All About Leprechauns
A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore. The fairy usually looks like a short old man wearing a red or green coat, a top hat and beard. Typically they stand no taller than 3 feet tall.
What Leprechauns do
They are famous for causing trouble and mischief and for being shoemakers. They are extremely hard workers and enjoy a solitary life. Leprechauns are best known for guarding the fairy treasure.
Pot of Gold
Yes, the mythical pot of gold found at the end of the rainbow. Leprechauns are thought to spend a lot of their time running from one end of the rainbow to the other. They are protecting the gold pot and avoiding being captured. According to the legend, every Leprechaun has a pot of gold. They hide it deep in the Irish countryside. They have magic powers they can use to protect their pot of gold from humans or animals that happen to catch them. One of these powers is the ability to grant three wishes to their capturer or they can simply vanish.
Catching a Leprechaun
If you happen to catch a Leprechaun, make sure you do not look away. If you do look away, even for a second, he will use the opportunity to vanish. Once you catch a leprechaun, chances are he will reveal the location of his pot of gold, so he can escape you. Leprechauns are very intelligent and cunning so they will be very hard to capture. They carry two coins, one in each of their two leather pouches. One is a magical silver shilling that is replaced every time it is spent. The other coin looks like a gold coin, but it's actually a rock. Leprechauns use the gold coin to bribe greedy humans. But, they can be generous, as long as you are kind to them; they will most likely grant you a wish.
If you want to catch a leprechaun you can try building a trap. For some ideas, take a look at Chiff.com. This website gives some instructions on how to build a perfect trap and the best places to set it up. Familyfun.com also offers suggestions and instructions on how to catch a Leprechaun.
By the way, no one has yet caught a Leprechaun!
If you happen to be taking a trip to Ireland make sure you check out the first National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, Ireland that just opened this month.
Sources:
Published by Ana Blanco
36 year old Mom who works full time. Born in Portugal and has lived in the US for almost 30 years. Married with 1 daughter. We also have 3 dogs and 3 cats. View profile
- The Evolution of Irish Folklore in Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Tales of TerrorLe Fanu is regarded by many critics as the greatest master of the Victorian Gothic. Le Fanu's short stories which involve Irish myth can be measured via the characters propinquity with the setting of Ireland.
- The Myth of the Cottingley Fairies: Truth or Hoax?This article is the second in a series taking a look at myths and legends. This one deals with the myth of fairies, in general, and the famous Cottingley Fairies, in particular.
Unique Irish Baby NamesFinding the perfect name for your baby is a unique experience. Many times, parents look to genealogy to guide them in their name selection. Irish names have a great deal of mea...- The History of FairiesA look at the origin of fairies.
How to Find a Pot 'o' Gold and Set Leprechauns Free on St. Paddy's DayThis is an article about joyful bail agents on St. Patrick's Day. It describes three types of persons that the bail agent meets and releases on the glorious day.
- 10 Ways to Catch a Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day
- Leprechauns: The Irish Fairy
- St. Patrick's Day - History of Leprechauns
- The Origin of Leprechauns in Irish Mythology
- Princesses, Lady Leprechauns, Little Lasses and a Mermaid: The Very Best Free St....
- How to Catch a Leprechaun
- The Banshee: The History of a Truly Scary Irish Spirit
- Leprechauns are best known for guarding the fairy treasure.
- If you happen to catch a Leprechaun, make sure you do not look away.
- By the way, no one has yet caught a Leprechaun!