The Leprechaun Con

TheThe eprechaun Leprechaun ConCon

D.E. Daly D.E. Daly

prechaun liking you was worth more

an gold.

shed in 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. ast 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

right Š 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

o Credits: Cover Dualororua/Shutterstock.com; pp. 2, 5, 8, 11, 19, weetok/Shutterstock.com; p. 3 Pushkin/Shutterstock.com; p. 7 Bupu/ erstock.com; p. 9 sibgat/Shutterstock.com; p. 12 Jane Kelly/Shutterstock. p. 15 Inna Ogando/Shutterstock.com; pp. 16-17 Shorena Tedliashvili/ erstock.com; p. 20 Nevena Radonja/Shutterstock.com; p. 23 Svetiana mshurina/Shutterstock.com

ghts reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without ission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Design: Jennifer Ryder-Talbot r: Caitie McAneney

: 9781725375994 ok ISBN: 9781725376007

The Leprechaun Con

D.E. Daly

sweetly. “Would I be able to control my

own feet? Or would the shoes make me

dance—and keep dancing?”

The leprechaun stared at her

and then slapped his leg, laughing.

Still cackling, he disappeared with the

whole box.

Nan’s old shoes came back

looking so new, Brigid was able to

sell them a used clothes store.

Theatlocal leprechaun had been

Not foroutwitting a lot of money, the Ferris but family much for

more than generations. the change Brigid she’d Ferris given and the her

leprechaun. cousins She had leftheard half all herthe earnings stories and

out for believed the leprechaun.

She pocketed them, too, because the Ferris

the rest. family’s luck was terrible.

After that, family’s The the milkFerris in their fridges always

roofs stopped spoiled leaking. right away.

Brigid’s Theirparents’ doors never

cars came stayed back locked. from the Theshop. same None problems

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came back, over and over. Their cars and bikes were always in the shop for repairs and their roofs were always springing leaks.

The Ferris family had captured the same leprechaun a number of times over the years. Most recently, Brigid’s uncle, father to her cousins Jimmy and Timmy, had gotten him in a simple of the cousins’ bikes were getting flat tires anymore. Timmy was even tripping less.

The boys finally understood her plan.

Brigid had conned the leprechaun into liking their family again. And by now, the Ferris family knew: a 3

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shoebox trap. But he couldn’t decide on a safe wish and the leprechaun got himself loose.

The lesson, for Brigid and Jimmy and Timmy, was to always be ready. You needed a plan to out-con a leprechaun.

“I’d just ask for better luck,” insistedTimmy they just wait.

Meanwhile, her said, holding up his scraped

fixed sneakers didn’t tear;a Timmy’s hands: he’d taken bad fall at track shoes wouldn’t and His when and fieldscuff; that day. shoelaces were

Jimmy’s Converses came back, no they always coming undone, matter how repelledmany mud.knots he tied.

By the “You’d time thehave leprechaun to make had sure to say repaired three pairs shoes, thelast, Ferris how long the of luck would and that

family’sthe milk stopped spoiling.

After luck’ the leprechaun defines ‘good Brigid left anway extra coin out, as a warned. tip, same you do,” Brigid “Or

the doors locking he started might steal the right. luck he’s giving you,

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from everyone At her else Nan’s you care house, about.”

Brigid found “If a bunch you’re so of old smart, shoes, what meant would to be you wish?” thrown Timmy away. asked.

“I won’tWhen say,” Brigid Brigid put said.the “The box out, leprechaun the leprechaun could be listening.” showed up again, small enough this time to dive into the shoebox.

She could have tried to close the box on him, or turn it upside down, quick. She didn’t.

Brigid, ever “I since just she want could shined read, shoes,” Brigid had studied insisted, up on when leprechauns. the leprechaun No asked one really what knew she was where about. their gold

came from, “With thougha some wish,”stories the leprechaun said said, they’d earned “you could it allhave making the world’s shoes. shiniest Leprechauns shoes, didn’t magically always matching wear green. any outfit—” The local leprechaun “And would liked I bered able coats, to get them even though off once they I put clashed them with on?” his Brigid hair.said 5

21

he was up They to,could and they change followed size, sometimes her as

he set up tallthe enough shoes.to walk down a street “You’ve unnoticed, made the sometimes leprechaun small think enough

he’s safe,” to Timmy grab one-handed. said.

No one had ever “And seen thisa time girl leprechaun. you’re goingBrigid to get told

him,” Jimmy Jimmy finished. and Timmy that was probably “That’s because not the ladyplan,” leprechauns Brigid said. were too “What clever is the to be plan?” caught. a voice Thesaid boys didn’t

rom behind muchthem. like that.

The leprechaun

at on the wall, Real arms leprechauns crossed, indidn’t a red wear

acket and plastic hat that green clashed hats or with sell hiscereal. They

eddish hair. were Right a kindthen, of fairy, he looked and all fairies

many times could toobebig tricky for a and mousetrap, dangerous. But

hough still likemuch all fairies, smaller leprechauns than the couldn’t

hree cousins. lie. That was how you could get one to Jimmy show made you to where tackle itsthe gold was hidden.

eprechaun right While off itthe was wall, popular but Brigid belief that

blocked him. leprechauns put their gold at the end

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6

of a rainbow, “I leprechauns just want fixed usually shoes,” just Brigid

buried it.said. “It was bad luck my sneakers tore.

Brigid’s Thank ancestor you for had fixing been them theso well.”

first to catch The the leprechaun—or leprechaun harrumphed really, at he her cat had. “thank In exchange you,” but he fordid letting stop glaring. him go, the leprechaun “You remind took meher of your to the forest ancestor,” tree where he his said. gold “She was thought she buried. To wasmark clever, thetoo.” spot, she’d tied her patternedBefore hair ribbon Brigidaround asked which ancestor, the leprechaun turned invisible, right before their eyes. He took Jimmy’s Converses with him.

After that, Timmy and Jimmy really wanted to know her plan. But Brigid 7

19

anymore. theJust tree leprechauns, and gotten the who leprechaun’s

couldn’tpromise be getting not much to move business. his gold. But Sowhen whenshe Brigid’s camefavorite back with sneakers her shovel…

ripped, every due tosingle bad luck, tree she had put an identical them

out on the ribbon stone around wall behind it. her house.

She hid some money in the toe, coins,

not bills…not a lot, just the change she

had around.

Instead of setting a trap, she went

to bed.

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Another ancestor, who’d learned from the first story, carried a shovel around with him always, wherever he went.

When he was lucky enough to catch the leprechaun, he dug up the gold right away.

All of the gold he found turned to leaves the next morning.

8

When Bridget’s In the morning, great-grandfather her sneakers looked caught the goodleprechaun, as new. Herhecoins knewwere from gone. that story theWhen leprechaun’s Timmy gold scuffed would up his turn into shoes, leaves she or made ashes.him So the give them to her. leprechaun When offered her mom him silver brokecoins, a high heel, instead,Brigid if he let put him that go.out.

TheWhen leprechaun Jimmy’s took theConverses coins fromgot a pouch completely on hismudbelt, swearing covered, the coins sheweren’t asked magic for them. and couldn’t change Timmy into and anything Jimmy, else. who knew The about coins leprechauns still vanished too,the guessed next what day. It was the leprechaun’s pouch that

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him towas the magic. news, and Any get coinrich taken andout of that famouspouch for it.” returned to it the next day, like a “But money what boomerang. if,” Brigid countered, “the leprechaun Afterturned that, Brigid’s to the size family of astopped normaltrying person, to so trick thethe news leprechaun would think out of you were his crazy? treasure—it Plus, leprechauns seemed better canto go reportedly withturn wishes. invisible.”

JimmyBut saidwishes he’d take were video hardorto get pictures right. whenBrigid’s the leprechaun grandmother was asked himself, tothen. be able ButtoBrigid breathe thought underwater, if in a leprechaun pools, in could rivers, magic and himself lakes— identical ribbons “That’s around all three every wishes,” tree in the a forest, leprechaun magically said, ruining and a picture disappeared. couldn’t Brigid’s be hard.

Nan really could breathe Her underwater, plan was based to thisonday…but shoes, just in since leprechauns pools, in rivers, wereand saidlakes, to be not in shoemakers. the seaTheir or a bath. inability Nan tohad resist almost fixing broken accidentally shoesdrowned had beenasused a girl, finding 14

10

that out bythe Brigid’s hard family way. to catch their Even leprechaun if you made before. three perfect wishes, it could Most still shoes gothese wrong. days The seemed Ferris to family be made luck in had faraway been terrible factories. The ever since tailorBrigid’s shop ingrandfather their village did some angered shoe themending, leprechaun. too, but most worndown shoes got tossed. There really

weren’t cobblers or shoemakers around

When Pops was young, he’d caught the leprechaun in a mousetrap, and

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everyone who’d seen the leprechaun since said he still limped from it. The leprechaun had been upset, right away, so Pops’s first wish was that the leprechaun couldn’t take any revenge on him or his family. Then, with his remaining wishes, he got himself the leprechaun’s magic silver-coin pouch and a winning lottery ticket. But Pops made a fourth wish by mistake.

If you got your three wishes, and you accidentally wished again where the leprechaun could hear—and the leprechaun made sure to hear—that was one wish too many, and all your wishes came undone.

Not long after he let the leprechaun go, Pops said aloud he 12

wishedwished for a good for anight’s good night’s sleep. The sleep. The leprechaun leprechaun appeared appeared on Pops’s on Pops’s window window ledge, like ledge, a tiny like Peter a tinyPan, PetertoPan, laugh. to laugh.

The magical The magical coin pouch coin pouch reappeared reappeared at at the leprechaun’s the leprechaun’s side. side.

The lottery The lottery peoplepeople called to called say to say sorry, there sorry,had there been hadabeen big mistake. a big mistake.

The Ferris The family Ferris family luck had luck been had been sour ever soursince. ever since.

Brigid,Brigid, Jimmy,Jimmy, and Timmy and Timmy meant meant to to changechange that. that.

“If I caught “If I caught the leprechaun,” the leprechaun,” JimmyJimmy said, “Isaid, wouldn’t “I wouldn’t let himlet go.him go.

Not forNot gold, fornot gold, fornot wishes. for wishes.

I’d takeI’d take 13

13

him to the news, and get rich and famous for it.”

“But what if,” Brigid countered, “the leprechaun turned to the size of a normal person, so the news would think you were crazy? Plus, leprechauns can reportedly turn invisible.”

Jimmy said he’d take video or pictures when the leprechaun was himself, then. But Brigid thought if a leprechaun could magic himself identical ribbons around every tree in a forest, magically ruining a picture couldn’t be hard.

Her plan was based on shoes, since leprechauns were said to be shoemakers. Their inability to resist fixing broken shoes had been used 14

by Brigid’s that family out thetohard catchway. their leprechaun before.

Even if you made three perfect Most wishes, shoesit these coulddays still seemed go wrong. The to be made Ferris infamily faraway luck factories. had been Theterrible tailor shop ever in since theirBrigid’s village grandfather did some shoe mending, angered too, the but leprechaun. most worndown shoes got tossed. There really weren’t cobblers or shoemakers around

When Pops was young, he’d caught the leprechaun in a mousetrap, and

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anymore. Just leprechauns, who couldn’t be getting much business.

So when Brigid’s favorite sneakers ripped, due to bad luck, she put them out on the stone wall behind her house.

She hid some money in the toe, coins, not bills…not a lot, just the change she had around.

Instead of setting a trap, she went to bed.

16

In the morning, When Bridget’s her sneakers great-grandfather looked good ascaught new. Her the coins leprechaun, were gone. he knew from When that story Timmy thescuffed leprechaun’s up hisgold would shoes, turn she made into leaves him give or ashes. themSo to the her.

When her leprechaun mom broke offered a high him heel, silver coins, Brigid instead, put thatifout. he let When him Jimmy’s go. The leprechaun Converses tookgot thecompletely coins from amudpouch on his belt, covered, swearing she asked the for coins them. weren’t magic and Timmy couldn’t and change Jimmy, into who anything knew else. about leprechauns The coins too,still guessed vanished whatthe next day. It was the leprechaun’s pouch that

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she was up to, and they followed her as she set up the shoes.

“You’ve made the leprechaun think he’s safe,” Timmy said.

“And this time you’re going to get him,” Jimmy finished.

“That’s not the plan,” Brigid said.

“What is the plan?” a voice said from behind them. The leprechaun sat on the wall, arms crossed, in a red jacket and hat that clashed with his reddish hair. Right then, he looked many times too big for a mousetrap, though still much smaller than the three cousins.

Jimmy made to tackle the leprechaun right off the wall, but Brigid blocked him.

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“Iof just a rainbow, want fixed leprechauns shoes,” Brigid usually just said. “Itburied was bad it. luck my sneakers tore.

Thank you for Brigid’s fixingancestor them so had well.” been the The first leprechaun to catch the harrumphed leprechaun—or at her really, “thank her you,” catbut had. he In didexchange stop glaring. for letting “You himremind go, theme leprechaun of your took her to ancestor,” the he forest said.tree “She where thought his gold she was was clever, buried. too.”

To mark the spot, she’d tied Before her patterned Brigid asked hairwhich ribbon around ancestor, the leprechaun turned invisible, right before their eyes. He took Jimmy’s Converses with him.

After that, Timmy and Jimmy really wanted to know her plan. But Brigid 19

7

insisted they just wait. Meanwhile, her fixed sneakers didn’t tear; Timmy’s shoes wouldn’t scuff; and when Jimmy’s Converses came back, they repelled mud.

By the time the leprechaun had repaired three pairs of shoes, the Ferris family’s milk stopped spoiling. After Brigid left an extra coin out, as a tip, the doors started locking right.

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Atfrom her Nan’s everyone house, elseBrigid you care found about.” a bunch of old “Ifshoes, you’remeant so smart, to bewhat would thrown you away. wish?” Timmy asked.

When Brigid “I won’t putsay,” the box Brigid out, said. “The the leprechaun leprechaun showed couldupbeagain, listening.” small enough this time to dive into the shoebox.

She could have tried to close the box on him, or turn it upside down, quick. She didn’t.

“I Brigid, just want ever shined sinceshoes,” she could Brigid read, insisted,had when studied the leprechaun up on leprechauns. asked No what she one was really about. knew where their gold “With camea wish,” from, though the leprechaun some stories said, said “you could they’d have earned the world’s it all making shiniestshoes. shoes, magically Leprechauns matching didn’tany always outfit—” wear green.

“And Thewould local leprechaun I be able to liked get them red coats,

off onceeven I putthough them on?” they Brigid clashed said with his hair.

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sweetly. “Would I be able to control my own feet? Or would the shoes make me dance—and keep dancing?”

The leprechaun stared at her and then slapped his leg, laughing.

Still cackling, he disappeared with the whole box.

Nan’s old shoes came back looking so new, Brigid was able to sell them at a used clothes store.

Not for a lot of money, but much more than the change she’d given the leprechaun. She left half her earnings out for the leprechaun. She pocketed the rest.

After that, the Ferris family’s roofs stopped leaking. Brigid’s parents’ cars came back from the shop. None 22

came back, over and over. Their cars and bikes were always in the shop for repairs and their roofs were always springing leaks.

The Ferris family had captured the same leprechaun a number of times over the years. Most recently, Brigid’s uncle, father to her cousins Jimmy and Timmy, had gotten him in a simple of the cousins’ bikes were getting flat tires anymore. Timmy was even tripping less.

The boys finally understood her plan.

Brigid had conned the leprechaun into liking their family again. And by now, the Ferris family knew: a 23

3

leprechaun liking you was worth more than gold.

Published in 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010 Copyright Š 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. Photo Credits: Cover Dualororua/Shutterstock.com; pp. 2, 5, 8, 11, 19, 24 sweetok/Shutterstock.com; p. 3 Pushkin/Shutterstock.com; p. 7 Bupu/ Shutterstock.com; p. 9 sibgat/Shutterstock.com; p. 12 Jane Kelly/Shutterstock. com; p. 15 Inna Ogando/Shutterstock.com; pp. 16-17 Shorena Tedliashvili/ Shutterstock.com; p. 20 Nevena Radonja/Shutterstock.com; p. 23 Svetiana Shamshurina/Shutterstock.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Book Design: Jennifer Ryder-Talbot Editor: Caitie McAneney ISBN: 9781725375994 E-Book ISBN: 9781725376007

24

ISBN: 9781725375994 ISBN: 9781725375994