"Follow the yellow brick road. Don't you remember how Dorothy got home?" Beth whined.
 

"That's a fairytale. They aren't true," Shannon scoffed.

 

"Yes, they are! You just have to believe." 

 

"Grow up," Shannon snapped. "Only babies believe in fairytales."

 

"I wish Frankie was here, then you'd believe." Beth’s chin jutted upward in defiance. She was determined to prove she was right.

 

"Who's Frankie?" The eight-year-old rolled her eyes. "Suppose you think he can make me believe."

 

"He could!" Beth stamped her foot against the ground. "I didn't believe and he made me into a donkey."

 

Shannon rolled back in her chair, doubled over in laughter. "A donkey? At least you could have pretended you were a pretty princess or something." She brayed and wiggled her hands like ears above her head.

 

Beth stuck out her tongue. "I wasn't pretending. Frankie made me into a donkey."

 

Shannon continued to bray and dance around the porch. Tears welled in Beth's eyes.

 

"If Megan was here, she'd tell you. I'm not making it up." The little seven-year-old stood her ground, as if ready for battle.

 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah ... it's okay. Don't get so riled. If you want to believe in fairytales, it's fine with me. When you get my age, you'll understand."

 

"You're only a year older than me."

 

"Fourteen months, ten days, and something!"

 

"Big deal. I'm telling the truth." Beth crossed her arms on her chest and snapped her head, punctuating her comment.

 

"Listen, Beth, little kids like you make up this stuff and they get away with it because adults think it's cute. Me, I know better. There's no good fairy or green leprechaun that's going to magically make my dad come back or put a roof over my family’s head."

 

"Is, too!" Tears rolled down her cheeks.

 

"T'is another lass disbelievin', now is it?" A little man dressed in the finest green suit and a top hat sauntered out of the tall grasses.

 

"Frankie!" Beth squealed with excitement, jumping up and down, knocking against Frankie. He stumbled, luckily landing on Goliath's soft dog bed.

 

"Lassie, calm ya self." He dusted the fur from his clothes, smoothed his fiery red hair, and replaced the top hat. "Tis a blessin' yer lahp-earred deggin' machine 'twasn't sleepin'. Might 'ave mistakin' wee Frankie fer a bone."

 

A belly laugh exploded from the little girl's tummy. "Goliath wouldn't eat you. Maybe lick you to death."

 

"No need ta be remindin' me. De likes o’ me barely survived ‘is last attack." Frankie nodded, remembering, and then continued, "Din't mean ta be spyin' on ya, but me ‘eard me lassie friend cryin' and 'twas duty-bound to come."

 

Suddenly, Beth remembered Shannon. Spinning around toward her friend, she gasped at what she saw. The eight-year-old’s mouth was wide open, her eyes flared, and she was half standing-half sitting, frozen in time.

 

"Oh, Frankie, what did you do?" Another bout of giggles rippled through Beth’s tiny body. "She looks funny. A fly might land in her mouth."

 

"Well, me lass, ya can't be tryin' to make da world believe in leprechauns and such. Paddy and I was 'bout ta tip a cup of ale when I 'eard ya cryin'. 'Twas me duty ta be leavin' me friend ta down ‘is ale alone and see what da likes o’ ya twas needin.”

 

"It's Shannon's fault. She won't believe! I tried to tell her that fairytales are true. Even told her about you."

 

"Lassie, ya be needin' ta be pure at ‘eart ta believe. Ya friend's carryin' a mite 'eavy load."

 

"I know. Shannon's dad came home from the war, yelling all the time at them. A few months ago, he left. Her mom lost her job and now they don't have a place to live. It’s terrible, Frankie.”

 

Frankie stroked his red beard. "Tis a sad tale ya be tellin' me."

 

"I wanted to make her happy, so I was trying to tell her about you." Beth's shoulders sagged. "She just wouldn't believe me."

 

"Fer a wee one, ya got a ‘eart o’ gold, lass."

 

"Well, it didn't work. She thinks I'm a baby believing in fairytales." Tears welled in her eyes. "I just wanted to help."

 

"Now dahn’t be startin' da waterin' o’ ya eyes. Ya knows I can't be standin' da likes o’ dat."

 

Sniffling, Beth looked at her tiny friend. "Can you help Shannon?"

 

"O’, gosh and begorin, child. Ya be askin' me ta be doin' da impossible."

 

"No, Frankie, you can do it. Can't you show her the Enchanted Forest?"

 

"Ahh, Lass, de likes o' 'umans n'er been ta de fahrest." 

 

"Not true. What about Dorothy and Toto?" She started singing, "Follow the yellow brick road, just follow the yellow brick road."

 

"Stoop ya screechin', child." The leprechaun covered his ears in mocked fright. "Ya be needin' ya some voice lessons, fer sure."

 

"Say you'll help me. Pleeeease!"

 

"Hmmm ... the Missus is still singin' ma praises 'bout da night ya gave us de anniversy dinna and dance. Guess I 'ave ta be owein' ya a big one."

 

"Oh, Frankie, I love you. Thank you ... thank you ... thank you." Beth danced her version of the Irish Jig until even Frankie was doubled over in laughter.

 

"Calm ya self now o’ me magic twont be a workin’.”

 

"Oh, I'll be so good. I promise." She quickly sat down next to Shannon.

 

"Close da eyes, fold ya ‘ands in ya lap, and think boohtiful thoughts."

 

Beth followed his instructions, but couldn't resist a quick peek from the one eye.

 

"I saw dat!" Frankie wiggled his finger in her direction. "Me magic won't be happenin', lass."

 

"I'm sorry. I won't peek again." She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and waited.

 

Frankie spun around, faster and faster, chanting his magic spell. The wind began to blow and the trees moaned aloud. Beth strained to hear his words.

 

T'was once upon a time

Where fairy tales are bahrn

Magic danced in every ‘eart

Evil ways were scahrned

 

Cast a spell ahn the lasses

A simple ‘appy one’ll do

A carpet ride, a chance to see

Dat fairytales do comb true

 

Pure o’ ‘eart ... Gentle soohl ... Givin’ hope ... is me goal.

 

Poof! Magically, his work was done.

 

Fields of wildflowers stretched as far as the eye could see. Bluebirds and Robins perched in the trees, singing to their hearts’ delight. The baby birdies bobbed happily, listening to the song.

 

Let's all sing like the birdies sing

Tweet tweet tweet, tweet tweet

Let's all sing like the birdie's sing

Sweet sweet sweet, sweet sweet

 

The babbling brook laughed and danced merrily against the flat, smooth rocks, adding its musical beats to the song. Golden sunbeams sparkled brighter than all the stars at night. Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower. It truly was a special sight to see.

 

Shannon wiped the sleep from her eyes, stretching and yawning. She looked around and started to scream, "Beth ...Beth, wake up."

 

Beth raised her sleepy head from the pillow of flowers. Her eyes sparkled at the beautiful sight. "Oh, it's better than I imagined. It's wonderful." She scrambled to her feet, watching the birds with awe.

 

"Wh ... wh ... where are we?" Shannon stammered. Her eyes flew wide open as she spun around and around.

 

"It's Fairytale Land, silly. Told you it was true." Beth tossed her a "know-it-all” look. "It's awesome, huh?"

 

"Just like the stories." The eight-year-old was an innocent child again, marveling at the wonders that surround her, without questioning how or why.

 

Excitement reigned. The girls chased monarch butterflies and danced among the flowers.

 

"Look ... look up in the sky, Beth." Shannon's finger trembled as she pointed at what she saw.

 

A giant green dragon swooped over their heads, spewing flames from its nose. His comical smile made the girls laugh as the giant tail lashed back and forth.

 

"Oh, there's a boy on its back," Beth squealed. "What a carnival ride that would be."

 

"Oh, my gosh, it looks just like Puff the Magic Dragon."

 

As if on cue, both girls burst into song,

 

"Puff the Magic Dragon

lived by the sea

He frolicked in the autumn mist

In a land called Honah Lee"

 

The boy waved goodbye and the playful duo disappeared among the cotton candy clouds.

 

"Wow, if this is a dream, I don't want to wake up." The girls hugged each other and laughed with delight.

 

Suddenly, a Persian carpet hovered nearby. A beautiful princess, dressed in long flowing silk pants and a matching top, perched atop it. She had big, dark brown eyes and shiny black hair pulled into a ponytail. A headband with sparkling sapphires adorned her head. When she placed her tiny, gold slippers on the ground, the giant oak trees bowed in respect.

 

"She looks just like Jasmine!" Beth wildly tugged on her friend's arm as the hourglass figure glided toward them.

 

"He ... he ... hello." Fits of giggles rippled through the young girls.

 

"Hello, girls." Her warm smile dazzled them. "I've come to take you for a ride."

 

"A ride? On ... on that?" Shannon looked at the carpet, then at Beth, and finally back at the princess. "Won't we fall off?"

 

"Of course not. It's perfectly safe." Her delicate hand beckoned the girls to follow. "It's going to be fun."

 

Not waiting for a second longer, the duo scrambled aboard the carpet. Beth's excitement bubbled over. "Oh, wow, this is the best. Where are we going?"

 

"To see where dreams come true." With that, the carpet sailed off into the blue sky.

 

With each wonderful new sight, the girls gleefully shouted back and forth.

 

"Oooooh! Beth, did you see that? It could be Cinderella's castle and the awesome coach."

 

"Shannon, look, look ... it's the seven dwarfs. There's Dopey. He's my favorite." A tiny beardless man donned in a lime green tunic, purple hat, and goofy smile waved at them.

 

Sleepy lifted his heavy eyelids and yawned. Bashful hid behind red-nosed Sneezy. Scowling, Grumpy picked up his ax and said, "It's off to work we go."

 

The merry little band grabbed their tools and marched off to work, singing, "Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, it's off to work we go." Snow White waved from the cottage door.

 

As the carpet glided over the land, the princess pointed out the homes of the Three Little Pigs, Little Bo Beep, and The Mad Hatter and Alice. The giant's fe-fi-fo-fum rumbled as Jack hurried down the beanstalk.

 

The Munchkins danced, the Good Witch waved her wand, while Dorothy and her three friends - the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion - skipped merrily down the yellow brick road.

 

It was truly a magical sight. Unicorns soared high above them. Dazzling fairy wings fluttered everywhere, painting the sky with their sparkling dust. The brightest rainbow they'd ever seen appeared in the sky when they returned to the meadow.

 

Tired from their fabulous journey, the girls waved goodbye to Jasmine and nodded off to sleep. Frankie appeared from behind the tree. Smiling, he slipped a gold coin into each girl's hand. Casting a spell, he sent them safely home.

 

"Beth ... Shannon ... wake up girls." Megan and Shannon's mom, Lily, stared at the little girls.

 

Shannon stretched and yawned. She blinked her eyes several times and looked around.

 

"Wow, I must have been dreaming."

 

While Megan poured the lemonade, Beth whispered to her friend, "It wasn't a dream."

 

Shannon poked her with an elbow. "Don't start -" She fingered the gold coin in her hand and suddenly remembered.

 

Before Beth could answer, Lily exclaimed, "We're celebrating. Megan's friend gave me a job taking care of two small children on his estate. We'll live in a small cottage." She laughed and hugged Shannon. "It reminded me of one in a fairytale. I hope I'm not dreaming too."

 

The small girls exchanged glances. Slipping the gold coin into her pocket, Shannon giggled, "You just have to believe, Mom. Fairytales do come true."

 

In the distance, it sounded like someone was whistling an Irish tune. Frankie was headed home, pleased with today’s adventure.