The Leprechaun — a Mythical Creature of Irish Mythology
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LeprechaunThe leprechaun is a mythical creature of Irish mythology, belonging to the class of solitary fairies. He appears as a small, bearded man, dressed entirely in green, with a cap or hat upon his head. According to one theory, the name "leprechaun" translates as "shoemaker" or "cobbler," which is fitting, since they are associated with making clothes and shoes for other fairies and elves.
Leprechauns are cunning and elusive by nature. They keep to themselves and live solitary, reclusive lives. On the whole, they are unfriendly toward humans, other creatures, and even toward each other. Every leprechaun possesses a pot of gold, accumulated over the course of his long life. He hides this pot from everyone in a secret place, and only by catching a leprechaun can one learn where his treasure is hidden. They are also fond of smoking a pipe and indulging in poitín — Irish moonshine.
Leprechauns are nimble and cunningAnyone who decides to go looking for a leprechaun's treasure should be prepared for anything. Leprechauns are extremely cunning, deceitful, and vengeful creatures. If you somehow learn where a leprechaun lives, you can find him in that area by a soft tapping sound. It resembles the tap of a tiny hammer driving nails into a shoe's sole.
Once you manage to catch a leprechaun, never let him go, and never even let him out of your sight. And even if he tells you where his treasure is hidden, still do not release him. For it is often said in myths that after a leprechaun reveals the location of his treasure, the naive man releases the bearded fellow, marks the spot somehow, and goes off to fetch a shovel to dig it up later. He returns, only to find the gold gone — or the entire area covered in identical marks. Leprechauns cannot be trusted until the treasure is actually in your hands.
A leprechaun and his treasureManaged to get your hands on a leprechaun's treasure? Think it's over? No! It's only just beginning. A leprechaun will never accept that someone has taken his gold. He will pursue that person relentlessly until he gets it all back. He will resort to every trick imaginable or turn to magic. He may even resort to murder, for nothing in the world is more precious to a leprechaun than his treasure. So it's wise to think twice before getting tangled up with these unpredictable creatures.
The image of the leprechaun, like that of many mythical creatures, has gradually shifted over time — sometimes quite dramatically. May 13th is considered Leprechaun Day in Ireland. They are also associated with Ireland's official holiday, St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th. On this day, parades and lively festivities with drinking take place, and participants dress in leprechaun-themed clothing — green top hats and matching green uniforms. Clover leaves are printed on the clothing, and really on anything they can be printed on. Everything gets dyed green, even the beer and the water in the rivers. The holiday is celebrated not only in Ireland, but in many other countries around the world.
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