Bo and the leprechaun suddenly found themselves deep in the forest.
Bo looked around and asked, Where are we?
This is the Cloverwood.
It's where all magical luck has grown and gathered.
So it is.
Bo took a step forward and saw the strangest sight.
Fields of clover stretched as far as the eye could see, but something was wrong.
Most of them were brown or wilted or glowing just a little too bright.
The look's gone wild.
Ever since you took that charm, the magic's been spilling out everywhere.
We have to replant the charm before it's too late.
Replant it?
Bo asked.
What, you mean like bury it or something?
Just bury it, the leprechaun said, his eyes twinkling.
Should we have to plant it right in the heart of the garden?
Right in the center?
Are you listening to me?
Where do you do it?
That's right.
Right in the heart of the garden.
Now, that's the only place strong enough to absorb the overflow, do you see?
And set things right again.
Bo nodded.
Okay, let's do it.
They raced through the forest, dodging lightning bugs the size of baseballs, hopping over patches of bouncing clovers that almost tripped them up, and the deeper they went, the stranger the forest became.
Time seemed to bend and some of the trees even laughed as they ran past.
Finally, they reached a small clearing with a round patch of perfectly green grass in the center.
A large stone stood in the middle, covered in swirling vines, and the leprechaun stepped forward and said This is it lad, the heart of the garden.
Bo reached into his pocket and pulled out the charm.
Now place it on the stone and say, Let the luck be shared by all, big and small.
Bo placed the charm gently on the stone and then he took a deep breath and repeated the words.
Let the luck be shared by all, big and small.
And suddenly the ground began to rumble.
Light shot up from the stone and raced through the vines.
The forest lit up like a Christmas tree and Bo watched in awe as the wilted clovers began to perk up their leaves, stretching out like little green stars.
Then, just as quickly as it started, the light faded.
Everything was still.
And Bo turned to the leprechaun and asked, Did it work?
And the leprechaun smiled.
It worked all right.
They walked back to the edge of the forest, and when they reached the town, Bo's jaw dropped.
Everything was back to normal.
Kids were walking to school holding their regular backpacks, not flamingos, and their backpacks weren't printing money.
The bounce house was gone.
The sky was blue, just a normal beautiful blue.
His dad was mowing the lawn instead of revving his sports car and his mom was holding a bag of groceries that definitely did not include cake, cookies or ice cream.
And beau smiled thank you, he said to the leprechaun.
Aye, said the leprechaun, tipping his hat.
Looks a lovely thing, but life's meant to be lived with all its ups and downs, not wished away.
And the leprechaun began to vanish in a swirl of clover-scented smoke, as Bo called out Wait, will I ever see you again?
The leprechaun winked.
Keep your eyes on the clovers, lad.
You never know what might turn up.
And with that, the leprechaun was gone.
Bo turned and walked home, feeling lighter than he had in days.
And when he got back to his room, he noticed something on the windowsill.
It was a single, perfectly green, four-leaf clover.
Bo picked it up, smiled, and whispered, Maybe this time, I'll just press it in a book.
Hey there, Storyland fans.
If you love these magical adventures, I've got some exciting news.
The Storyland Collection Volume 1, Tales of Magic and Wonder, is now available as an audiobook.
It's packed with all your favorite stories in their true chronological order, professionally remastered for the best listeners.
We'll be right back.
And you should be able to find it there.
And if you're looking for even more magic, check out Luke and the Magical Marker, my brand new, first ever illustrated book, now available on Amazon.
It's a perfect read for kids who love creativity and adventure.
And one last thing.
If you like the podcast.
I'd love for you to leave a review on Apple podcasts.
It really helps more listeners discover the story land podcast.
Thanks again for listening and I'll see you in the next adventure.
