On St. Patrick's Day, Ryan says out loud, "I wish I didn't have stupid piano lessons." Someone answers, "Saints be praised. 'Tis done." In an instant, his piano teacher's house—along with his teacher Miss Talbot, and his classmate, Angela—are gone!
On St. Patrick's Day, Ryan says out loud, "I wish I didn't have stupid piano lessons." Someone answers, "Saints be praised. 'Tis done." In an instant, his piano teacher's house—along with his teacher Miss Talbot, and his classmate, Angela—are gone!
The Curse of Rafferty McGill
72
The Curse of Rafferty McGill
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Overview
On St. Patrick's Day, Ryan says out loud, "I wish I didn't have stupid piano lessons." Someone answers, "Saints be praised. 'Tis done." In an instant, his piano teacher's house—along with his teacher Miss Talbot, and his classmate, Angela—are gone!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780807537800 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Whitman, Albert & Company |
| Publication date: | 01/01/2003 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 72 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
| Age Range: | 7 - 10 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Be Careful of Wishes
On St. Patrick's Day, Ryan O'Conner made his piano teacher disappear. The day started off like a normal Saturday. "Ryan," his mother called from the kitchen. "You're late for Miss Talbot's."
Ryan jumped up from the couch where he was watching television. "Move it, Benji. I gotta go!" He stepped over his little brother, who was sitting on the floor dressed in a leprechaun costume.
Mrs. O'Conner came into the room holding Ryan's piano music and jacket. "Did you sweep the garage?"
"Oh, I forgot. I'll do it later, Mom."
Benji got up from the floor. "Ryan, aren't you going to watch me in the St. Patrick's Day parade?"
"No, Benji. I've got piano lessons."
"But you can't leave now. You said you'd show me that magic disappearing card trick."
"Benji, I'll show you later." Ryan grabbed his music and jacket from his mother and raced out the kitchen door.
Benji called out in a whiny voice, "You always say 'later.'"
Ryan put on his jacket. The air was chilly, and black clouds in the sky warned of rain. Looks like Benji isn't going to be in the parade, he thought. The wind pushed a tree branch back and forth against the side of his tree house. Ryan looked at his special hideout. For one second he thought about going inside, but he knew there wasn't time. Maybe after piano lessons, he thought. Clutching his music to his chest, he began to run the three blocks to Miss Talbot's house.
As he rounded the corner from Oakdale to Spring Street, he looked at his watch. 10:10. Yikes! His lesson was supposed to start at 10:00. How did it get so late? To make matters worse, he knew Miss Talbot would lecture him for not practicing. It was the same every Saturday. Each day he told himself he would practice later. But somehow the days went by, and then it was Saturday again and he hadn't practiced. His teacher at school, Mrs. Fogarty, said he had a problem with "time management." That was teacher talk for not getting his work done.
Breathing hard with each step, he saw Miss Talbot's white house. Good, almost there. He sprinted the last few feet to the gate and stopped to catch his breath. No sign of Angela anywhere, he thought, as he looked up the street. She's probably still inside. Just like her to stick around so she could rub it in that I'm late.
Angela Morgan was in Ryan's class at school. She also took piano lessons from Miss Talbot, and it was Ryan's bad luck that Angela had her lesson right before his. Angela was a goody-goody and a real pain. She loved to make fun of Ryan. Miss Talbot would say, "I hope you can play as well as Angela did." Then, when Miss Talbot turned her head, Angela would stick out her tongue.
The thought of Angela's face made Ryan frown. "I wish I didn't have stupid piano lessons," he said aloud.
"Saints be praised. 'Tis done," said a small voice.
"What?"
"I said, ' 'Tis done,'" said the voice. "Your wish is granted."
Ryan scratched his head and looked around. Nobody was there. A gust of wind swirled some dry leaves into a spiral. He looked up Spring Street. Kerry and Kurt Hunter, the six-year-old twins, were building a bike ramp on their driveway. He could hear them arguing over which board to use. Across the street, Mr. Mathews was digging in his flower bed. Ryan smelled the strong odor of fertilizer and wrinkled his nose.
"Over here," said the voice. "What do you use for eyes?"
Ryan turned around. His heart stopped for a second. On a low-hanging branch sat a strange-looking little man. He wore a green vest and pants and a green felt hat.
"What are you lookin' at?" the man asked as he crossed his arms across his chest.
Ryan blinked. Someone was playing a trick on him. It was probably one of Benji's friends in his St. Patrick's Day costume. But a creepy feeling inside told Ryan that the man was real.
The man appeared neat and tidy except for his feet. Each foot was wrapped in a bundle. Ryan guessed that at one time the bundles had been shoes. Made of pieces of leather, they were tied round and round with string.
The man pointed a long crooked finger at Ryan. "Saints be praised, I'm losin' me patience with you. Stop actin' like a toad."
Ryan stared at the man's wrinkled face. He wanted to run. But his legs wouldn't move. "Ahhh ..." Ryan tried to talk, but no words came out.
"Rafferty," said the man, "you picked yourself a strange one. Can't speak a civil word."
"Uh ... I can speak," Ryan said, finding his voice. "Who are you?"
"Rafferty McGill is the name." The man bounced off the branch to the ground, stood up, and removed his hat. With a sweep of his arm he bowed low, adding, "And who might you be?"
"Ryan. Ryan O'Conner. Are you a ...?"
"A leprechaun, what else? From the first glorious moment of me birth."
"A leprechaun!" Ryan didn't want to believe his ears. "You can't be a leprechaun! Leprechauns aren't real."
"Not real, eh?" The man raised his voice. "NOT REAL? Leprechauns are as real as —" he paused and said, "you, standing there in pink pajamas."
"What?" Ryan looked down at his legs. "Oh, my gosh!" Sure enough, he was on Spring Street in pink pajamas with white bunnies on them. His shoes and clothes were gone. He wailed, "Oh, no!" His face turned red, and he shivered as the wind blew through the thin pajamas. Thunder sounded in the distance. His bare feet were freezing. "Hey, get these off of me!"
Rafferty laughed. "Would you care for green?" Instantly the pajamas turned green. "Green, 'tis a grand color. Leprechauns love the color of green."
"Cut it out, mister!" Ryan shook with fear.
But the man continued. "How about the color of orange? That's a real color. Is purple real? How about goldenrod?" The pajamas changed colors as fast as Rafferty spoke the words. "Plaid? Turquoise?"
"OK! OK! You're real! Stop! Please!"
Immediately Ryan was back wearing his jeans and jacket. His legs felt wobbly as he sank down on a large rock next to the curb.
Rafferty laughed. "Och, now, Ryan, quite a dresser you are. Well, enough banterin'. Let's get down to business."
"Business?" Ryan's whole body felt like Jell-O. "What business?" he asked weakly.
"Why the wish-grantin' business," the man said sharply. "I granted your wish first, so now you'll be giving me mine." He smiled and rubbed his gnarly hands together. "I've been waiting a hundred years and a day. Me poor old feet have suffered so."
"Excuse me, sir," Ryan chose his words carefully, "but I don't know what you're talking about."
"Saints be praised! Rafferty McGill, you picked one worse than a cabbage. One without a brain." The man grumbled and began to pace back and forth. Suddenly he stopped in front of Ryan and shook his fist. "Look, you scalawag! Don't you know I removed your piano lessons?"
"What?" At the word piano Ryan looked at his watch. It was 10:20. "Oh, my gosh!" he moaned. "Miss Talbot is going to kill me!" He turned quickly and then stopped. Ryan was looking at a vacant lot. There was nothing there. He walked a few steps closer. There was no white frame house or porch.
"It's g ... g ... gone," Ryan whispered. "Miss Talbot's whole house is gone!"
CHAPTER 2Vanished!
Of course, 'tis gone," said Rafferty. "You wished away your piano lessons."
"But Miss Talbot —" Ryan stared at the dirt where the house had stood.
"Who? What are you babbling about?"
"Miss Talbot ... the lady who lives in the house, and her piano student, Angela." Ryan felt sick. "At least I think Angela was there."
Rafferty took off his cap and scratched his head. "Ummm. You say there was a lady and a young lass?"
"Yes!" Ryan shouted.
"Och, now, I am a bit rusty. Somehow they all got connected. I can't be bothered by details."
"But I didn't wish for them to be gone, just the piano lessons."
Rafferty shook his head. "Ah, just like a mortal, never satisfied." He gave Ryan a stern look and said,
"The facts be plain. Today is the end of me curse."
Ryan shook his head. "I don't understand."
Rafferty sighed and looked upward. "What a small brain you have. 'Tis very clear." He stared at Ryan and spoke slowly. "I've been wandering the underworld a hundred years and a day until this dratted curse was over. The king of the fairies himself placed the curse on me. I lost track of time and place, which is understandable, considering me situation. Suddenly, without any warning, the wandering is over. Pop! Here I am before your very eyes." Rafferty threw back his shoulders and placed his hands on his hips. "By command of the curse," he continued, "I'm to grant a wish to the first mortal I see. Then, in turn, the mortal is to grant me mine. I did me part." Rafferty brought his face close to Ryan's and raised his voice. "Now you grant me wish!"
Ryan's heart thumped loudly. "You've got to bring them back," he pleaded.
"Bring 'em back?" Rafferty spoke sharply. "I'll not be working any more wishes for you until I gets me own wish granted. Now hurry up. You've wasted enough time." Rafferty stood up straight and cleared his throat. In a loud voice he said, "I wish for a new pair of shoes."
Ryan's head hurt. This had to be a bad dream. "I can't grant wishes. I'm not magic. I'm just a boy."
"A boy!" Rafferty shrieked. "Boys are the worst kind of mortals!" With a rush of words, he continued, "I noticed you were a mite small but ..." He paced back and forth. "You being the first mortal I laid me eyes on, I was desperate." He began to jump up and down, shouting, "The curse continues!" He shook his fist at the air. "Have you no mercy?" As if in answer, thunder rumbled across the sky.
Ryan watched Rafferty's jumping and shouting, all the while feeling more confused. Rafferty was acting just like his brother Benji did when Ryan beat him at a game of cards. But this wasn't a game. This was something serious. In a shaky voice he asked, "What are you shouting about?"
"'Tis bitter to have me tools taken from me, ill luck enough, but now to have to deal with a boy ..." Rafferty threw himself down on the ground and pounded the grass with his fists. "King Tiranok, you've gone too far! No leprechaun should suffer me fate!"
Ryan didn't know what to do. He looked from the bare lot to the leprechaun and then back at the lot. Then he heard Kerry and Kurt yelling from up the street. "Hey, Mom," the twins yelled. "Look, look, Miss Talbot's house is gone! Somebody took it!"
Mr. Mathews turned around from his gardening. His face turned white. He dropped his shovel. "Martha!" he shouted to his wife. "Call the police! Call 9ll!"
Mrs. Hunter came out of her house. At the sight of the vacant lot, her mouth dropped open. She and the twins hurried down the street and stood next to Ryan.
Mr. Mathews joined them, staring at the vacant lot.
"Wow!" said Kurt.
Kerry jabbed Ryan with his elbow. "Pretty cool, huh?"
Mrs. Hunter turned to the twins. "Boys, get home. Fast!"
"But Mom ..."
"You heard me. Right now. Something strange is happening." She pushed both boys towards their house.
Ryan turned around to see if Rafferty was still there, but the leprechaun had disappeared. A police siren wailed a few blocks away. As it came closer, neighbors came out from their houses. Along with the siren, Ryan heard someone moaning. The sound came from an overgrown azalea bush a few feet away.
Ryan got on his knees and looked closer. Rafferty sat in the middle of the bush. "No, no," Rafferty moaned. "The banshee is wailing me death." He held his head in his hands. "Oh ohhhhhhh ohhhhhhh. Do you hear it, Ryan? Listen to her. It's the banshee. She's coming closer and closer to tell me me life is over. I'm doomed. Why, Rafferty McGill? Why did you have to choose a boy?" Rafferty moaned louder and louder. "Ohooooo ooooo oooooooo."
"Rafferty," Ryan said, "I don't know what a banshee is, but that's a police siren."
Rafferty didn't answer. Instead, his moans and the siren were joined by the wail of Mrs. Morgan. She ran towards them crying, "Angela! Angela! Where's my little girl?"
Ryan shuddered. Cripes, he thought, Angela was in the house. He didn't like Angela, but he didn't want her disappearing, either. "Rafferty, we have to tell someone what happened. Angela's mother or the —" Ryan peered into the bush. Rafferty was gone again.
A voice from the tree above said, "Tell? Tell?"
Ryan looked up and saw Rafferty on a branch, dangling his legs. How did he get there?
"I'll not be telling any mortal about meself. 'Tis against the fairy law. I'd sooner give up me gold."
"Well, I'm telling!" Ryan said sharply. He had had enough of this bully leprechaun. He took a step but immediately fell to the ground. Rafferty was back in the azalea bush. He had stuck out his leg and tripped Ryan.
"Owww, that hurt." Ryan rubbed his right knee and glared at the leprechaun.
Rafferty poked a bony finger into Ryan's arm. "Ryan, what would you tell? Would you tell everyone that you wished away your piano lessons? Who would believe you?"
"They'll believe me," Ryan said, trying to make his voice sound confident.
"And if you do tell," Rafferty's eyes grew blacker and blacker as he brought his wrinkled face close to Ryan, "I'll disappear, and the house and two females will be gone forever."
Ryan fought back tears as he rubbed his arm where Rafferty had poked him. What was he going to do?
Mr. Mathews bent over him. "Ryan, are you all right?" Startled, Ryan turned and looked into Mr. Mathews's pudgy face. Mr. Mathews put his hand on Ryan's forehead. "I heard you talking to yourself." Mr. Mathews looked as worried as he sounded.
Ryan looked from Mr. Mathews to Rafferty. Rafferty crawled out from the bush, made a face, and stuck out his tongue. Mr. Mathews didn't seem to notice. Then it hit Ryan. Mr. Mathews couldn't see Rafferty.
"Ryan? I'm talking to you."
"Oh, yeah, sorry, Mr. Mathews. I'm OK. I'm kind of in shock. My lesson was next."
"You'll feel better in a few minutes. There must be some explanation." Mr. Mathews didn't sound like he believed what he was saying as he walked away.
Ryan stood there trying to sort things out. Was he the only one who could see Rafferty? A dog's low growl rumbled behind him. Oh, no, Brutus! The big black-and-gray German shepherd lived next door to Miss Talbot. Secretly, Ryan was afraid of all dogs, but everyone he knew was scared of Brutus. He looked at the raised fur on the back of Brutus's neck. This was not a good sign. Brutus's growling grew louder, and he strained at his leash. Ryan felt prickles on the back of his own neck. And then, with a sinking feeling, he knew. Brutus wasn't growling at the sirens or the people. He was growling at Rafferty. He could see Rafferty!
Brutus's upper lip curled, showing his fangs. He grew more frantic with his growls and lunges. The leash was hooked to a metal pole next to the house. Horrified, Ryan saw the pole bending.
"Rafferty, we have to get out of here. FAST!"
"I'm not going anywhere until you grant me wish."
"But —" Ryan's panic increased. "Brutus might —"
With a mighty surge, the huge dog threw all his weight against the leash. The pole bent, and the leash slipped off. His fangs bared and dripping with drool, Brutus lunged at the two of them.
CHAPTER 3Cowboy Rafferty and Other Tricks
Ryan froze. He knew the picket fence would not stop Brutus. As a blur of teeth and fur came towards them, Rafferty jumped over the fence and onto the dog's back.
Brutus howled and ran in small circles, trying to dislodge Rafferty. It looked like a scene from a Western movie. Rafferty was a cowboy riding a bucking bronco. The more Brutus turned, the more tangled he became in the leash that was still fastened to his neck. Finally, exhausted, Brutus keeled over on the ground.
"Saints be praised!" yelled Rafferty, grinning from ear to ear. He slid off the dog's back.
Brutus's eyes had a wild, fearful look. He lay panting and whimpering, the leather leash wound tightly around his legs and body.
Mr. Mathews scratched his bald head and stared at Brutus. He climbed over the picket fence and untangled the big German shepherd. "I don't understand what's happening," he muttered. He straightened the pole and slipped the other end of the leash back in place. Brutus slunk to the far corner of the yard with his tail between his legs. Ryan felt kind of sorry for the dumb dog even though Brutus was always scaring the beejeebers out of him.
Rafferty clapped his hands together. "Nothing like a good ride to clear me mind." He laughed gleefully. "Now get on with it, boy."
"Rafferty," Ryan said, "how come Brutus can see you and Mr. Mathews can't?"
Rafferty crossed his arms. "Animals and young mortals cause me the most problems. As mortals grow older, they decide what's real and not real. If they decide that something's not real, then it ceases to exist in their minds." Rafferty grunted and looked disgusted. "Just like mortals to think they know everything. Most mortals can't see me even if I stand in front of them." He chuckled. "What a pitiful race humans are."
Rafferty walked over to the rock and sat down, one bony leg crossed over the other. "Once in a while an older mortal has a sense of belief. Then they are dangerous." His eyes became darker and his voice harsh. "Always poking around trying to catch a leprechaun or find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
A white van screeched up to the curb. The letters WNEW were painted on the side. Four men piled out holding TV cameras and microphones. They shouted directions at one another. Then a pretty, dark-haired woman stepped out. Ryan recognized her immediately — Kit Summers from the five o'clock news. The men began setting up lights and cameras. To add to the commotion, a low whirring sound grew louder. Ryan looked up and saw a police helicopter approaching.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "The Curse of Rafferty McGill"
by .
Copyright © 2003 Dianne M. MacMillan.
Excerpted by permission of Albert Whitman & Company.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
1. Be Careful of Wishes,
2. Vanished!,
3. Cowboy Rafferty and Other Tricks,
4. Poor Benji,
5. King Tiranok and the Curse,
6. Big Trouble,
7. Peanut Butter and Give-Away Clothes,
8. The Curse Is Far Away,
9. A Wish in Time,