Ella's Little Dog Adventure - No.1

Once there was a tiny little dog that belonged to Ella. One day Granddad said he was going on a long journey and because he was Granddad he would go on a bike not in a car. Ella said the little dog could go too. So the little dog sat in a tiny pocket at the back of Granddad's bike bag peeping out and telling all the cars not to drive to close.

Once in the middle of a wet grassy bit called a bog. Granddad stopped his bike and sat on a dry bit of bog to rest his legs and take a photograph of a pretty rainbow over the otherside of a lake. He said the little dog could have a run around but not to get lost. So, the little dog ran and jumped over the bog and went 'plop' into a big lake. There was no way out he would have to swim to the other side which he did. He climbed out and up onto a little hill, so that Granddad might see him. It was a funny little hill, with a circle of stones around it, a funny old tree in the middle which the rainbow was leaning against. Before the little dog could do anything, a door opened in the side of the tree. 'Hello', said a little man. He was a leprechaun which are quite common in Ireland. 'Hello there, my little doggy friend, would you like to come into my house and sit a while and dry yourself in front of of my Pete fire? So the little dog went into the Leprechaun's house and sat in
front of these fire which was a giant firefly called Pete who kept the whole place warm and dry. 'Would you be wanting a slice of Porridge for your breakfast?' asked the friendly little man. 'Could I have a bowl of milk please?' Asked the little dog. 'Well', said the Leprechaun, I have some Libbys. Would you like some?' The little dog did not know what Libbys were but said 'Yes please', because he did not want to upset the little man. So the Leprechaun jumped up onto the shelf and got down a tin, which he opened with the help of a tame woodpecker, then poured out a nice bowl of green wriggling Libbys which the little dog ate up.

The little dog thanked the Leprechaun and explained that he needed to get back across the lake before Granddad got back on his bike and rode off because he might forget the little dog. 'Not a problem at all', said the little man. Close your eyes, count to three and say, 'Quick, quick, lickety split.' and you'll be back where you were before you were where you are now. So the little dog thanked the Leprechaun and did as he said and was back on the other side of the lake but... Where was Granddad? He was gone. So was his bike. So was the little pocket that the dog sat in in Granddad's bike bag. What would he do? How would he get back to Ella with out Granddad. Granddad could find his way back to Ella's house because he had a thing called a map which showed him where he was and where Ella's house was and if Granddad could find his glasses he would be able to get them home. It was no good, the little dog was lost and he would have to sit down by the side of the road and cry. But
before he could start crying there was the sound of a tiny bell 'Ding, ding'. It was getting louder, 'Ding, ding. Ding, ding'.

'There you are', said Granddad ring his bicycle bell, 'I've been looking all along the road for you. Jump on, lickety split.' Luckily he did not say 'Quick quick' or they would have all been back where they were before they were where they were then.

So Ella's Little Dog jumped into his pocket on the back of Granddad's bike bag and they rode off to Connemara. But the Little Dog just could not stop hiccoughing, because that's what happens if you eat a whole bowl of Libbys.