Nanny's In My Toe

Every story has its own unique origin and a purpose, meaningful to the writer and fans. As a child I wanted to create worlds that younger children could escape into and experience the magic that gets lost along the way. I wanted the wonder to endure, to take them on fantastical journeys, and help them to believe anything is possible. I would play Santa’s assistant with my invisible magic teleportation watch that harnessed the power of Santa Claus to transport me to the North Pole and back. Before any time had passed at all here, in the more mundane world, I had spent hours with Santa and was able to bring back tales of my daring adventures. I shared horror stories around an imaginary campfire within the barred depths of an abandoned aviary and took my friends along with my friends through the doors on the trampoline that only I could see, doors that led us to countless universes, almost identical to our own but always with a terrifying twist.

There was one tale, however, they would beg for over and over again. Was it the fact that this was a story involving the bond between grandmother and grandchild? It was an uncommon sight at the time. Or could it simply have been the right kind of magic? Whatever it was ‘Nanny’s in my Toe’ became a fast favourite amongst the younger children and I shared it so often that when I became a mother, with children of my own, my sisters put the words on paper, forming a fun family children’s book - just for us.

The inspiration for this story needs no introduction. It lies upon the opening pages of the children’s book itself. Within the words is all the information you need to find the origin of this now family loved bedtime story. As I tuck my little children into bed at night, they lie excited, awe-inspired by the fact that this book is from Mummy. I invite you now to share in our joy, with your own reading of this very silly story, ‘Nanny’s In My Toe’.

Nanny’s In My Toe, by Bree Beadman

One bright, sunny day in a magical, mystical place called Leprechaun Island, my Nan and I were having a fight about who loved the other more.

“I love you in every part of my body!” I said.

“Even in your toe?” Nan asked?

“Yes!”

We both laughed, then POOF! She was gone! I heard a tiny voice coming from my big toe.

I looked down and screamed, “Nan, you’re in my toe!”

Everyone from all across Leprechaun Island came to see my Nan in my toe. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Suddenly, a scruffy little orphan boy named Brice came over to me and said, “I know how to get your Nan out of your toe.”

“How?” I asked.

“You have to go to Leprechaun Palace.” Brice replied, “It’s just past Lepron City. I’ll help you find it.”

We looked and looked but we couldn’t find it anywhere.

I was just about ready to give up but Brice put his hand on my shoulder, “We should set up camp and look again tomorrow.”

So that’s just what we did. We woke the next morning to the sound of someone singing. I got dressed, but Brice didn’t. He always wore the same clothes. Brice and I tip-toed towards the singing. What we saw was odd, but exciting. It was a little leprechaun pushing one of the stones on a wall, then flying over the rainbow. I wondered where he was going. We did the same thing and went flying over too.

At the end of the rainbow we saw a giant pot of gold.

Brice said, “Come on, let’s take it. We’ll be rich!”

But I told him, “No, you never know what the leprechauns might do if it disappears.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He shrugged disappointedly.

Brice and I looked for a path or trail to follow. Just out of the corner of my eye, I saw the same leprechaun as before run through a bunch of strawberry bushes. I told Brice and we ran after him. On the other side of those bushes we saw the most beautiful thing anyone could ever see...Lepron City!

Brice and I could see Leprechaun Palace in the distance. We both ran down the hill and went to jump over a log when we were pulled behind a large mushroom. When we looked to see who had grabbed us, we realised it was the same little leprechaun we’d been following.

“Why are you here?” He asked, “You shouldn’t be here!”

“We’re trying to get Bree’s nan out of her toe!” Brice snapped.

“Listen to me,” the leprechaun whispered, “My name is Shortz. I’m a leprechaun of these parts. You seek help, but if you go to that palace you will be killed.”

After that, he looked around and disappeared. Brice told me the little guy had to be wrong, so we started walking to Leprechaun Palace. After all, it was our only hope.

As we walked through Lepron City, I noticed everyone was staring at us. I decided not to worry and just tried to ignore them. When Brice and I came to Leprechaun Palace, we noticed a guard was standing in front of two big doors.

“Password please.” He said, in a deep scary voice.

Brice and I didn’t know what to do, so we just started saying any words we could think of. After saying about thirty words, I became a little stressed.

“Can you just help us?” I shouted, “Please!”

“Correct!” the guard boomed, and the doors swung open.

We walked into the palace and searched for the mighty King of the Leprechauns. I became nervous when I felt something breathing down the back of my neck. I turned around slowly to see a huge troll. I tried to scream but no sound came out. Nervously, I glanced at the club in hand.

‘Oh no! He’s going to hit me.’ I realised. WHACK!

I woke up later with a nasty headache. As I looked around, I saw heaps of leprechauns. Only...they seemed to be upside down. I looked down, or up really, and realised my feet were tied to the ceiling. Suddenly, the King of the Leprechauns appeared and asked me why I was intruding.

I apologised and said, “I only wanted your help.”

“You don’t deserve my help,” said the King, “Thug! Take her to The Plank!”

“The Plank! What’s The Plank?” I yelled.

The large leprechaun, named Thug, gave an evil laugh, “The Plank is obviously a large piece of wood that you get to walk off.”

“Well, that doesn’t seem too bad,” I said.

“Not too bad,” he laughed, “It has a pit full of scorpions underneath.”

My heart sank, “Great…” I said sarcastically while fighting back the tears.

When I reached The Plank, I saw Brice, but he wasn’t tied up. In fact, he looked great! His hair was washed and he was wearing stunning green clothes.

Brice sniggered, “You should have listened to your little friend. He tried to save you.”

“Friend? What friend?” I asked.

“The little leprechaun, Shortz, or whatever his name is. My guards have gone to find him now.”

“I don’t understand,” I said, trying to make sense of it all.

“Is it really so hard to see?” he asked, “I am the Leprechaun Prince, and we leprechauns are trying to rid the world of all humans!”

For the first time that day I laughed, “Excuse me Brice, but, in case you hadn’t noticed, you are human.”

There were gasps and whispers all around the room.

“Oh come on, like you didn’t know.” I said, “Look at him, he’s twice your size.”

“You’re lying!” he yelled.

“Why would I?” I screamed.

“Because that’s what humans do! They lie!” he said.

“Well, that makes you the perfect human, because you lied to me and you’ve been lying to yourself your whole life!” I cried.

I realised instantly that I’d gone too far. We stood in complete silence for the longest time.

I took a deep breath and quietly said, “Sorry, it wasn’t my place to say that.”

Brice stared at the floor, tears welling in his eyes. I felt terrible, even though he had planned on killing me.

Thug yelled, “Mighty Prince, she lies, kill her now!”

Brice closed his eyes, “No Thug, if I kill her now, I’ll be living a lie.”

“Your highness, I have my orders from the King saying if you don’t kill the girl, you both must die.”

Brice looked up, “It is better to die telling the truth than to live a lie.”

All of a sudden, there was a loud thud.

We looked over to where the sound had come from and saw Shortz dust himself off, and spring to his feet, “Girl, I have come to rescue you and by the look of things the young prince is in need of help too.”

“I’ve had more than enough of this nonsense,” nagged Thug, “Get the three of them on The Plank, NOW!”

Some of the guards roughly dragged us towards The Plank. We struggled to break free, but the guards had too strong a grip on us.

We were almost at the edge when Thug yelled, “Wait! The girl goes first.”

Thug grabbed the scruff of my shirt and pulled me to the edge of The Plank, so my toes were just hanging over the edge. As I was standing there, memories flooded through my mind of all the great times I’d had with my family and friends. A tear trickled down my cheek as I realised I’d never see them again. As I was preparing to face the end of my life, I felt a tingling feeling coming from my big toe. The tingling feeling became so intense that The Plank started to shake beneath my feet. The guards let go of Brice and Shortz and ran out the door screaming, “Everyone run! They’re using black magic!”

Suddenly, my Nan burst out of my toe and headed straight for Thug. She punched him so hard he fell to the ground and said, “That’s what you get for messing with my granddaughter.”

I ran up to my Nan and gave her a huge high five.

I said, “Wow Nan, you’ve really improved with those boxing lessons!”

Nan said, “When we get back home, how about you join the class?”

I tried to hide my excitement, “Yeah, that sounds pretty cool. Can Brice and Shortz come along too?”

We turned around to see Brice and Shortz staring at us. They were clearly amazed at what had just happened.

Nan just smiled and said, “Yeah, why not.”

The End.

So, there it is, the story I composed as a child and have continued sharing into adulthood. I probably should have changed it by now. The number of ‘suddenly’s’ certainly leaves something to be desired, and the ‘huge high five’ line is absolutely telling of my age at the time I created this tale, but my children don’t mine. For some reason, every little child I’ve shared this with has enjoyed it and that’s good enough for me.