Adrienne's Magical Day
by
Joseph Patrick Rogers
Adrienne was a college student with light brown hair and lively eyes which looked with keen interest at everything going on around her. One afternoon in June she looked with pleasure at the attractive Irish countryside as she strolled along the banks of a stream in County Cork.Adrienne was visiting Ireland with her family. This afternoon her mother and stepfather had taken her brother to a children's theater production. Because their two-week trip had been so fast-paced, Adrienne had decided not to accompany them, instead spending some leisurely time exploring the quiet pleasures of Ireland.She sat down on a large rock, removed her sandals, and dangled her feet in the stream while she read a pamphlet that their tour guide had given her. Several professors from a local college were giving a series of lectures in the outdoor garden restaurant at the hotel at which she was staying.That evening a professor was going to explain about the European influence on American music and dance. The pamphlet noted that ballads, fiddle tunes, and jigs were brought to America by immigrants from Ireland, England, and Scotland. American country music was especially influenced by these immigrants. Later in the twentieth century, jazz and rock music influenced the styles of many famous country musicians. Adrienne considered attending this lecture.Her thoughts were interrupted by frantic shouts. "Help me! Help me!" the voice came from thirty yards downstream. Adrienne jumped up and looked in the direction from which the shouts were coming. Bushes and high reeds prevented her from seeing the person, though. She could not tell whether the voice was that of a child or adult.Although she realized that this could be a trap, she felt compelled to investigate. The thought that a child might be in danger propelled her forward with even greater urgency. Children had always been a special concern of hers; in a temporary job, she had helped children with problems, and now she had a little brother. Adrienne ran past several bushes and then slowed down as she cautiously descended into a swampy marshland along the banks of the stream."What's wrong?" she called out, still seeing no one. "Where are you?""Down here!" the voice replied. "Hurry!"With both arms, Adrienne reached out and parted some reeds, constantly ready to run in the opposite direction if anyone sprang out at her. However, flight proved to be unnecessary.The sight before her caused her to gape in wonder. A shiver ran down the length of her body. She stepped through the reeds as though they were a gateway to another reality. A tiny man about two-feet tall was frantically struggling to free himself from the quicksand in which he was mired. He was already waist-deep in the quicksand.He spotted Adrienne. "Well, are you going to just stand there gawking, girl, or are you going to help me?""I'll help you." She broke a branch off a bush and moved carefully onto the swampy ground."Watch your step, girl!" he cautioned her. "It will do neither of us any good if you also get caught in this accursed bog!""I won't get caught," she assured him.Adrienne was amazed by how closely this man resembled the classic image of a leprechaun; he had a beard and a tophat, which was now slightly askew on his head because of his struggles.Adrienne extended the branch, and on the second try, he was able to grab it. The man weighed so little that she was easily able to pull him out of the quicksand.Once he was free, she tossed the stick aside, picked him up, and began to carry him back toward dry ground."Are you a leprechaun?" she asked, gazing with wide eyes at him. I never expected to utter those words, she thought wryly."I am what I am," he replied testily. "Now release me, you scheming siren!""How ungrateful! I just saved your life!""Maybe you did, and maybe you didn't! In either case, I won't give you my gold!""The idea of getting gold from you never even occurred to me until you suggested it just now!" she declared as she stepped onto firm, dry land. Adrienne recalled the folklore about leprechauns and their pots of gold. "I expected no reward for rescuing you, but since you've been so mean, I will make you give me some treasure before I let you go."Realizing the futility of struggling, he stopped squirming in her hands. "Forgive me, my bonnie lassie, for you are so kind to rescue an ungrateful wretch like myself. Now, if you'll just be setting me down on the ground, I'll be on me way and won't trouble you any more.""No!" she said firmly, seeing that his contrition was feigned. "I can tell that your apology is not sincere. Give me some treasure!"His facial features contorted with rage that his deception had failed. His shoulders slumped in a gesture of resignation. "Very well, you win." He waved his hand toward the sky. "Behold! My pot of gold lies at the western end of that rainbow."Adrienne looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow. Truly, this leprechaun possessed a powerful magic that was unlike anything she had ever known. Yet, still he was a deceiver."This is another trick," she said. "It is impossible to reach the end of a rainbow; no matter how far one travels, the rainbow will always appear the same distance away." She gave a loud sigh. "I rescued you simply because it was the right thing to do, and I don't believe that holding you as a prisoner is right even though you have been mean, ungrateful, and conniving. I'm going to release you."Adrienne bent over and placed him gently on the ground. As she straightened to her full height, she expected him to run away immediately. To her surprise, the leprechaun merely stood there, placed his hands on his hips, and looked up at her with a quizzical expression on his face."I might have judged you too hastily," he said. "Sinking in that bog gave me a terrible fright. Even though I'm over two hundred years old, I've never previously been in such danger. This is not my own area, so I'm not familiar with these bogs.""Why are you here?" Adrienne asked, hardly able to believe that she was standing there conversing with a leprechaun."I'm supposed to meet my three cousins near here, but they've been delayed for a few days. They're off on some adventure with the elves." The leprechaun closed his empty right hand, and when he opened his fingers, there was a large gold coin inside. He handed it to Adrienne. "Keep this as a token of my gratitude. If anyone asks where you got it, just say that you found it on the ground near a stream. Remember, though, that gold is just a metal forged in the earth through the centuries. True treasure is not found in pots of gold; true treasure is found in living vessels. I can tell that you are a much-loved young woman." He closed his eyes in silent concentration for several seconds. "I have the gift of mystical vision, and my inner sight shows me those who love you best. The best relationships form a mystical bond that lasts for eternity."Adrienne handed the gold coin back to the leprechaun. "I am grateful for your offer of this coin, but I already have such a wonderful life that I would prefer that you gave this gold to someone who has very little. When I responded to your shouts for help, I thought that you might be a child. Perhaps you could give this coin to some impoverished family with children. In fact, if you have a sufficient amount of gold, I would request that you give a coin or two to poor children every year on the anniversary of our meeting today.""Indeed, I shall," he promised. "And I know just the family on whose doorstep I shall place your coin tonight.""Thank you.""Now, my sweet one, I'm going to place a bit of an enchantment on you; when you awaken, you'll remember most of what has happened today, but it will seem like a dream, and you'll never be quite sure whether any of this actually happened. I can't have you running around telling leprechaun tales, can I? And I'll tell you something else, my lovely lass: far across the ocean near the center of America at this moment, there is a young man who is dreaming about searching for treasure at the end of a rainbow. Like you, he is not much interested in gold for himself. In his dream, when he reaches the rainbow's end, he will find you standing there. You are the treasure that he has long sought.""I hope that I can remember these important things that you are telling me," Adrienne said."You shall. And allow me to leave you with a word of caution for the remainder of your stay in this land. Take care, sweet one, the entrance to Fairyland lies not many miles from here. If the fairies were to spot one as lovely as you, likely they'd carry you away into their realm and make you a princess. It would be a pleasant life, but you belong in this world, not in theirs.""I shall be careful where I wander, my newfound friend," she assured him with a soft laugh. "I am starting to feel very sleepy; your magic must be taking effect.""It is," the leprechaun said as Adrienne lay down on the ground. "Sleep well and farewell, Daughter of Ireland. May your future be as bright as this day." 
