Part nine: The long distance runner

Options

“Kelly is asleep beside the fireplace,” said Timothy O’Leary the good leprechaun-cobbler, to Prince, the frog.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

They were still at the old schoolhouse stranded by the flood.

Timothy owed Prince two favors now. He had rescued Timothy from the flood and found his black, cocked hat.

“It is happening,” he thought to himself, as he saw the dark shadow forming on Prince’s face. “He is becoming a young man. He will need clothing and sandals by morning.”

“I will keep an eye of the flood waters,” he promised, as Prince headed to the schoolhouse. Timothy suspected the flood water would continue to rise.

“My four pots of gold are beside the stone fence under the old, wild rose bush,” he remembered. 

“I hope it was not washed away too. I will give the gold coins to Prince and Kelly for a wedding present. If I cannot find them, there are always more gold coins at the end of every rainbow. If only they would fall in love!”  

“I have often imagined what I would be, if I turned back into a person. I could be a long distance runner,” thought Prince, as he settled in for the night at Kelly’s feet.

“It is almost too warm in here for a frog, but the fire is dying down. Timothy is right. We do have options. I could turn back into a person and help Kelly find her father, or I could kiss Kelly and turn her into a frog princess. She could help me find my tadpole family.”

Over the next few hours, Timothy found some woven-cotton hop sacking and made a complete new wardrobe for Prince, as well as sandals for his feet from an old leather case.

“This will do just fine,” he decided, laying the garments and sandals at Prince’s feet.

He sat down beside the fire to get warm.

Kelly woke up early. She got up and quietly kissed Prince, on the top of his head. Then, she kissed the sleeping leprechaun too.