Kicking the pebbles, plucking the clover, and dancing about on a bicorne hat were 3 little leprechauns.
As little as they were they could play atop the low stone wall that bordered the dirt road. Under the hazel tree spreading its branches over the wall, they waited for the soft rain to stop.
After the rain then would come the rainbow. And that's where they would go. Their goal was to check their pot o'gold.
Orn was ornery, so his mother said. Ank was always pulling pranks, shook his father's head. And, Rap the rapscallion, who was always loosing his copper medallion, was the leader. He led.
The rain stopped, and the leprechauns tumbled down. Off they trundled.
Soon they came to Castletown where the rubbish bins were set out.
"Lift me up!" cried Rap. And like a 3 stacked tower with Ank on the bottom, Rap reached over a green bin and pulled out a plunger.
"Aye, whatcha gonna do with that, Rap?" asked Orn who wore the bicorne. They spilled to the ground.
"It's a hobby horse!" said Rap. And he wrapped his short arms around the wood handle threaded into the milk chocolate brown cup and began bopping up and down and all around, in the grass and over the ground.
But, that wasn't such a good thing to do. He lost his medallion, his lucky penny on a string.
3 little leprechauns skimmed through the green grass, turned over rocks, and looked high in low hanging branches, 'til Ank spied it, "It winked in the sunlight."
"To the rainbow!" said Rap.
"Off we go!" called Orn and Ank.
***
On up the road the 3 leprechauns went, Orn, Ank, and Rap. Sometimes climbing a fence. But mostly kicking a can while the other two ran. Of course, they came upon a horse!
When they spied Farmer Ferd clipping the hooves of his herd, they sneaked around the toes, back behind where noone goes, grabbed a horsey tail then let out a wail, "WHEEEEEEEEE! This is fun! Come on, everyone!"
First, of course, Rap took a swing. Out to the left and up to the sky, down to the ground, yelled at Orn "Hi" then to Ank "By!' and out to the right went Rap. Oh, what a sight!
Decidedly Orn had to take a turn, but he waited until Farmer Ferd turned his head, to clip the other hoof of Spirit instead. Grabbing the hair of the tail, up he flit, one hand lost grip, he just about lost it, but on the downswing, he was able his hold to regain! Orn plopped to earth, and sneezed in the dirt where he landed!
Ank shook his head, "No, nope." This wasn't his thing, he was just too, too busy rebuttoning his frieze jacket and making sure his lucky rabbit's foot was still in the pocket.
Farmer Ferd wondered what on earth had gotten into Spirit. He checked to see if she was being bothered by black flies, or if a bird had landed on her back. Nothing. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to clipping. Only one more hoof to file and trim.
Rap to Ank, "Look, there's the rainbow!"
Orn replied, "Off we go!"
***
As the trio of leprechauns pressed on, they danced a jig, and kicked up their heels, their particular gold buckles glinting in the sun. They were a happy lot. When there came a break in the stand of oaks Orn could see beyond the branches into the cottage window where a young lass was attending her tresses. It was the horseshoe that first caught his eye, though.
Hanging over the lintel the horseshoe was upside down "all the luck will run out"! Orn was a'bristle. This had to be corrected.
"And aren't ya sure it must be righted," Orn was unlatching the gate, not the least bit frightened, quick as a sprite, he used all of his might, and gave it a flip so the luck wouldn't drip. Ah, himself was much delighted!
He scuttled back under the stone wall's overgrowth, where Rap and Ank waited.
"Aye, that wasn't yer worst!" said Rap.
"Grand!" said Ank.
The red-headed lass brushing her hair beyond the window glass never knew what happened. Orn and Ank and Rap on their bellies under the bushes, ankles crossed in the air, heads in hands, gazed upon her lovingly as she brushed her luscious locks. They saw no need for the curling of the curling iron, but never let it be said that an Irishman doesn't admire a head of red!
Rap pointed to the arc, then said to Ank, "We best be gettin' on, there's the rainbow!"
Orn gave in, "Off we go then."
***
Well on their merry way, but not quite there, the 3 leprechauns crossed the Castletown Bridge made of many o' stone. It blended in with its surroundings by the ivy clinging and rooting into the stone seams. The ivy draped towards the gurgling stream as if it get a sip of water. It was the oldest bridge in the land, nobody denies.
The Gaelic gentleman in his tartan plaid lying peacefully under the old oak tree belied the rushing water. Like a man with n'er a thing to do, he was snoring like a purring cat with a book opened over his eyes. His smoke pipe held in his right hand had gone out. Ah, too inviting it was to the wee people!
With little chirps of giggles they set about their task. It was all Ank's idea, they concurred.
With giddy leaps of joy they began scooping up loose dirt. Ank made sure it was piled very high at the top of the man's head.
With silent snickers of delight they mounded the fertile brown earth around his shoulders, up near his hips, alongside his legs, and deeply around his feet.
"More here," said Ank.
And when twas done, when it was all over, Ank plucked a lucky shamrock, a 4 leaf clover, from near the banks of Oxley, leaping away scot-free, so glad not to be caught by the man he just walked-over.
Proudly they laid claim to their "mountain" poking the shamrock stem right there in the stump of his pipe.
"Hee, hee, hee, won't he get a right surprise when that shamrock rises to his eyes, and instead of tobaccy in his face, there'll be dirt in its place!" Ank kicked up his heels.
All green and yellow and purple and pink,
the bright arced colors made Orn and Ank blink.
And Rap, as leaders go, said, "It's the rainbow!"
Dejectedly, Ank caved, "I guess. Let's go."
***
The more forward they went, the closer the rainbow came. The 3 leprechauns, Orn, Ank, and Rap, were still up to mischief, playing who's the leader juggling back and forth between each other. Then it was push-the-man-down. When that got tiresome, they pulled their instruments from their seven-buttoned jackets. Lilting music filled the air with Orn's tin whistle, Ank's fife, and Rap's "smallest violin in the world".
If the sheep were resting, and the dirt road barren, if the birds were nesting, and no sot was swearin', you could hear the wee people play, They'd been known to set up ceili dancing all through the night. But today was day and the night was nought. Towards the rainbow they played.
AND IT LOOMED LARGE!
The west end faded into nothingness, and the east end was anchored at the cairn at the top o' the crag. The trio hoped it would stay right there until they could make it to the summit.
"That's savage!" said Ank.
"Wisha!" exclaimed Orn.
"Merciful hour!" exclaimed Rap.
On top o' the crag gleaming in the sun calling, "Come. Come. Come", was a sparkling diamond bracelet. Every leprechaun everywhere in the underworld covets coins and jewels.
Their eyes glistened. They clapped their hands together as they thought how this could be added right nicely to their pot o' gold.
Rap, the great and daring one, leaped for the prize. Ank, not to be outdone, tripped to his demise. Orn saw their tangle, then a shadow looming at an angle, looked up and met a great hulking surprise.
"Ah ha!" said the Gaelic gentleman in his tartan plaid, and he nabbed 'em! "Tis leprechauns that buried me and planted shamrocks in me pipe!"
He laughed again.
"You can always outwit a leprechaun with a bit of glitz," he proclaimed. "Now I want 9 wishes! Three from each of you."
"First, I want a lucky angel bell put around everyones necks. Aye, I'll always be able to find ye when me next needs some wishes."
Tinkle. Orn got a bell. Tinkle. Ank got a bell. Tinkle. Rap got a bell. Tinkle. The gentleman in plaid got a bell.
"By Jehoshaphat! What'll you be at? Take this bell offa me!" He stomped his black booted foot then he reached for the collar around his neck with both hands. Freed, the 3 leprechauns winked and blinked and disappeared just like that! SNAP!
The pot o' gold is still there to be found,
But don't waste your wishes.
Leprechauns'll turn your wants all around,
Even take off with your Sunday best britches!
