HE WOULD GO TO THE SHORES OF THE LAKE
Then John told his father how some boy in the village had started a tale. The lad had told how, many years ago, Shaun had been stolen away by the leprechauns.
John told how it had happened on the shores of this very lake. He would not believe it and said so.
Still he often lay on his back by the lake and wondered whether it could be true. Now he asked Shaun to tell him.
Shaun stroked his rough chin. The twinkle he had had as a boy was there in his eyes still. He looked at little John beside him.
"Och, Johneen!" he laughed with his musical laugh. "'Tis indeed a true story."
John's eyes grew big. He stared at his father as though Shaun himself might be one of the Good People.
Then he spread out the red petticoat on the ground. He knew that the red petticoat would protect him.
Shaun looked in amusement at the boy's frightened eyes. Then he grew sober.