Shaun O'Day of Ireland Read online

  PART II

  CHAPTER

  VI JOHN

  "Come cuddle close in Daddy's coat Beside the fire so bright, And hear about the fairy folk That wander in the night." --ROBERT BIRD

  It is to-day in Ireland. Shaun O'Day is married to Eileen. He has madeher his Dawn O'Day.

  They have built a cottage near the banks of that blue Irish lake. Theylive there with their children.

  Shaun and Dawn O'Day have three children. Their youngest is a red-hairedbaby girl with the eyes and the name of her mother.

  Their oldest is a lanky, freckle-faced lad who wears the cast-offtrousers of his father. No more do tall boys wear the petticoats ofgirls. They are not afraid of the leprechaun when they reach the age often or twelve years.

  But their mothers still keep them dressed as girls when they are small.And that is why we find John, the second son of Shaun O'Day, in a redpetticoat. He looks very much the way Shaun himself had looked at thatage.

  John had been christened Shaun. But they call him John, because it isto-day in Ireland. Young Shaun was called John O'Day.

  John had the ruddy complexion given most of these village lads by thewind and rain. But he was not as tough and strong as his father hadbeen. He did not have to work. He could come home from school and do ashe pleased. Sometimes, of course, he ran errands for his mother orhelped her with household chores. But usually he would go to the shoresof the lake and think.

  Shaun once found his son thus. He went up to John quietly. He put hishand on the lad's shoulder. John jumped and stood erect, his face white.

  "Och, why do you jump with such a great fear, my lad?" asked the father.

  John sat down again. He was ashamed. He did not speak.

  "Tell me, lad: What is it you fear?" asked the father.

  HE WOULD GO TO THE SHORES OF THE LAKE]

  Then John told his father how some boy in the village had started atale. The lad had told how, many years ago, Shaun had been stolen awayby the leprechauns.

  John told how it had happened on the shores of this very lake. He wouldnot believe it and said so.

  Still he often lay on his back by the lake and wondered whether it couldbe true. Now he asked Shaun to tell him.

  Shaun stroked his rough chin. The twinkle he had had as a boy was therein his eyes still. He looked at little John beside him.

  "Och, Johneen!" he laughed with his musical laugh. "'Tis indeed a truestory."

  John's eyes grew big. He stared at his father as though Shaun himselfmight be one of the Good People.

  Then he spread out the red petticoat on the ground. He knew that the redpetticoat would protect him.

  Shaun looked in amusement at the boy's frightened eyes. Then he grewsober.

  He said, "You must not fear the Good People, Johneen!"

  John wet his dry lips with the tip of his tongue. He came up closer tohis father.

  "But didn't they make you work for themselves?" he whispered. "Andweren't they after stealing you away, and you wearing the clothes of aboy?"

  "Yes, yes," agreed Shaun. But he took his little son's hand and strokedit. "And now," he went on, "if you'll listen, I'll tell you the story."

  Shaun began, "When I was a lad I was not so fortunate as you, Johneen.I had to work hard. I was beaten and had not enough to eat. So Idetermined to go with the leprechaun. I put on the clothes of a boy. Istood by the lake. But never a fairy came at all, at all.

  "I was tired and slept, and when I awoke 'twas dawn. I ran to the shorein a daze. I jumped into a boat. I was carried away. Through manycountries and on many seas I traveled.

  "At last I landed in the fairy city. 'Twas there I met the leprechaunhimself."

  John's hand squeezed the hand of his father. He edged up closer to thebig man.

  "But do not be thinking that this leprechaun was wicked," continuedShaun. "No, indeed. Kind he was, and good to me. I worked on the mendingof shoes and was paid in silver.

  "Then did I work for a little princess in the home of her father. GoodPeople they were, too. And the sight of the beauty of that home wouldsurely have dazzled you.

  "Among the precious treasures of that house I worked. With the treasuredlittle Princess did I play until at last--"

  Here the big man stopped. His voice grew low and soft. He dropped hishead.

  John asked in a hushed whisper, "Yes--and what happened?"

  "Och, well--lad--I came back to old Ireland. Your mother was waiting forme."

  Then Shaun arose and placed his hand on John's shoulder.

  He continued, "But remember, son, that the Good People will not harmyou. Do not be afraid, at all, for well do they love us. And I dobelieve that they steal the wee boys because they love them so."

  Shaun told this tale to the lad John, so he would never again fear thefairies.

  And so well did the plan succeed that John began to love the GoodPeople. Over and over, he thought of what Shaun had told him.

  He tried to imagine what the baby Princess looked like. He would shuthis eyes and try to picture the wonders of that fairy city.

  One day he found himself pretending that he was flying over the city. Hestarted and jumped to his feet.

  Why had he been doing this? Did he, too, want to go away with thefairies? Of course not. Why should he want to leave his home, his goodparents, his brother and sister?

  Laughing aloud, he went back to the cottage. He did not visit the lakefor several days.

  Then one morning, he was walking by himself in the sunshine. The littlesparkling beams of sun made him think of the lights his father had toldhim about in the strange city.

  Suddenly he found himself on the banks of the lake. He was on theopposite shore. He sat down.

  He wondered whether the leprechaun would steal him if he should wearthe clothes of his big brother. The brightness of the day and the birdsongs made him light of heart. They gave him courage.

  "Sure, I'll try," he exclaimed to the blue waters of the lake.

  What harm to try? Suppose they took him. It would be fun to visitfairyland. He could always come back. His father came back.

  In his new enthusiasm, John stood on the bank and held out his armscrying, "Come, fairy Good Folk! Take me away. I do be wanting to see thewonders of your land!"

  But the gentle lapping of the lake was the only answer to his cry. ThenJohn realized that he was standing in the red petticoat. He smiled.

  "They'll not be wanting girls, at all," he reasoned.

  "THEY'LL NOT BE WANTING GIRLS AT ALL"]

  Next day, before anyone in the cottage was astir, John slipped out ofthe door. He was clad in a suit belonging to his older brother. Thetrousers hung very low, but he tucked them up. He pulled a cap down overhis face.

  He ran all the way to the opposite shore of the lake. His heart waspounding, and his breath came in gasps.

  He threw himself down on the ground to rest. Bird sounds were all about,and a rustling of leaves. The water was lap-lapping as always.