At 8 years old, Jack felt defeated. Life was just too hard. He had struggles that went beyond the understanding of his years, although he understood just enough to know that life was not going to offer him an easy ride.
For Christmas, his parents had bought him a metal detector, and a tent! He figured that if the road ahead seemed uncertain, he might just as well go prospecting for gold, as do anything else. They had encouraged him, saying they could obtain permits to detect on the beach or ask local farmers for permission to access their land, but Jack already knew where he was going to find the most gold! And that was not in any farmer's field or beneath the cliffs of some coastal behemoth; no, he would find his gold at the end of the rainbow in the Leprechaun's pot...I mean, where else, right? And, unlike others who had never found it, he now believed he held the upper hand. He had a secret weapon!
He figured that as he already lived on the spectrum, he might as well seek out his life's fortune in that wonderful arc of beauty that coloured his world between the raindrops.
He ran out into their large back garden, popped open the tent, and threw his sleeping bag, pillow, a torch, and a few provisions inside, enough to satisfy any young adventurer. The back garden merged seamlessly into open fields and forests, and it was there that he started detecting, willing it to rain so that a rainbow might appear and light his way.
That first day, he found a few old rusty nails, some bottle tops, and a 10c piece. It was exciting for sure, but still, he was desperate to find himself some gold. He kept at it all afternoon, stopping only for the hand-delivered orange juice and cookies from Mom.
By dusk, he was tired, struggling to keep his eyes open, and as the sun drew in, he crawled up inside his tent under the old mulberry tree at the bottom of the garden, on the edge of a little clearing, and fell asleep with his arms wrapped tightly around his detector.
He awoke a few hours later to a lyrical sound breaking the silence. It was already evening, and there was an eery white glow to the darkness. The forest took on a magical hue at night under the moonlight - just the right backdrop for a nighttime adventure!
He peeked out between the open folds in the tent, to witness the most extraordinary sight; a tiny little man, barely 3 foot tall, dancing around a little fire in the middle of the clearing, chanting a mysterious rhyming incantation, his face aglow with golden radiance. He wore a short red jacket and breeches, and a large black hat sat cocked on the top of his head.
As the moonlight shone through the trees illuminating the scene, Jack's attention was gripped. He had read about these creatures of the night! Not being one to think before he leaped, or to mince his words, Jack stepped out of the shadows of the tree and into the shimmering light.
Excuse me,
he said,
but are you a Leprechaun?
The little leprechaun started and then froze. Quickly stuffing his hands into his pockets after gathering up some trinkets from the ground, he spun round to face the voice that had disturbed his reverie. What was that standing in front of him? A curiosity indeed!
A boy? A man-child? He pondered ...this was rare. Just relax... he tried to reassure himself...maybe he hadn't seen...everything? He cocked his head and peered up at the boy over the top of his spectacles.
Who are you?
he demanded, trying to exert authority from the start.
I saw everything,
the boy replied.
Well, there's goes plan A, thought the little Leprechaun. I wonder if he can handle the truth?
Yes, I am a Leprechaun!
he said, fixing his eyes on those of the young boy.
And what is your name?
I...am Jack.
The two of them held each other's gaze in the aftermath of those declarations; the little leprechaun willing the child to cut and run. Five minutes later they were still trying to outstare each other when Jack broke the silence that hung between them.
So, if you are a real Leprechaun, then you must have a pot of gold hidden at the end of the Rainbow.
It was postured more as a statement of fact than a question, so the little leprechaun felt no obligation to answer.
This kid was going to be a handful, he thought, considering his options.
No, no, no...that is just a myth. All I have is this little silk purse.
he said retrieving it from his breast pocket and opening it to reveal a single shiny shilling.
Jack looked on wide-eyed and open-jawed. Gold. This is what he had been seeking all along.
The leprechaun, realising that he needed to put an end to his interaction with the little human, before things got out of hand, held tight to his hat, spun around three times, and simply disappeared. Jack spent the next hour looking everywhere for him, finally stopping only to race back to the house determined to devise a plan to find a rainbow, seek out the leprechaun, and follow the rainbow to its very end, where he knew he would one day find the leprechaun's pot of gold.
Spurred on by his encounter that evening, Jack spent the next few years of his life chasing rainbows. Whenever the rain fell on a sunny day, he would pick up his detector and race outside, keenly seeking out the blaze of colour in the sky and then picking his way through the fields and forests, seeking the other end of its arc. Each time he challenged himself to explore further, dig deeper, and engage more with those around him in search of the elusive rainbow's end. He had many wonderful adventures, he went to school, he learned about the world, he made friends along the way. He discovered a love for basketball and a passion for writing and painting canvasses. His world was ablaze with colour, but in between the raindrops, reality still stood its ground. He spent as much time overcoming obstacles as he did enjoying the fruits of adventure and discovery. Through it all though, he never stopped searching for the elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Nine years passed and life had him once again exploring the local woods in the twilight. One day, whilst detecting along the forest floor he heard the very familiar sound of lyrical incantation. His eyes lit up! Could it possibly be after all this time? He knelt down in the scrub and crept to where the woodland shadows gave way, and there, by the light of the moon, the little leprechaun sat, quietly, smiling, his hands wrapped around a very beautiful pot of gold. Jack only just managed to stifle a gasp.
He gazed at the leprechaun, tilting his head sideways, marveling at the little creature. It was the first time that he had ever caught a glimpse of the leprechaun's pot of gold and the moment felt sacred. He was transfixed. The little leprechaun, oblivious to his presence, appeared consumed with joy and the immediate area around him was awash in colour. Rainbows abounded everywhere. The beauty of the moment was captivating.
Rubbing his hands together with glee, the little leprechaun shrieked in delight as he purveyed his wealth. Digging his hands deep into the golden hue of his pot, his elation overflowing, he sifted through the mountainous treasure. He loved coming to his pot each evening to play. Sifting through a myriad of precious gems each day, running between his fingers as he raised them up for air, each had its own memory and when his fingers located one it connected with, the whole pot would glow. He would throw the treasure up into the air and allow its ambiance to shower him with joy. Some were sad, some happy, joyful....but they were all his.
A twig snapped. The little leprechaun looked up startled and their eyes made contact.
You, again!
he exclaimed.
Jack's face fell and he looked away abruptly.
I'm sorry, I'm really sorry,
said Jack,
appreciating that he was disturbing something special,
but you do have a pot of gold and you told me that it was all a myth...I... I remember that.
He had been searching for so long, so very long.
The little leprechaun was about to disappear again when he felt the tug in Jack's heart meet his own. He hesitated, perhaps he could break with tradition, break the leprechaun code, just this once.
Come sit down with me for a moment, young man,
the little leprechaun beckoned and gestured towards a large boulder beside him.
Jack, we chase rainbows in search of the pot of gold at the end, but no matter how far we get on our journey through the colours of life, the rainbow's end never gets any closer; and the leprechaun's gold does remain a fable.
Jack's eyes pricked but his ears were piqued with curiosity.
But you have one!
he exclaimed,
how is that possible then if there is no way to reach the end of the rainbow?
Young Jack, you don't find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you manifest it at the very beginning, and as you pick your way through the arc of your colourful life, you amass little treasures along the way to add to your pot. We leprechauns are highly possessive of our pots and devastated if they are ever stolen or compromised, for they represent every living memory, dream, and facet of our lives and identity and for that to be stolen, imitated, assimilated, or decimated, is soul-destroying. So we hold these things precious and close to our hearts, and that is why we are so defensive and protective of their contents.
You have been topping up your riches for years. You are your own pot, and each enriching encounter is another little fleck or nugget, another experience to learn from and treasure. Life is about the journey, my boy, not the destination.
But why can't I see it yet?
Jack implored.
Your pot will grow ever bigger, always keeping up with the wealth of memories and experiences that you gather along the way. One day, it too will reveal itself to you, and the riches of your life will drive you forwards with purpose. You are still so very young and have a long way to go yet. Now, go on your way, and keep doing what you are doing. Have faith. Keep believing. Your time will come.
With that, Jack got up and thanked the leprechaun for his time.
The little leprechaun smiled. Awash with colour, he was used to creating his own rainbows and pots of gold...and now that the lesson had been shared, he knew that Jack would one day create a pot as magnificent as his own, but first, he would have to find his own rainbows to traverse, and he had a strong feeling that the journey had already begun. And so by the light of the golden moon, he bade farewell.
As Jack left the outskirts of the forest, he looked back in wonder. Life suddenly didn't seem so impossible anymore. Maybe there was hope after all. As he turned and headed for home, a small warm golden glow flickered inside his breast pocket, and deep inside, his first shillings were starting to take shape.
Chasing Rainbows is my entry to Inkwell prompt #49 'By the light of the moon', part of the Inkwell-Dreemport Challenge Week 3 , AND my response to @snook 's Leprechaun challenge #snookschallenge6.
Dedicated to my Jack.
Sources:
image from canva pro library
Very enjoyable story @samsmith1971. And very clever to satisfy 3 challenges at once!
That's a great concept, that we assemble our pot of "riches" just by living our lives and treasuring our memories and achievements.
Thank you @blueeues8960. Writing the concept up in the form of a short tale struck me as a way in which to share these thoughts with my son, and the multiple prompts aligned with the stars to give birth to the story. You never know where the spark will originate 💗
Please, teach me how to write good stories like this ma'am 🥺🤲🥺
I am so glad I saved visiting you for last. And although my eyes were already dimming and my fingers aching, I decided to take a break so I can return with bright eyes. It didn't go to waste for what I just read is reflective of all our lives.
Each one of us is chasing the rainbow just so we could get a pot of gold. Without realizing that every step of the way a gold coin is added to our pot and one day when the timing is right, when the balance is attained, we would amass lots of wealth that had compounded as streams of experience and adventure.
I know that Jack will find his pot of gold too. And I am positive that he will do it with tons of experiences. Well done on this one ma'am.... My lessons on writing request is still up there.... Please teach me 🤲
Here we go, the last encouragement for the day for me. And I am wishing you all the best things life has to offer. And I wish your Jack a wonderful life. Of course, I'll encourage you to grab that gold star too. 😉
hehe thank you Iska... I am so glad you were able to take something away with you from my story ❣️ I did love writing this one. I just immerse myself in the story, and feel what I feel, as each character. Watch them, experience them. Write from my heart, using my own personal experience of things whenever I can to interweave fact and fiction... its what our friend Tengo calls 'faction' haha. But you don't need lessons, you are a fantastic writer with your own voice, and I love that writer voice of yours ❤️ !LUV !ALIVE !PIZZA ... best thing to improve which is what i strive for all the time...is to just keep writing, try new things, stretch yourself, do freewrites, short stories, different genres... have fun...just enjoy it.
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Oh, and with every ingredients you poured into this, it came out perfectly enchanting. I loved every paragraph... It just kept calling me to look at the next one, the next one, and finally the end.
Thanks for the appreciation ma'am 🥺
I guess I have to dip my foot here as well 🥺☺️
hehe, absolutely... but you are an excellent writer Iska. You have a unique writing voice, and I love it! You share such humour in your writing too... its brutally honest, funny. You often have me laughing this side of the world. Everything is a process though and we can all strive to improve continuously. I have just received some good advice from a couple of fellow Inkwell writers (there are some who will not hesitate to tell you if they feel your piece can be improved - I wish more people were like that - it can be so helpful because we are so close to our own work that we don't always appreciate that a small tweak here and there can make the world of difference). Just write and if you want some good constructive criticism then invite it at the end of your Inkwell posts... or any post for that matter... I have done so before...and I am sure you will get some readers who will be more than happy to comment accordingly (myself included). !PIZZA !ALIVE
Now that I've encouraged your writing... take that as one from teem fierce to go get that post done today and into Dreemport hehe and have a fabulous day ticking off the to do list...Go get that star...you STAR!!!
And thank you for appreciating my little rainbow story !LUV
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What a sweet story. And we even get some life lessons! Perhaps we each have a pot of gold, if we only remember to believe in it and add to it over time.
What a great message, especially in this time in history when so many feel tired and defeated like little 8 year-old Jack.
Thank you @jayna🙏 His glow is getting brighter with each passing day ❣️
This was wonderful ❤️ How true that not all treasure is visible :) ...
Thank you, my friend 💗 Indeed, but once we become aware...aah, then life itself becomes a world of immeasurable treasures to seek out and discover.
Definitely 🙌 Each is a gem :)
Aaiiiii !PIZZA !ALIVE :-)
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Lovely story, @samsmith1971, with so many nice touches.
Your writing is lyrical. It draws us in and compels us forward. Well done!
Thank you❣️ I wrote this as a children's tale for my younger son. I read it to him this morning. He said it was bangers, triple dipple bangers hehe. That was praise enough for this mom 💗
Manual selection by @cliffagreen.
Thank you so much @cccf and @cliffagreen. This is very much appreciated 🙏💗
This is so inspiring and captivating, everyone single one of us have our unique life. We just have to understand our every journey and then cherish it.
I'm sending a ❤ to Jack.
Aw thank you @funshee. I showed him your message. He says he now has another nice friend on Hive hehe
Aweee🥰 🥰🥰🥰🥰 you guys are just adorable.
What a cute story, @samsmith1971 ! With so many classic elements of the fantastic world of elves and beautiful metaphors about the treasures accumulated in life.
I love these worlds!
Thank you @gracielaacevedo. I'm glad you found it enjoyable. It's a simple story with a simple message ❣️ I must say the more I wrote the more I enjoyed exploring it ;-)
Beautiful story and so so well written!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Loved reading every minute of it. You have a wonderful way with words!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for this!!
oh @snook I loved writing it! I can't tell you how much, so thank you💗🙏...and I had absolutely no idea that this is what would happen when I committed to doing the leprechaun post...but then the inkwell prompt came out and then suddenly I had this little picture in my head of a little leprechaun dancing away under the moonlight and my son has been having so many wins lately in amongst the struggles and having asked for and received a metal detector for Christmas so he could look for gold (true stories woven into the fiction lol), it all just came together for me. !PIZZA !ALIVE !LUV and my Jack loved it!
I think you won first prize right there.
<3
I absolutely did💗
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You are an amazing writer and this shows it, I enjoyed your story and the moral lesson was a great touch.
You are too kind, but I'll take the win if my story connected with you 🙏 Thank you @khaleesii for stopping by and for your lovely comment. It motivates me to keep doing better x
You are doing great dear.
Keep it up.
Wow! Such an interesting story of Jack and the Leprechaun. What I could learn from this story is that everyone has a pot of gold in their lives. We just have to understand it that as we move on, the experiences we gather are accumulated into memories for us to be cherished at the end.
yes...and everyone has their own special life to lead, everyone has a purpose to seek out and to find, and their experiences will fulfill them and drive that purpose. Thank you for taking the time to read my story @princessbusayo ❣️
Love this.
Thank you Witty. I truly appreciate your support for my short stories and I'm happy that they resonate with you. I hope the inspiration keeps flowing on my side 😊
What a lovely story and well told. I can tell Jack's got some big adventures ahead of him :)
Thank you @strangegravy. He certainly does❣️
Wonderful fantasy tale. I enjoyed the exquisite details of the leprechaun behavior that makes the story come alive. I'm glad that he turned out to be a wise leprechaun and not too mischievous. Excellent!
Thank you, my friend @litguru. Yes, perhaps mischief-making comes from an inherent deterrent to humans to avoid capture of themselves and their pots !LOLZ Either way, this little guy was clearly just a bit unconventional, and was sufficiently drawn to Jack's plight, to have some empathy❣️ A wise leprechaun..hehe...I like the sound of that! !ALIVE
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What a really great and interesting story. The story of jack really portrait a lot of what many of us really faced nowadays in this our generation
Thank you @tough for stopping by to read and appreciating my story😊 Yes, it is unreal how many children (and adults) lead a life of struggle these days. My hope is acceptance, support, love, and appreciation for them all.
The leprechaun tricked Jack. I would have made way with the pot of gold if I were in his shoes..hehe
Quite an interesting read. Our most priced positions are the memories we make. I hold this dear to my heart. Regardless of what we are chasing in life--money and fame--the most important thing is that we live a life worth remembering and sharing. Those are the things that motivate me.
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Hi @samsmith1971. Be sure to add your link to the short story prompt if you have not yet done so. Thank you!
Oops, I forgot...done...thank you for the nudge❣️
Awesome little short story AND life message!
Curated by the WIT crew!
Thank you🙏I'm glad you liked it😊