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The light, late summer rain had practically finished, and a rainbow hung in the brilliant blue sky over Woodville. Two children, happy to have been allowed outside, ran through the fields to the edge of the forest that had given the town its name, trusting that the nearby Miracle would remain quiet while they enjoyed their play.
The boy pushed his sister into a sapling and was rewarded by a shower of water that fell from its leaves onto his head. His sister, up against the trunk, remained dry.
"Not fair!" He cried, but his sister shushed him and pointed deeper into the woods.
"What is it?" He asked as he went over to stand by her side. She nodded in the direction of a large oak.
Sat beneath the tree, leaning against a huge metal pot, and obviously asleep, was a short, red-haired figure dressed in green.
"It's a leprechaun." The girl whispered.
"Where's its top hat?"
"It's a girl leprechaun, silly. They don't wear top hats!"
The boy nodded to his sister's greater knowledge. She was a year older than him and knew everything about everything. Except for the best way to get cookies from mother. And football.
"What are we going to do?"
"We have to capture her and make her give us her gold."
So that was decided.
Stealthily, using moves they had seen in 'Sunflower Warrior' cartoons, the siblings advanced on their prey.
Ginny woke to the weight of two children jumping on her and pinning her to the ground.
""What?" She stammered.
"Gotcha!" Shouted the boy, digging his knees into her collar bones.
"We caught you fair and square!" Said the girl who was sat on her legs. "So hand over your gold."
"Gold? I haven't got any gold."
"Don't try to trick us. Is it in your crock?"
Ginny looked even more puzzled.
"Your crock." Repeated the girl rapping her knuckles against the side of Ginny's cookpot.
"There's no gold in there. Look for yourself. "
The girl started to get up but thought better of it. "No. You won't fool me that easily. Colin. Take your belt off."
Colin started to protest but turned and saw the look in his sister's eyes and quietly did as he was told. A few minutes later, Ginny's ankles were firmly secured, and the girl got off of her legs. She jumped up and tried to reach the lid of the pot.
"Show her." Ginny said in an attempt to resolve the ridiculous situation. The pot obediently leaned forward and opened its lid.
"Cor! It is magic!" Exclaimed Colin. "What's in it?"
"Just an old sack." the girl answered.
"Maybe the gold's inside it."
The girl rummaged inside the bag. "No. Just mushrooms!"
"Are you happy now?" Ginny asked.
"No! How did we get the only leprechaun with no gold?"
Realisation hit her. "Well. If you take me back to your home, I can make you something golden."
The girl, who revealed her name was Megan, untied Ginny's legs and bound her wrists with the belt. Only then did she let her brother release their captive.
With Megan leading, holding Ginny's makeshift leash, and Colin walking to one side, the largest stick he could carry in one hand and the other holding up his trousers, the three set off for the children's house. The pot following meekly behind them.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Ginny." the woman said as she scowled at her offspring.
"No harm done. They thought I was a leprechaun."
"This is Miss Ginny, the world famous chef. She's sometimes on the cooking program mummy likes to watch."
"But we don't watch that. " Said Megan.
"No. It don't have superheroes or animals." Added Colin.
Their mother rolled her eyes.
"Look. I promised to make them some gold. They grow sweetcorn here, don't they. That'll be a good start. Do you have any other ingredients I can borrow?"
Together, Ginny and Shauna, the children's mother, set about preparing food for dinner.
"I must be hard bringing up children by yourself, here on the edge of the ruins. Don't they have a father?"
Shauna put down the bowl she was stirring. " Miramon. Two years ago."
"I'm sorry." Ginny said sadly and went back to her cooking.
"Dinner time! "
Colin and Megan came running into the kitchen to see what Ginny had produced. The first thing they saw when the pot opened up was a cloth bag hanging from a hook under its lid. Ginny pushed it to one side and reached into the depths of the pot.
First, she brought out a tray of golden bread, which she placed on a mat on the table. A steaming pot followed, which she carried in her bare hands, impervious to the heat. This was placed on a second mat. Finally, she produced a roast chicken, potatoes, and vegetables.
"Everybody's hands clean?" The children waved their fingers for her to inspect. "You too." Shauna grinned and held up her freshly washed hands. "Good. Now sit down and I'll dish up."
"First, mushroom chowder." Ginny ladled out four bowls of the creamy, yellow soup and passed them around the table with hunks of bread.
The children cautiously dipped their spoons into their bowls, took a taste, then set about devouring it with gusto.
"This is incredible!" Said Shauna.
"It's all in the spices. I'll be sure to leave you some when I go."
Megan wiped the last dregs from her bowl with a piece of bread. "Is there any more, please?"
"Yes. But you can have it for lunch tomorrow. Otherwise, you won't eat the rest."
The roast was consumed with equal enthusiasm.
"Anyone still hungry?" The kids nodded.
Ginny took the cloth bag from the cook pot. She placed it on a plate and pealed back the fabric, revealing a steamed pudding. Then she reached into the bag where she kept her herbs and spices and pulled out a jar of deep, golden liquid. She cut up the pudding and poured a little of the honey over each portion.
When they had eaten their fill, she supervised the children in clearing the table and washing up the plates and dishes. Both Colin and Megan managed their chores without grumbling or breaking anything. Then she sat them on her cook pot and let them ride it around the yard until they were yawning from the day's adventures.
After the children had gone to bed, Ginny joined Shauna in the kitchen.
"Here's the spices I said I'd give you." She handed the other woman a large package. "And this should cover you for the ingredients."
"I can't take this."
"Of course you can." Ginny said, tipping a pile of gold coins onto the table. "Give one each to Megan and Colin and keep the rest. And if you ever need anything, contact me at the Golden City in Utgard."
The next night, at the Golden City, the patrons were raving about a new dish added to the menu. Woodville Mushroom Chowder with corn bread was the latest delicacy in town.