Ah! Me Laddies an Lassies, come again, to hear me spin a tale or two? Ah, ye favorite is tales o' Ivy, the Irish fairy? Mine too, me darlin's, mine too!

'Member ye now, Ivy was once a Leprechaun, but he gave up the life o' trickster to be a fairy, all for the love o' children. A fairy, with unlimited magic to help the wee ones. Ivy had a soft spot for the human children, this be true , but he loved the weak and the small o' all nature's own as well, he did. Ah, that he did.

Ivy loved to visit Emerald, King o' the Shining City across the rainbow and beside the Shining Sea. The land o' the Leprechauns was no longer his home but would always have a place in his heart. Ivy enjoyed visiting the winged horses of the sky and the unicorns o' the valleys. He was friend to the merpeople, the dragon and the griffin. Anywhere a child needed a wee bit o' magic or a special friend 'tis where Ivy could be found. It is said he lived for a time just behind the headboard of a young girl's bed. Just for a time, as to watch o're her. But that is another tale for another day. This tale is how Ivy granted two wishes in one and made three lives all the better by doing so!

On one o' Ivy's journeys to the sea shore, he heard a tear drop fall. He raced on the wind to where it had fallen and found a merchild resting upon a rock softly crying, "Oh, me darlin' no need for tears. The sea is full, it can hold no more. Dry ye wee eyes and tell o' Ivy what be troubling so wee a fellow."  As Ivy spoke with his gentle voice, the merchild raised his head. There was no smile only sadness. Ivy followed the eyes o' the merchild. He had not noticed the man and woman just a bit down the shore from them. Ivy had been too concerned with the merchild to take any notice o' human adults.

"Are ye crying for them, wee one? Why the tears? For them or ye self?"

The merchild spoke in a sad sing song voice, so soft and so sweet Ivy thought his heart would break just from the sound o' it. " I am an orphaned merchild. My parents were killed near the fishing grounds, caught in the nets they were," sing songed the merchild. " Those humans come here everyday at sunset. As the sun kisses the sea the lady cries and the man holds her. They had a baby boy who died in an automobile accident." Again the merchild began to cry," They need a child. I need a family, yet we are from two different worlds. It's just not fair. Why did I ever have to hear her cry?" sobbed the merchild.
   
" O' me Laddie, me dear sweet Laddie, ye heard her cry for a reason. All 'tis in the plan o' life child, all 'tis in the plan," Ivy said softly, then asked," What can ye do, me wee one? What would ye do if ye could?" 

The merchild sobbed, "I can do nothing! I am a fish.They are humans. They live on land. I in the sea. It's just not fair."

Ivy said brightly full o' Irish cheer, "Raise ye head wee one, look at me." Ivy smiled, "Do ye know what I be?" 

"I never saw a Leprechaun with wings," sang the merchild, "Are you a Leprechaun or a Fairy?"

"I began me life as a Leprechaun, but by a wish granted from a friend, I have the magic o' the fairies."

The merchild smiled. A smile which lit a fire in Ivy's ol' heart." Wish ye well wee one, wish ye well!" Ivy chuckled as he spoke.

" I wish to be a human child. To live by the sea but walk on the land. To be the child of that couple and to grow strong in their love." The merchild spoke in his sing song voice making the wish of his heart. Ivy's wings glistened with fairy dust. He flew o're the child then down the shoreline and o're the human couple.

Ivy watched from the edge o' the sea as the child walked to the couple and was greeted with tears o' joy. The child told them his story and that he knew theirs. Ivy watched as the three were bound as one by the wish and their love for each other.

"Wished ye well, wee one, wished ye well!" smiled Ivy.

Ivy visted the child from time to time. On one visit, he found the child by the sea with tears o' joy upon his face. " What be these tears me wee friend?" asked Ivy.

" I became a big brother today." sang the child " I have a little sister. I true ly have a family, thank you Ivy, thank you!" 

" Be happy, wish well, live with love, me wee one, live with love." smiled Ivy.