Leprechaun

Leprechaun

Infobox Paranormalcreatures
Creature_Name = Leprechaun



Image_Caption = A modern stereotypical depiction of a Leprechaun
of the type popularised in the 20th century.
Grouping = Mythological creature Fairy
Possibilities =
AKA =
Country = Ireland
Region =
Habitat =
First_Reported = In folklore
Last_Sighted =
In Irish mythology, a leprechaun ( _ga. leipreachán) is a type of male faerie said to inhabit the island of Ireland. They are a class of "faerie folk" associated in Irish mythology and folklore, as with all faeries, with the Tuatha Dé Danann and other quasi-historical peoples said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts.

Leprechauns and other creatures of Irish mythology are often associated with "faerie forts" or "faerie rings" — often the sites of ancient (Celtic or pre-Celtic) earthworks or drumlins.

They usually take the form of old men who enjoy partaking in mischief. Their trade is that of a cobbler or shoemaker. They are said to be very rich, having many treasure crocks buried during war-time.ref|yeats1 According to legend, if anyone keeps an eye fixed upon one, he cannot escape, but the moment the gaze is withdrawn, he vanishes.

Etymology

There are a number of possible etymologies of the name "leprechaun". One of the most widely accepted theories is that the name comes from the Irish word _ga. "leipreachán", defined by Dinneen as "a pigmy, a sprite, a leprechaun; for _ga. "luchorpán""; the latter word Dinneen defines as "a pigmy, a leprechaun; 'a kind of aqueous sprite'";ref|dinneen this word has also been identified as meaning "half-bodied", or "small-bodied". This is the etymology given in the "Collins English Dictionary".ref|Collins

The word which is widely believed to be the root and one of the ones quoted by the Oxford English Dictionary is _ga. "luchorpán". An alternative derivation for the name and another one quoted by the Oxford English Dictionary, is _ga. "leath bhrógan", meaning shoe-maker — the leprechaun is known as the fairy shoemaker of Ireland and is often portrayed working on a single shoe.ref|et2 Another derivation has the word "leprechaun" deriving from _ga. "luch-chromain", meaning "little stooping Lugh", Lugh being the name of a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann.ref|et1

The word leprechaun was first recorded used in the English language in around 1605 in Dekker's "The Honest Whore, Part 2" as "lubrican". The original meaning was of some kind of spirit and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character:ref|et2a

:"As for your Irish Lubrican, that spirit:Whom by preposterous charms thy lust has raised." ref|ireland1

Some alternative spellings of the word "leprechaun" that have been used throughout the ages are; "leprechawn", "lepracaun" and "lubberkin". The word "leprehaun" has also been used.

Mythology

Leprechauns rarely appear in what would be classed as a folk tale; in almost all cases the interest of these stories centres round a human hero. Stories about leprechauns are generally very brief and generally have local names and scenery attached to them. The tales are usually told conversationally as any other occurrence might be told, whereas there is a certain solemnity about the repetition of a folk-tale proper.

In most tales and stories leprechauns are depicted as generally harmless creatures who enjoy solitude and live in remote locations, although opinion is divided as to if they ever enjoy the company of other spirits. Although rarely seen in social situations, leprechauns are supposedly very well spoken and, if ever spoken to, could make good conversation. Among the most popular of beliefs about leprechauns is that they are extremely wealthy and like to hide their gold in secret locations, which can only be revealed if a person were to actually capture and interrogate a leprechaun for its money.

By nature, leprechauns are said to be ill-natured and mischievous, with a mind for cunning. Many tales present the leprechaun as outwitting a human, as in the following examples.

Examples of tales involving leprechauns

A farmer or young lad captures a leprechaun and forces him to reveal the location of his buried treasure. The leprechaun assures him that the treasure is buried in an open field beneath a particular ragwort plant. The farmer ties a red ribbon to the plant, first extracting a promise from the leprechaun not to remove the ribbon. Releasing the leprechaun, he leaves to get a shovel. Upon his return he finds that every weed in the field has been tied with an identical red ribbon, thus making it impossible to find the treasure.ref|myth1ref|myth3

In another story, a young girl finds a leprechaun and bids him show her the location of his buried money. She takes him up in her hand and sets out to find the treasure, but all of a sudden she hears a loud buzzing behind her. The leprechaun shouts at her that she is being chased by a swarm of bees, but when she looks around there are no bees and the leprechaun has vanished.ref|myth2

In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' dogs through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning. It is said that at the end of a rainbow, you may find a leprechaun and his treasured pot of gold.

It is also said that spending leprechaun money turns you into a leprechaun. In one story a young boy finds a leprechaun drowning in a river. The boy saves the dying leprechaun and is rewarded with some gold. Upon buying a flute the boy grows old and shrinks. It is said that he lived with the rescued Leprechaun and learned the way of cobbler.

Appearance

The leprechaun originally had a different appearance depending on where in Ireland he was found.ref|ie1 Prior to the 20th century, it was generally agreed that the leprechaun wore red and not green. Samuel Lover, writing in the 1831 describes the leprechaun as,

:... quite a beau in his dress, notwithstanding, for he wears a red square-cut coat, richly laced with gold, and inexpressible of the same, cocked hat, shoes and buckles.ref|lover1

Yeats, in his 1888 book entitled "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry" describes the leprechaun as follows:

:He is something of a dandy, and dresses in a red coat with seven rows of buttons, seven buttons on each row, and wears a cocked-hat, upon whose pointed end he is wont in the north-eastern counties, according to McAnally, to spin like a top when the fit seizes him.ref|yeats1a

In a poem entitled "The Lepracaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker", the 18th century Irish poet William Allingham describes the appearance of the leprechaun as::...A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf,:Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose,:Silver buckles to his hose,:Leather apron - shoe in his lap... ref|allingham1

Some commentators accuse Allingham of leaving the legacy of the modern image of the leprechaun described below. ref|pearsecom1

The modern image of the leprechaun is almost invariant: he is depicted wearing an emerald green frock coat, and bestowed with the knowledge of the location of buried treasure, often in a crock of gold.

Related creatures

The leprechaun is related to the "clurichaun" and the "far darrig" in that he is a solitary creature. Some writers even go as far as to substitute these second two less well-known spirits for the leprechaun in stories or tales to reach a wider audience. The clurichaun is considered by some to be merely a leprechaun on a killing spree.ref|yeats1b

In politics

In the politics of the Republic of Ireland, leprechauns have been used to refer to the aspects of the tourist industry in Irelandref|oireachtas1998ref|oireachtas1963. This can be seen from this example of John A. Costello addressing the Oireachtas in 1963:

:For many years, we were afflicted with the miserable trivialities of our tourist advertising. Sometimes it descended to the lowest depths, to the caubeen and the shillelagh, not to speak of the leprechaun.ref|oireachtas1963a

Leprechauns have also been used in jokes regarding fiscal irresponsibility, the idea being that the politician or political party being attacked has found a "pot of gold", or is going to ask a leprechaun for the location of such a pot, accommodating their spending.

The term "leprechaun language", has been used by some Unionists in Northern Ireland, and is a pejorative for the Irish language.ref|rsf2000ref|celticleague

Popular culture

Films, television cartoons and advertising have popularised a specific dim-witted image of leprechauns which bears scant resemblance to anything found in the cycles of Irish mythology. Irish people can find the popularised image of a leprechaun to be little more than a series of offensive Irish stereotypes.ref|negra2006

The stereotypical image of a leprechaun bedecked in green is particularly strong in the United States, where it is widely used for a variety of purposes, both commercial and non-commercial.

Several alleged sightings of a leprechaun have been rumored in the Mobile, Alabama neighborhood of Crichton. While many residents claim that there is a leprechaun living in the trees, others explain away the phenomenon on more natural causes, such as light reflection or a crack addiction. After news of the supposed leprechaun reached media outlets, the rumor of the "Mobile Leprechaun" (or alternatively known as the "Crichton Leprechaun") spread internationally, creating a firestorm of YouTube and Google videos dedicated to the sightings causing many to ask "Where da gold at?"

See also

*Clurichaun ("cousin" of the Leprechaun)
*Far darrig
*Kallikantzaros
*Menehune
*Sprite (creature)
*Cultural appropriation

Notes


# From "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry".
# Dinneen, Patrick, "Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla", Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1927
# Hanks, Patrick, ed. "Collins Dictionary of the English Language", London: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, 1979
# Oxford English Dictionary (full ed.) (1989).
# [http://www.ireland-now.com/leprechaun.html Ireland Now - The Leprechauns] .
# Oxford English Dictionary (full ed.) (1989).
# [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm132.htm The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley - Ireland]
# [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cft/cft06.htm The Field of Boliauns] - A typical tale involving a leprechaun printed in the 1800s.
# [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm133.htm Clever Tom and the Leprechaun]
# [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm134.htm The Leprechaun in the Garden]
# [http://www.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=189&iArticleID=1463 Little Guy Style]
# From "Legends and Stories of Ireland"
# From "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry".
# [http://faerylands.org/faerie/poems/Lepracaun.html William Allingham - The Leprechaun]
# [http://www.pearsecom.com/Ireland/poems/fairies.htm Criticism of William Allingham's "The Fairies"]
# From "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry".
# [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0495/D.0495.199810200015.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 495 - 20 October, 1998 - Tourist Traffic Bill, 1998: Second Stage.]
# [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0206/D.0206.196312110087.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 206 - 11 December, 1963 Committee on Finance. - Vote 13—An Chomhairle Ealaoín.]
# [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0206/D.0206.196312110087.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 206 - 11 December, 1963 Committee on Finance. - Vote 13—An Chomhairle Ealaoín.]
# [http://www.rsf.ie/gaeilge.htm Republican Sinn Féin - AN GHAEILGE Why it is so important]
# [http://www.gwalarn.org/diellou/belfastgaelique.pdf Celtic League - Press Release - PSNI Not 'On Message' over Language Rights]
# Negra, D. (ed.) (2006) "The Irish in Us: Irishness, Performativity and Popular Culture". (Durham : Duke University Press)

Further reading

* Croker, T. C. (1862) "Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland "
* Yeats, W. B. (1888) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/ "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry"]
* McAnally, D. R. (1900) "The Leprechawn"
* Lover, S. (1831) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/lasi/ "Legends and Stories of Ireland"]
* Hyde, D. (1910) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/btf/ "Beside The Fire"]
* Keightley, T. (1870) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/ "The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries"]
* Wilde, F. S. (1887) [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ali/ "Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland"]

External links

* [http://www.unicorngarden.com/bkleprec.htm The Leprechaun Companion] (an illustrated guide)


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