(I first told this story on Decidinglybob.com. Bob considered himself to be a wolf but, in reality, was a Norwegian Elkhound with a huge heart and a bigger appetite.)
Jessie was hiding under a chair. Bob, her dog and protector, was looking for a snack in the kitchen.
“The monster can’t crush me here,” she whispered.
“‘Yes, I can!” The black shadow that only she could hear said.
Jessie raced into the kitchen. Granddad noticed that Jessie was shivering and that Bob ran to her side.
“Come on, Jessie, let’s go to the park,” Granddad said. Bob began to jump and bark.
“Wait till I put my coat on, Bob,” Jessie whispered, looking around and searching for the monster. She didn’t want to be crushed. A tear rolled down her face. Bob’s sloppy tongue licked it off, making Jessie giggle.
Bob walked with Jessie close to Granddad and Granny.
In the park, Granddad went to get ice cream. Granny sat in the sun.
Climbing into the playhouse, Jessie felt safe. Bob was sitting beside her, so no room was left for a monster.
“Jessie, are you okay?” Granny asked.
“Yes. It’s nice here, try it, Granny!”
“I’d get stuck in the door. Then you and Granddad would leave me.”
Jessie peeped out. “Oh, Granny, I’d never do that!”
Granny smiled, “You might not, but Granddad would!”
Granddad said, “One for you, Granny, and one for me.” He scratched his head, ” Was someone else looking for an ice cream?”
Jessie giggled. She climbed out of the house and said, “Me, Granddad!”
“Who is this me?”
Skipping over to him, she said, “Jessie!”
Bob was drooling. Great lumps of blob were hanging from his mouth.
“Thank you, Granddad. But Bob is sad,” Jessie said. She stuck her finger in her ice cream and bent towards Bob. He licked her finger.
“It’s okay, Bob. I have one for you!” Pulling a tub of ice cream from his pocket, Granddad placed it on the ground. Bob looked at Jessie.
“Eat it up, Bob!” She said. He did.
“You are tiny. I could swallow you in one gulp,” the monster shouted. He was huge, blocking out the sun. Jessie began to shake. Bob moved close to Jessie and began to bark.
Granddad said, “Stop, Bob!”
Huffing and grunting, Bob moved closer to Jessie. She sat with her hands about the dog’s fluffy neck.
At home, Granddad handed her a packet of crayons. “I am going to draw fairies and pixies but not leprechauns. They frighten me!”
“But, you are not afraid of anything, even spiders!”
Granddad said, “Do you want to know a secret? I’m afraid of lots of things, especially nasty leprechauns.”
“Why?” Jessie asked.
“They want to make me cry, but I have a secret weapon – a magic circle that locks them out. It is made of something special.”
“What is it, Granddad?”
Granddad said, “Love! Leprechauns don’t understand love because their world is nasty. They don’t have you, Granny and Bob, to love them.”
Jessie thought about all the nice things the monster couldn’t understand. She almost felt sorry for him.
Granddad held up his drawing.
She laughed. “You drew funny coloured shapes, Granddad.”
“They are not shapes but fairies sprinkling butterflies everywhere. What did you draw?”
“You, Granny, Mum, Dad, and lots and lots of Bobs,” she whispered.
“Who will we bring to the park next time?” Granddad asked.
Jessie smiled and said, “Everyone we love, but no monsters are allowed!”