“Hello 4th grade.”
“Hello Ms. Lillis.”
“Please take your recorders and your books and find a spot on the carpet.” I motioned to the Persian-style carpet on one side of my classroom. The excited group began to move and I went to my desk to get my recorder.

“Ms. Lillis, do you believe in leprechauns?”
I turned around. Jung stood behind me holding a small black metal box in his hand and staring up at me with serious eyes. Not sure where this question was going, I said, “Maybe …”
A few of his friends were now watching me too.
“Maybe? Well, this is my box of leprechaun gold – you know, the gold that usually is at the end of the rainbow. But my leprechaun friend told me that if you don’t truly believe in leprechauns the gold won’t show up in the box.”
He opened the box. Inside, his recorder lay in three pieces.
“See, since you don’t fully believe in leprechauns it’s just the recorder instead. Thanks Ms. Lillis – I needed my recorder today.”
He turned to find his usual spot on the carpet and I stared after him with a speechless smile.

Oh the wonder and delight of a nine-year-old!