St Paddy’s Day

By Donna and Abby

 The day after the Grand Banshee's visit, The Old One was relaxing in the faerie glen, saving his energy for the upcoming awakening.  He would be calling many more than he ever had called before.  He was sleeping soundly, when suddenly a drumming woke him.  "What in Edan is that?" he asked, sitting up quickly. 

To his amazement, on a wooden platform in the middle of the glen, there were about a dozen very petite red headed dancers. They were all wearing short emerald green dresses emblazoned with golden Celtic knots across their breasts. As he watched, they were joined by six lively little men, not a one of them over 5'5". The sounds of their tapping feet reverberated throughout the forest. 

"I TOLD her there would be trouble," he said, holding his head.  "They can do nothing less! BANNIE!" he yelled. 

"Yes Fisher?" came a voice from behind him. Sitting on a rock with a very smug look on her ebony face was the Grand Banshee herself.  

"I told you they'd do this," he said.  "Why couldn't they just arrive without all the folderol?" 

She shrugged. "I just planned on sending a few, but once the door was opened, quite a few of them wanted to come live on this new world. All but the ones over there," she said, pointing to two unhappy looking couples and a few others who where standing with them, "came of their own free will." 

"Oh for Edan's sake, it's Boric," The Old One sighed.  "You do know he is a second cousin, twice removed." 

"I know," smiled the Banshee. "The trouble started when his daughter fell in love with a leprechaun. Both sets of parents were willing to destroy all of Ireland because of it! So now, they are the new fae royalty, and these four have been banished here because of their lack of understanding and tolerance." 

"Banished here indeed," said the Old One indignantly.  He looked pointedly at the dancers, as if this proved his reason for being offended.  "Edan is a paradise.  They should be happy to come here!" 

"Oh they will be," Bannie assured him. "Though I'm sure their wives will never let them forget it!" She smiled as a group of six male faeries joined the dancers. "As for the others, they know that they have to get along here. No fighting allowed!" 

"Including him?"  The Old One indicated one of the Fae males.  "Count Grogan is a hothead!" 

"Surely you have a special fae girl among your bevy of beauties that could possibly divert his energies into other directions?" Bannie suggested. "He was one of main troublemakers. I couldn't leave him there." 

Smiling proudly, the Old One said, "That is a good point.  If not one of my Little Ones who are already here, then one who is about to come.  They are all beautiful."  He sighed happily.  "It will be a wonderful celebration!" 

He should not have said the last word so loudly.  Even from their distance, the leprechauns heard that there was going to be a party! 

Of course, they thought it was to welcome them! Laughing, the dancers and musicians skipped into the forest to rejoice. "They will be happy here," Bannie said with a satisfied nod. 

One of male leprechauns approached them, a boy barely five foot tall. "We just heard there's ta be a Spring Fling party!" he said happily.  "T'ank ye kindly sor!" 

"Fisher, this is Barney Devine. He's a good boy. Only 97 years old! Put him to work if you can. It will be good for him. Who knows? Maybe one of your youngsters will take a liking to the lad," Bannie chuckled as the boy's face turned bright red at the thought. 

The Old One looked at the boy with interest.  "I forgot how slowly they matured!  We go the other way entirely.  They come fully matured, unless there is a human involved, and then the children mature twice as fast as human children." 

"Fascinating," the Banshee said with a shake of her head. "But isn't there problems associated with them rushing the maturing process?" 

"Not usually," he said.  "But then again, they are fae not leprechauns.  They never do mature, do they?" 

"Not really," she said with a long suffering sigh. "But then again, it's part of their charm, don't you think?" 

He echoed her sigh.  "So, I am supposed to look at it like this is adding *charm* to the place?" 

"If it helps," she chuckled. "If it helps."