The Ogre and the Leprechaun 2

The Ogre and the Leprechaun 2 (Friends Forever)

Now Charlie O'Hanlon was no average leprechaun. He never stayed in one place for too long; a bit of a rover he was. And, truth be told, he felt as if he'd stayed in "ogre land" quite long enough, thank you. It was time to say goodbye to his new ogre friend, Landru.

He'd spent the past few months teachin' Landru how to read, and now that the ogre had the basics of language and grammar down fairly well, it was time to leave. So it was that Charlie gathered his things, includin' his pet newt, and prepared to say his goodbyes. But when Landru learned that his new friend was preparin' to go, he said:

"Now wait just one fine minute there me wee friend, I mean, well... we aren't finished with our readin' lessons, now are we?"

Charlie replied: "Well now Landru, me ogre friend, you've got the basics down lad. I really feel as though ye can take it on yer own from here. I really must be movin' on. Leprechauns get a bit itchy if they stay in one place too long, ye know."

Landru didn't know what to say. And he certainly wasn't goin' to cry, he bein' an ogre and all. So he retreated into his bedroom and refused to come out to say goodbye.

"Dear dear," said Charlie, "Whatever are we to do me little newt friend?"

But it was clearly time to go. So out the door Charlie went, not really sure where he was headin' to, but confident that there were new adventures waitin' fer him out on the road. But as it was, Charlie didn't get too far before somethin' stopped him dead in his tracks. Somethin' so fearful that he thought he'd wet his pants right there where he stood. A pack of seven wolves - no eight, had followed him and now refused to let him pass. The fact that they were all salivatin' madly informed him that they weren't there to watch him perform tricks! His poor newt shivered like he'd never shivered before, as he took refuge in Charlie's coat pocket.

Then, quite unexpectedly, Charlie heard a voice comin' from behind. Sure enough, it was Landru shoutin':

"Wait, wait! I've written a goodbye poem fer ye. Hold on me little leprechaun friend."

But when he caught up with Charlie he observed the precarious situation at hand. Just as the wolves appeared ready to pounce upon poor Charlie, Landru let out the loudest ogre howl that had ever been heard. Needless to say, those wolves ran off with their tails between their legs, never to return.

Charlie now said, his voice a quiverin': "Well now, I guess we showed 'em a thing or two didn't we lad? I was just about to take 'em on one by one before ye arrived. Good thing ye came, otherwise I'd have to wrestle with a guilty conscience for hurtin' the poor things, now wouldn't I?"

Landru just smiled and said: "I got ye pal. Now if it's not too much, why not come back for a bit. After all, ye left without breakfast, and I did write ye a farewell poem and all."

So off they went, back to Landru's modest little cabin home. Upon arrival, Landru quickly rustled up some carrot stew, from the very same recipe that Charlie had used on the first day that they met. Charlie had written the recipe down, and now that Landru could read, makin' it was a piece of cake!

After they had finished breakfast, Landru pulled out a crinkled up piece of paper with what looked like scribble on it. Charlie smiled as he prepared himself to politely applaud at what was likely to be a dreadful piece of verse. All got quiet as Landru stood up and began to read:

"The day we met I felt as though I really had to eat ye,
ye had no pot of gold fer me, I really couldn't keep ye.
But then I had a change of heart and found me new best friend,
I really wish ye wouldn't go, um, well... the end!"

Charlie tried to hold his emotions back but simply couldn't. After all, it was just a few short months ago that the ogre wasn't even able to read a simple recipe for leprechaun stew. Now here he was with his first attempt at writin', and poetry at that! So down came the tears as the two embraced. Charlie's newt popped his head out of Charlie's coat pocket and looked around at the familiar surroundin's. He wondered to himself whether or not he should begin callin' this little cabin home...