crates, lounging on sacks of flour in the dim light. He struggled with his bounds until someone helped release him, then he asked.

“Where am I, where are we going?” Patrick asked to anyone who was listening, he tried to make eye contact but most people avoided his searching gaze.

Finally someone spoke. A woman said. “You are a slave, so it matters not where this ship goes.”

“A slave, no, I ran away from home and these men took me off the road and lead me here.” Patrick explained.

“Well then you are a new slave. I am sorry.” The woman dropped her head and shook it and left him.

The journey lasted several  and ended one sunny day.

All the people were lead out of the dark into the blinding light and into their lives of endless toil. They were lead away from the harbor in wagons and taken to a rock quarry. Each of them was given a pick axe and instructed to beat on the rocks. Which they did until the sun went down. Then Patrick lay down right where he was and fell asleep out of pure exhaustion. This is how each day played out. And everyday Patrick thought about how good he had it at home. And every night he prayed to be taken away from the quarry and given a second chance to live the life he thought he hated.

Then something odd happened.

One night he could not sleep. As bone weary as he was he could not seem to keep his eyes shut. Then he began to pick up a movement in the dark, soon it came closer and he could see it was a very small man. The little man was dressed in dark green with a dark green hat so it was hard to see him even with the full moon shining down on them. He watched as the little man picked at the rocks until he found little bits that glinted in the moonlight which he put in a small bag at his hip as he continued to search the rocks in the wall near him.

Patrick thought the little man resembled a Leprechaun, a magical race of treasure hoarders spoken of in children’s books. It was not that long ago that he himself had been told a tale about Leprechauns, and he hoped it would help him escape.

When the Leprechaun was within his reach he seized him by the arms and whispered frantically. “Please help me sir, I am a prisoner and wish to go home, please help me!”

The little man struggled fiercely but Patrick held onto him as if his life depended on it�"because it did.

Finally the man grew tired and stopped fighting him. Out of breath the little man said. “If you let me go I swear to help you in any way I can.”

“Then you are a Leprechaun, you can grant wishes?” Patrick asked

“Yes, some call us that. And no, we don’t grant wishes, ‘we help’ and there’s a difference, let go of me and I will show you.” Patrick eased his grip on the man; he realized he couldn’t hold him all night anyway.

Patrick released the little man but remembered the most important thing about dealing with Leprechauns�"never take your eyes off them, not even to blink or they will disappear instantly.

“Now what is it I can do for you my boy?’ The Leprechaun asked with his hat in his hands.

“I want to go home. Please help me out of these chains.” He held out his wrists being very careful to not blink at all as he talked to the Leprechaun who took out a tool and quickly freed him from his chains. Patrick was careful to set them aside so that they did not rattle and wake everyone else.

Then he remembered another thing about Leprechauns, they were wily and would only grant one wish or part of a wish each time they were caught and were very fast. So as soon as he was freed he grabbed hold of the Leprechaun again. The Leprechaun struggled like the dickens but then gave up. He looked at Patrick and sighed.

“Oh you got me again! Alright you win, let me go and I will help you.”

“I want you to help me to escape this place.” Patrick said.

“Agreed.” The Leprechaun said, and Patrick released him.

“But you have to keep up lad!” And with that the little man took off running.

Patrick bolted after the tricky little man and concentrated on never taking his eyes from him. They ran flat out, the moon lit up the quarry so brightly it helped Patrick see obstacles in his path without taking his eyes off the lightning quick little man he pursed. Tears streamed from his parched eyes from the strain of his concentrated gaze and the wind from his running dried them but still he did not blink, he just ran.

They were away from the quarry now and no alarm sounded behind him. Just as he was sure he couldn’t go on any longer the Leprechaun stopped. Patrick grabbed a hold of him once again; he caught his breath as the little man caught his.

“You’re a fast one!” The Leprechaun laughed and didn’t struggle at all.

“So are you!” Laughed Patrick.

“Ok lad, what is it this time?” The sun was starting to come up over the sea.

“I want to go home. Please take me home.” Patrick held onto the little man and still did not blink as he looked at him.

“Yes, I believe I will, and do you one better laddie. Follow me.” Patrick released him and the Leprechaun started to run but not as serious as the first time, he kept up easily.

They came upon a pile of boulders and the Leprechaun stopped.

“I have some gold stashed here, crawl in and take as much as you can carry but be quick about it or you will be trapped once the sun comes all the way up.” Patrick wasted no time he dove through the opening and there was indeed a great cache of gold nuggets. He stuffed as many as he could into his pockets and then shimmied out of the boulder pile just as the sun illuminated the rocks and the boulders shifted and sealed off the tiny room.

Luckily the little man was still there and was looking up at the sky with his hands slowly waving as if conducting a symphony, clouds appeared out of thin air and then a beautiful rainbow came down from the sky and landed on the boulders.

“This is your ride lad, hope on, it will take you anywhere you want to go. Good luck laddie!”

“Thank you! Thank you! I will never forget your kindness” Patrick stepped onto the boulder and approached the rainbow.

“Just be a good laddie from now on and always be grateful for what you have!” The Leprechaun smiled and waved him on.

Patrick stepped onto the rainbow and was lost in bright flash of many colors. When he awoke he was lying in the grass at the foot of the rainbow near his home, he could just see the house from where he was and started to run towards it with great joy and gratitude.

When he got to the door he opened it and ran inside. “Mama, Papa I’m back, I’m back!” He yelled.

He heard his parents running to him, when he saw them he started crying and they cried and held each other for a long time. He told them his tale and they just hugged him.

“We are so happy you have come home, we thought we would never see you again!” His mother cried and stroked his face.

“It was a miracle and I will be thankful everyday for it.” Patrick said.

And that’s just what he did. He devoted himself to doing good works for people and was always grateful for the life he had been given back. He told many children his story and made sure Leprechauns were never forgotten. In his old age he was honored as a saint for all the charity and kindness that he showed to all living beings. And every year people all over the world celebrate him and all he stands for.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This tell is loosely based on the true story of St. Patrick. It also has real Leprechaun lore. This is intended to give a new and fun perspective to our beloved holiday St. Patrick's day. If you like it let me know. Feedback is great! If you love it please pass it along. More stories available on www.jadewolff.com and Amazon under the same name. Thanks!