1st 5 Pages February Workshop - Meyn Rev 2

Name: Colleen Meyn
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Title: The Magical Assignment Ceremony

Pitch:

It is the first book in a trilogy that explores life as a Little Person, or leprechaun, with mischief dominating the day.

Dave’s Magic Ceremony revolves around a hyperactive young leprechaun whose emotions are a fizzy mixture of excitement, hope, and dread on his fateful ceremony day. He dreams of glory and adventure, but when his sister suggests that he could be a cobbler, Dave is haunted by images of being trapped indoors, holding still all day.

Determined to prove that he is capable of any job, even the coveted gold hunter job, he uses an unpredictable magic spell to find a pot of gold; but when he finds it, mayhem breaks out as his leprechaun magic collides with water sprite magic.

Dave gets in trouble once more when he is caught red-handed disrespecting the sacred fairy mound by Fairy Brighid, the ceremony conductor. She is boiling with fury and she holds the power to determine his fate… suddenly nothing is certain.

This story is set in the rolling hills of Ireland, and runs about 15,000 words. It is a fantasy story geared toward young readers in 1^st-3rdgrades. 

Dave’s stomach growled. The familiar smell of hot black tea and oatmeal tormented his empty belly. He ran down the hall to the small oval kitchen.

Dave the leprechaun lived with his family in the hollowed out base of an old oak tree.  He loved to listen to birds chirp in the nest high above him.  The tiny kitchen window allowed the sound to carry easily into the kitchen, creating a musical background every morning.

“Finally, I get to go through the ceremony! Today it’s my turn.” Dave said to his heroic big brother, Sean. The magic assignment ceremony fascinated Dave.

Sean looked up from the table and grinned, “Tired of waiting?”

His sister Morgan tossed her fiery red hair and smiled, “It only took 325 years.”

Dave nodded, too nervous to laugh.

He stretched his skinny arm over the counter to grab a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal. He sprinkled some brown sugar and butter on top. His stomach rumbled again. Dave shot a look at the table, and then sprinkled on extra sugar when no one was looking. 

His emotions were a fizzy mixture of excitement, hope, and dread.  He looked at his brother and sister sitting at the table and said, “You don’t think I’ll be a cobbler do you?” 

They laughed at his comment. Sean’s laugh was full of life and confident as usual; but, Morgan’s laugh come out much too loud and shrill, as her throat constricted with remembered dread. The traditional job as cobbler haunted active leprechauns like a wild mustang captured and put into a stall would be trapped without freedom to run, without sunlight, without the comradery of his herd.

Morgan raised one eyebrow in enquiry and crossed her arms.  She said, “Why not? You’d be good at making shoes.”

Dave frowned. A small seed of doubt crept into his mind. He started sweating.

“Really? Me? Stuck inside all day making shoes…”

Dave trailed off and looked at Sean for support. The possibility of being pronounced a cobbler at the ceremony tonight was eating him alive.  

His adolescent voice cracked into a childish, high-pitched whine as he said, “It’s boring work! Never seeing anyone or doing anything fun.” 

Sean furrowed his brow in concern as he watched him struggle; the blood drained from his tan face and his eyes were wide with fright.

Dave imagined the cobblers he knew: they were pale, with scraggly beards and their bellies were round as a pot from sitting all day. Dave shuddered as he imagined himself forced to work indoors forever.

Sean felt sorry for his little brother, “Nah, not you. Ma named you after the famous American Leprechaun.”

Dave exhaled. “Whew.” He leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, he traveled to America and worked with the Irish immigrants, right?”

Sean nodded; his thick brown hair fell over his eyes.

Dave sat up straight and squared his shoulders. He said, “Maybe I’ll do that too.”

At this outrageous statement, they all burst into laughter. Dave the American leprechaun had been the only leprechaun to leave Ireland, but it was fun to imagine one of them famous like him.

Dave took a big bite of oatmeal and chomped noisily on it.  His right leg jiggled restlessly and rocked the table; and the bowls to rattled making an awful racket.

Sean punched Dave’s leg, “Stop it.”

Dave smiled and instantly obeyed. He asked, “What happens during the ceremony? Does it hurt when she uses magic to determine the job?”

The magical assignment ceremony fascinated Dave. Ever since Sean went through the ceremony, Dave had dreamed of going through it too.

Dave said, “I’m dying here.” He put his spoon down. “Tell me something!”

Morgan said, “For the hundredth time Dave, it’s a secret. The only thing you are allowed to know is that Fairy Brighid will use magic to determine your job.”

“Come on Morgan! Everyone knows that!” Dave leaned forward and stared intently at Morgan for a few moments.

She broke eye contact and stared at the table; sympathetic with his desperation, but forced into silence by the magic enchantment at the end of the ceremony, she was frustrated.

Sean smacked Dave, “Drop it.”

“OW!” Dave rubbed his neck and glared at Sean.

His stomach rumbled. He gulped down his breakfast and imagined what the ceremony would be like. The Fairy Glen would be vibrating with magic, a deep gut-throbbing sensation that would make him feel stronger and more powerful. It would have magnificent black horses or gleaming white unicorns, a gold throne, and a center of magic like a fairy ring too.

Dave’s chomped on his oatmeal while a goofy grin covered his face.

Sean interrupted his thoughts, “You have that look again.  Are you dreaming of chocolate?”

Dave laughed, “Yeah. I was imagining a river of chocolate milk and bags of chocolate hidden at the magic ceremony.”

Sean and Morgan exchanged looks and burst into laughter. They laughed until their sides ached. Then the clock chimed 8 am. They stood up,  and headed towards the door, ready go to work.

Dave hurried to finish breakfast. He pushed back from the table, and his chair scraped across the wood floor with a screech.

His brother and sister crowded around the wood door, which had good luck runes carved in the shape of Celtic knots. The runes protected the house from discovery by the Fear Mor, or humans, as the leprechauns called the big men.

Sean ruffled Dave’s messy hair, “Up to no good Rascal?”

Dave smiled, “You know it!”

He ran outside, and then skid to a halt, confronted with a leprechaun’s worst nightmare. A deep footprint from a Fear Mor, or human, was in the mud right outside of the door. The tread was slowly filling with rain. The footprint was as long as Dave was tall, a little over twelve inches. It was deeper than his fingers were tall.

This footprint was huge.  It must be a man, thought Dave.

Dave looked around, trying to see through the heavy fog. It was no use. The fog cloaked the terrain, hiding everything from sight. Thoughts raced through Dave’s mind. Was he still near? Did he hear us talking?

Dave crouched by the giant footprint and held his breath. He closed his eyes, and listened for any unusual sounds. Nothing. Not a single sound, not even the birds chirped.

Frightened, Dave leapt inside, knocking Morgan over as he burst through the door. Safely hidden the protective runes on the door, Dave exhaled.

Morgan scrambled to her feet and shoved Dave. “Watch out!”

Dave’s hand shook as he pointed at the footprint and whispered, “Look.”

Instantly, the atmosphere in the house changed as they all looked out the door.  Sean quietly closed the door.

He asked Dave, “Did you see him?”

Dave shook his head, “No. I couldn’t hear anything either.”

Morgan looked at Sean. She asked, “Should hide?”

They all feared a life of slavery to the Fear Mor. Their Ma had been captured when Dave was very young. She had never returned. The threat loomed over their daily lives.

Sean walked to the window and looked out. “We better wait for a bit, then go to work. The birds will let us know when it’s safe to come out.”