Everyone knows if they are lucky enough to truly follow the rainbow to its end, they will meet a wily leprechaun sitting on a pot of gold.
But why? And from where does this leprechaun with his pot of gold come from?
The lore of the little man
Widely associated with Ireland, a leprechaun is said to be a tiny supernatural being, possibly standing at 2 to 3 ft. tall, who mischievously guards a pot of gold.
The name “leprechaun” derives from the Old Irish word “luchorpan” which means small body. Always depicted as diminutive, bearded men, they are portrayed as traditionally wearing green, but also maybe red, with a distinctive hat and coat.
Also known for their shoemaking abilities, leprechauns are believed to be cobblers.
Famous for trickery, should one be lucky enough to catch a leprechaun, they must keep their eyes on him at all times or he will vanish. A leprechaun fiercely guards his gold and will only reveal its location under duress.
As the legend of the leprechaun grew in supernatural circles, the little man became synonymous with Ireland worldwide overtime — leading to their close association with St. Patrick’s Day.
Where the wee people live
According to leprechaun lore, the little men fall under Faeire Folk and are believed to be the original inhabits of the Celtic lands. Legend has the leprechaun descending from the Tuatha De Danann tribe who sought to invade and capture Ireland.
Leprechauns are believed to only live in Ireland, so if you did happen to see one hanging about, he was a leprechaun on vacation. They prefer remote areas away from prying human eyes, often taking up residence inside tree hollows or deep underground caves.
Granting wishes
Legend claims that should one capture a leprechaun; they will either be offered three wishes or be told the location of their gold; however, leprechaun hunting is discouraged due to their duplicitous nature leading to disastrous consequences for human captors.
Letting their beard down
Leprechauns get a bad rap for appearing drunken when really the little men simply enjoy a bit of dance and a gulp or two of Irish Poitin — is that really so wrong?
Show me the gold!
Leprechaun gold is believed to be obtained through cunning and shoe craftmanship.
Because fairies are said to love dance as much as leprechauns do, making and repairing fairy shoes in exchange for gold is one way they are said to earn their fortune. They are also said to have a knack for finding buried or hidden treasure. Relying on their wits, leprechauns also enjoy tricking other leprechauns or humans out of their gold.
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