Creatures of Mythology//Mythological Lore

When our thoughts are turned to Ireland, what image instantly comes to mind? That of the Leprechaun, of course. Throughout history, the Leprechaun has identified as a type of mascot for Ireland. According to Irish myths, a Leprechaun is a type of male faerie^[1]. In Irish myths and tales, Leprechaun are said to take the form of mischievous little old men, who often work as cobblers or shoemakers. Of course, Leprechauns are notorious for being quite rich, as well as having many pots of gold stashed in secret places. It is an important fact to know that whenever someone catches a Leprechaun, they must be truthful and honest, and lead that person to their hidden treasures. By keeping your gaze fixed upon a Leprechaun, he cannot move, but as soon as your glance is shifted elsewhere, he vanishes.

Origin: Of course, as mentioned above, the Leprechauns originate in Ireland. The first myths and tales about them date back before pre-Celtic times. Most sources believe that these stories originated back to the period of oral history as well.

Appearance: The appearance of a Leprechaun is basically described the same way, in almost all references. Firstly, the Leprechaun’s body type is that of a short man, (Sometimes an old man, as noted above) with red hair a lot of the time. Other features that are notable about them, is their clothing, which mostly consists of a suit. A third fact about Leprechauns is their love for their homeland. They are Irish, and they are extremely proud of it; to insult a Leprechaun’s heritage is a terrible insult.

Influences On The Modern Day: As far as Leprechauns go, there are many different influences on our culture today. They appear in movies, such as The Luck of the Irish (A Disney movie)^[2]. Also, there are many references to Leprechauns in TV shows as well. An example of this, is in the popular supernatural TV show Charmed^[3].