Back at the beginnings of European history, before the great druids of old, back when Stonehenge and the other circles were being erected the power and civilizations of the dwarves were coming to an end. The civilizations of man were spreading and cultivating the wildernesses of Europe. Farms and villages were being carved out of the great forests that blanketed the continent and its surrounding islands. Eighteen hundred years before Christ walked the earth there lived a dwarf named Leapekin in what is now called Ireland. This is his story.

By the time this story began Leapekin was already getting past his prime at one hundred and thirty years, and he was one of the few remaining people of his race to live on the emerald island. Through the years of his early life, he was able to accumulate an enormous stash of wealth by using his magic and knowledge to help those around him, but Leapekin was a bitter dwarf. He was angry because he and his kin had always been master workers of stone and earth but they have been replaced by the stoneworkers of the bigfolks. The men have even begun to erect the great stone rings without the help of his people. Their engineering machines have replaced the magic used by the dwarves in such endeavors, and he was bitter because of the waning of his race.

Ever since the catastrophe of Kharmazuk (the great earth shake that destroyed most of the dwarven cities and unleashed the deadly disease upon them) his people continued to dwindle until there were few left. Over the past several years he had become poor, lonely and had only a bleak future before him. His bitterness ate at him while his means slowly but steadily became more meager.

One night while he sat in his underground chambers contemplating what was to become of him, he looked around at his remaining personal treasures. There were still a few pieces of richly carved furnishings, big gold buttons on several garments that hung neatly on the wall and a few choice jewels in a case on his mantle. As he sat gloomily in his worn chair he thought about selling his great war axe.

"With its gold and jewel encrusted handle the thing should fetch at least a few good coins," he muttered. Then suddenly standing up, he shook his head no shouting, "I will not sell it!" and sat violently back into his chair.

He was determined to hang onto what he had left, and absentmindedly stroked his long straggly beard as was his habit whenever he was deep in thought. Leapekin sat for hours first thinking of one scheme then another. He just had to find a way to save what was left of his belongings, and the more he thought the more bitter he became, and the more bitter he became the more he hated the bigfolks who'd usurped use usefulness.

The dwarf was still anguishing over his life and current dilemma when he finally got up and readied himself for bed, and just as he was beginning to drift off to sleep a thought came to him. Even in his tired state, he was wise enough to know it was best to sleep on it and explore the feasibility of the idea in the morning.

Early the next day, Leapekin thought over the possibilities as he ate his tiny breakfast comprising of a hard biscuit and a thin slice of cheese. The more he thought about his plan, the more he liked what he was thinking. In fact, he became quite pleased with himself, and was even uncharacteristically cheerful when he finally left his home to try out his new scheme.

Once he'd made his way to the settlement of the bigfolks, he simply walked around as inconspicuously as he could while keeping his ears open for an opportunity to present itself. He looked curiously around at the small mud covered cloth and stick huts of the inhabitants and wondered. Like others of his race, he could never understand why the bigfolks insisted on living above ground where they were vulnerable to predators and bad weather.

Leapekin had been walking about for nearly an hour before he came upon his first opportunity. Two peasants were discussing the pending sale of a cow later that afternoon, and the dwarf knew this was his chance. Pretending to look at some plants along the path, he managed to get close enough to overhear the conversation until he learned who was selling the cow. Armed with this information, he scurried along to the tiny farm mentioned, and once there he sidled along the hut until he was in a place where he could hear well but not be easily seen. The later was simple since he used his magic to help keep from being noticed.

It wasn't long before he heard a conversation between the farmer and his wife concerning the pending purchase. After hearing what he needed to learn, he quickly made his way back into the settlement to find the man who wanted to buy the cow.

"For a small fee, I will tell you the true worth of the animal and what the farmer is willing to let it go for," he told him.