Difference between revisions of "Leprechaun" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Leprechaun ill artlibre jnl.png|thumb|170px|A [[stereotype|stereotypical]] depiction of a leprechaun of the type popularized in the twentieth century.]]
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The most famous, recognizable, and misrepresented [[symbol]] of [[Ireland|Irish]] [[mythology]] is the '''leprechaun.''' These [[mythical creature]]s have origins stretching back to before the arrival of the [[Celts]]. The leprechaun has come a long way from a species of [[faerie]] to an almost [[cartoon]]ish [[caricature]] of Irish [[culture]] that can both celebrate and belittle the Irish. Nonetheless, the leprechaun remains an example of creatures who exist both in the physical world, yet have some mystery attached to them, some ability or nature that transcends the world we know, suggesting the existence of creatures and a world beyond this physical realm.
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:''This article is about the creature in [[Irish mythology]]. For manifestations in popular culture, see [[Leprechauns in popular culture]].''
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{{toc}}  
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[[Image:Leprechaun ill artlibre jnl.png|thumb|170px|A modern [[stereotype|stereotypical]] depiction of a Leprechaun of the type [[popular culture|popularised]] in the [[20th Century]].]]
 
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In [[Irish mythology]], a '''leprechaun''' ([[Irish language|Modern Irish]]: ''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 races said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the [[Celts]]. 
 
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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 (engineering)|earthworks]] or [[drumlin]]s.
 
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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 eye is withdrawn he vanishes.
 
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== Etymology ==
 
== Etymology ==
 +
[[Image:Leprechaun engraving 1858.jpg|thumb|right|140px|A leprechaun is shown crafting shoes in this engraving made in 1858.]]
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There are a number of possible [[etymology|etymologies]] of the name "leprechaun." One of the most widely accepted theories is that the name comes from the [[Irish language|Irish Gaelic]] words ''leipreachán'' and '''luchorpán,'' both of which overlap in definition as "pygmy, a sprite." The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states an alternate origin as being ''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 name=micha> Micha F. Lindemans, [http://www.pantheon.org/articles/l/leprechaun.html "Leprechauns,"] ''Encyclopedia Mythica.'' Retrieved March 7, 2007.</ref>
  
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There are a number of possible [[etymology|etymologies]] of the name "leprechaun". One of the most widely accepted theories is that the name comes from the [[Irish language|Irish Gaelic]] word ''leipreachán'', defined by Dinneen as "a pigmy, a sprite, a leprechaun; for ''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}}.
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The word leprechaun’s first recorded use in the [[English language]] was in 1604 in [[Thomas Middleton|Middleton]] and [[Thomas Dekker|Dekker]]'s ''The Honest Whore'' as ''lubrican.'' The original meaning was of some kind of [[spirit]] and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character.<ref> Patrick Dinneen, ''Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla,'' (Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1927). </ref>
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The word which is widely believed to be the root and one of the ones quoted by the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] is luchorpán.
 
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An alternative derivation for the name and another one quoted by the [[Oxford English Dictionary]], is ''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}}
 
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[[Image:Leprechaun engraving 1900.jpg|thumb|left|140px|A leprechaun counts his [[gold]], in this engraving circa [[1900]].]]
 
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Another derivation has the word "leprechaun" deriving from ''luch-chromain'', meaning  "little stooping Lugh", [[Lugh]] being the name of a leader of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]].{{ref|et1}}
 
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The word leprechaun was first recorded used in the [[English language]] in [[1604]] in [[Thomas Middleton|Middleton]] and [[Thomas Dekker|Dekker]]'s ''[[The Honest Whore]]'' as ''lubrican''. The original meaning was of some kind of [[spirit]] and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character:{{ref|et2a}}
 
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:"As for your Irish Lubrican, that spirit
 
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:Whom by preposterous charms thy lust has raised." {{ref|ireland1}}
 
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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.
 
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== Mythology ==
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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[[Image:Leprechaun engraving 1858.jpg|thumb|right|140px|A leprechaun is shown crafting [[shoes]] in this [[Engraving]] made in [[1858]].  In previous years leprechauns had a less [[wiktionary:Homogeneous|homogenised]] appearance.]]
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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===Examples of tales involving leprechauns===
 
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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|myth1}} {{ref|myth3}}
 
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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}}
 
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In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' dogs through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning.
 
  
 
== Appearance ==
 
== Appearance ==
  
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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,
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The leprechaun originally had a different appearance depending on where in [[Ireland]] he was found. Prior to the twentieth century, it was generally agreed that the leprechaun wore red and not green. [[Samuel Lover]], writing in 1831 describes the leprechaun as,
  
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:... quite a beau in his dress, notwithstanding, for he wears a red square-cut coat, richly laced with gold, waistcoat and inexpressible of the same, cocked hat, shoes and buckles. {{ref|lover1}}
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<blockquote>…quite a beau in his dress, notwithstanding, for he wears a red square-cut coat, richly laced with gold, waistcoat and inexpressible of the same, cocked hat, shoes and buckles.</blockquote>
  
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Yeats, in his 1888 book entitled ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry'' describes the leprechaun as follows:
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[[William Butler Yeats]], in his 1888 book entitled ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry'' described the leprechaun as follows:
  
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: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}}
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<blockquote>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> W. B. Yeats, ''Fairy and Folktales of the Irish Peasantry,'' (London: W. Scott, 1888). </ref></blockquote>
  
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In a poem entitled ''The Lepracaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker'', the [[18th century]] Irish poet [[William Allingham]] describes the appearance of the leprechaun as:
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In a poem entitled ''The Leprechaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker,'' the eighteenth-century Irish poet [[William Allingham]] described the appearance of the leprechaun as:
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[[Image:Leprechaun_or_Clurichaun.png|thumb|right|A [[cluricaun]] with a jug of wine. The cluricaun is often confused with the leprechaun.]]
 
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:...A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf,
 
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:Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose,
 
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:Silver buckles to his hose,
 
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:Leather apron - shoe in his lap... {{ref|allingham1}}
 
  
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Some commentators accuse Allingham of leaving the legacy of the modern image of the leprechaun described below. {{ref|pearsecom1}}
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<blockquote>A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf,<br>
 +
Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose,<br>
 +
Silver buckles to his hose,<br>
 +
Leather apron - shoe in his lap... <ref>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Leprechaun%3B_or_Fairy_Shoemaker William Allingham—The Leprechaun.] Retrieved March 24, 2007. </ref></blockquote>
  
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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 (dishware)|crock]] of [[gold]].
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Some suggest that Allingham is in fact responsible for the modern image of the leprechaun, a small man with a red beard, an emerald green hat fronting a golden four-leaf [[clover]], and a suit with a large buckle on its belt. This is the widespread conception of the leprechaun, particularly in the [[United States]] where this image evokes the idea of good luck.
  
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==Related creatures==
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== Origin ==
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[[Image:Leprechaun engraving 1900.jpg|thumb|right|140px|A leprechaun counts his [[gold]], in this engraving circa 1900.]]
 +
One of the purported origins of leprechaun [[myth]]s comes from the many "faerie forts" or "faerie rings," earthworks and drumlins found in [[Ireland]] that predate the [[Celts|Celtic]] occupation, and is connected to the belief in the Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the goddess Danu") and other quasi-historical races said to be the original inhabitants of the island. At some point in Ireland's history, the leprechaun became a distinguishable entity from the other [[mythical creature]]s, the [[faerie]]s, recognized as taking the form of a small, old man who was sly and lived in solitude, although they were also sometimes believed to be mischievous. By [[trade]] they were [[cobbler]]s or [[shoemaker]]s for other types of faeries, but were never seen making more than one shoe.
  
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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 cluricaun is considered by some to be merely a leprechaun on a spree {{ref|yeats1b}}.
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Early on they were connected to hidden wealth, having many buried treasure crocks that they guarded with their cunning and wit; however, the leprechaun seemed to be vulnerable to direct attention by a human: if anyone kept an eye fixed upon one and interrogated him thoroughly, the leprechaun could not escape and would eventually be forced to divulge the location of the [[gold]]. However, if the human looked away, for just a moment, the leprechaun would escape.<ref name=micha/>
 +
 +
Leprechauns rarely appear in what would be classed as a [[folk tale]]; in almost all cases the interest of these stories centers on 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.  
  
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==In politics==
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===Examples of tales involving leprechauns===
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In the [[politics of the Republic of Ireland]], leprechauns have been used to refer to the [[twee]] aspects of the tourist industry in Ireland {{ref|oireachtas1998}} {{ref|oireachtas1963}}. This can be seen from this example of [[John A. Costello]] addressing the [[Oireachtas]] in 1963:
 
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: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 (weapon)|shillelagh]], not to speak of the leprechaun. {{ref|oireachtas1963a}}
 
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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.
 
  
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The term ''leprechaun language'', used by some [[Unionism (Ireland)|Unionists]] in [[Northern Ireland]], is a [[pejorative]] for the [[Irish language]]. {{ref|rsf2000}}
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Many tales present the leprechaun as outwitting a human, as in the following examples:
  
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== Popular culture ==
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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>Joseph Jacobs, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cft/cft06.htm “The Field of Boliauns,”] ''Celtic Fairy Tales,'' (1892). Retrieved March 24, 2007.</ref> <ref>Thomas Keightley, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm133.htm “Clever Tom and the Leprechaun,”] ''The Fairy Mythology,'' (1870). Retrieved March 24, 2007.</ref>
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{{main|Leprechauns in popular culture}}
 
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Movies, television cartoons and advertising have popularized a specific image of leprechauns which bears scant resemblance to anything found in the cycles of Irish mythology. Many Irish people find the popularised image of a leprechaun to be little more than a series of offensive Irish [[stereotype]]s and a trivialisation of Ireland's rich and ancient [[Irish culture|culture]].
 
  
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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.
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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 [[bee]]s, but when she looks around there are no bees and the leprechaun has vanished.<ref>Thomas Keightley, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm134.htm “The Leprechaun in the Garden,”] ''The Fairy Mythology,'' (1870). Retrieved March 24, 2007.</ref>
 +
[[Image:Leprechaun or Clurichaun.png|thumb|right|A representation of a Clurichaun in T. C. Croker's ''Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland.'' Clurichauns are often confused with leprechauns.]]
 +
In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' [[dog]]s through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning, although such tales are more typical of the Clurichaun.
  
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== See also ==
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==Clurichaun==
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{{wikisource}}
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The '''clurichaun''' ("Kloo'-ra-kahn"), or '''''clobhair-ceann,''''' is an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[fairy]] that resembles the leprechaun. Some even describe the clurichaun as a night "form" of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores.<ref>W. B. Yeats, ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry,'' (Dover Publications, 1991 ISBN 0486269418 ISBN 978-0486269412).</ref> Some folklorists regard them as regional variations on the same creature.<ref >Katherine Briggs, ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures,'' (Pantheon, 1978 ISBN 0-394-73467-X).</ref>
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{{commons|Leprechaun}}
 
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*[[Clurichaun]] ("cousin" of the Leprechaun)
 
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*[[Far darrig]]
 
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*[[Kallikantzaros]]
 
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*[[Menehune]]
 
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*[[Sprite (creature)]]
 
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*[[Cultural appropriation]]
 
  
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== Notes ==
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Clurichauns are said to be always drunk. However, unlike their cousins, they are surly. Clurichauns enjoy riding [[sheep]] and [[dog]]s at night. If a person treats them well they will protect that person’s wine cellar. If mistreated, though, they will wreak havoc on a person’s home and spoil their wine stock. In some tales, they act as "buttery spirits," plaguing drunkards or dishonest servants who steal wine; if the victim attempts to move away from their tormenter, the clurichaun will hop into a cask to accompany them.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
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<!-- Please do not update references without discussion on talk page. Please also see [[Wikipedia talk:Footnotes]] —>
 
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<div class="references-small">
 
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#{{note|yeats1}} From ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry''.
 
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#{{note|dinneen}} Dinneen, Patrick, ''Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla'', Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1927
 
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#{{note|Collins}} Hanks, Patrick, ed. ''Collins Dictionary of the English Language'', London: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, 1979
 
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#{{note|et2}} [[Oxford English Dictionary]] (full ed.) (1989).
 
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#{{note|et1}} [http://www.ireland-now.com/leprechaun.html Ireland Now - The Leprechauns].
 
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#{{note|et2a}} [[Oxford English Dictionary]] (full ed.) (1989).
 
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#{{note|ireland1}} [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm132.htm The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley - Ireland]
 
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#{{note|myth1}} [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cft/cft06.htm The Field of Boliauns] - A typical tale involving a leprechaun printed in the 1800s.
 
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#{{note|myth3}} [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm133.htm Clever Tom and the Leprechaun]
 
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#{{note|myth2}} [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/tfm134.htm The Leprechaun in the Garden]
 
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#{{note|ie1}} [http://www.emigrant.ie/article.asp?iCategoryID=189&iArticleID=1463 Little Guy Style]
 
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#{{note|lover1}} From ''Legends and Stories of Ireland''
 
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#{{note|yeats1a}} From ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry''.
 
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#{{note|allingham1}} [http://faerylands.org/faerie/poems/Lepracaun.html William Allingham - The Leprechaun]
 
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#{{note|pearsecom1}} [http://www.pearsecom.com/Ireland/poems/fairies.htm Criticism of William Allingham's ''The Fairies'']
 
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#{{note|yeats1b}} From ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry''.
 
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#{{note|oireachtas1998}} [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0495/D.0495.199810200015.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 495 - 20 October, 1998 - Tourist Traffic Bill, 1998: Second Stage.]
 
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#{{note|oireachtas1963}} [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.]
 
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#{{note|oireachtas1963a}} [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.]
 
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#{{note|rsf2000}} [http://www.rsf.ie/gaeilge.htm Republican Sinn Féin - AN GHAEILGE Why it is so important]
 
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</div>
 
  
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== Further reading ==
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==Notes==
 +
<references/>
  
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* [[Thomas Crofton Croker|Croker, T. C.]] (1862) ''Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland ''
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== References ==
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* [[William Butler Yeats|Yeats, W. B.]] (1888) ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry'' &mdash; available online [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/ here]
 
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* [[David Rice McAnally|McAnally, D. R.]] (1900) ''The Leprechawn''
 
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* [[Samuel Lover|Lover, S.]] (1831) ''Legends and Stories of Ireland'' &mdash; available online [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/lasi/ here]
 
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* [[Douglas Hyde|Hyde, D.]] (1910) ''Beside The Fire'' &mdash; available online [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/btf/ here]
 
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* [[Thomas Keightley|Keightley, T.]] (1870) ''The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries'' &mdash; available online [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/ here]
 
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* [[Jane Wilde|Wilde, F. S.]] (1887) ''Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland'' &mdash; available online [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ali/ here]
 
  
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== External links ==
+
* 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.''] Retrieved March 21, 2007.
 +
* McAnally, D. R. 1900. ''The Leprechaun.''
 +
* Lover, S. 1831. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/lasi/ ''Legends and Stories of Ireland.''] Retrieved March 21, 2007.
 +
* Hyde, D. 1910. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/btf/ ''Beside The Fire.''] Retrieved March 21, 2007.
 +
* Keightley, T. 1870. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/tfm/ ''The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries.''] Retrieved March 21, 2007.
 +
* Macnamara, Niall. 1999. [http://www.unicorngarden.com/bkleprec.htm ''The Leprechaun Companion.''] Pavilion Books. ISBN 1862051933 Retrieved March 21, 2007.
 +
* Wilde, F. S. 1887. [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ali/ ''Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland.''] Retrieved March 21, 2007.
  
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* [http://www.unicorngarden.com/bkleprec.htm The Leprechaun Companion] (an illustrated guide)
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Latest revision as of 18:14, 30 July 2014


A stereotypical depiction of a leprechaun of the type popularized in the twentieth century.

The most famous, recognizable, and misrepresented symbol of Irish mythology is the leprechaun. These mythical creatures have origins stretching back to before the arrival of the Celts. The leprechaun has come a long way from a species of faerie to an almost cartoonish caricature of Irish culture that can both celebrate and belittle the Irish. Nonetheless, the leprechaun remains an example of creatures who exist both in the physical world, yet have some mystery attached to them, some ability or nature that transcends the world we know, suggesting the existence of creatures and a world beyond this physical realm.

Etymology

A leprechaun is shown crafting shoes in this engraving made in 1858.

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 Gaelic words leipreachán and 'luchorpán, both of which overlap in definition as "pygmy, a sprite." The Oxford English Dictionary states an alternate origin as being leath bhrógan, meaning shoe-maker—the leprechaun is known as the fairy shoemaker of Ireland and is often portrayed working on a single shoe.[1]

The word leprechaun’s first recorded use in the English language was in 1604 in Middleton and Dekker's The Honest Whore as lubrican. The original meaning was of some kind of spirit and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character.[2]

Appearance

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

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

William Butler Yeats, in his 1888 book entitled Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry described 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.[3]

In a poem entitled The Leprechaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker, the eighteenth-century Irish poet William Allingham described 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... [4]

Some suggest that Allingham is in fact responsible for the modern image of the leprechaun, a small man with a red beard, an emerald green hat fronting a golden four-leaf clover, and a suit with a large buckle on its belt. This is the widespread conception of the leprechaun, particularly in the United States where this image evokes the idea of good luck.

Origin

A leprechaun counts his gold, in this engraving circa 1900.

One of the purported origins of leprechaun myths comes from the many "faerie forts" or "faerie rings," earthworks and drumlins found in Ireland that predate the Celtic occupation, and is connected to the belief in the Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the goddess Danu") and other quasi-historical races said to be the original inhabitants of the island. At some point in Ireland's history, the leprechaun became a distinguishable entity from the other mythical creatures, the faeries, recognized as taking the form of a small, old man who was sly and lived in solitude, although they were also sometimes believed to be mischievous. By trade they were cobblers or shoemakers for other types of faeries, but were never seen making more than one shoe.

Early on they were connected to hidden wealth, having many buried treasure crocks that they guarded with their cunning and wit; however, the leprechaun seemed to be vulnerable to direct attention by a human: if anyone kept an eye fixed upon one and interrogated him thoroughly, the leprechaun could not escape and would eventually be forced to divulge the location of the gold. However, if the human looked away, for just a moment, the leprechaun would escape.[1]

Leprechauns rarely appear in what would be classed as a folk tale; in almost all cases the interest of these stories centers on 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.

Examples of tales involving leprechauns

Many tales present the leprechaun as outwitting a human, as in the following examples:

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.[5] [6]

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.[7]

A representation of a Clurichaun in T. C. Croker's Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland. Clurichauns are often confused with leprechauns.

In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' dogs through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning, although such tales are more typical of the Clurichaun.

Clurichaun

The clurichaun ("Kloo'-ra-kahn"), or clobhair-ceann, is an Irish fairy that resembles the leprechaun. Some even describe the clurichaun as a night "form" of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores.[8] Some folklorists regard them as regional variations on the same creature.[9]

Clurichauns are said to be always drunk. However, unlike their cousins, they are surly. Clurichauns enjoy riding sheep and dogs at night. If a person treats them well they will protect that person’s wine cellar. If mistreated, though, they will wreak havoc on a person’s home and spoil their wine stock. In some tales, they act as "buttery spirits," plaguing drunkards or dishonest servants who steal wine; if the victim attempts to move away from their tormenter, the clurichaun will hop into a cask to accompany them.[10]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Micha F. Lindemans, "Leprechauns," Encyclopedia Mythica. Retrieved March 7, 2007.
  2. ↑ Patrick Dinneen, Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla, (Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1927).
  3. ↑ W. B. Yeats, Fairy and Folktales of the Irish Peasantry, (London: W. Scott, 1888).
  4. ↑ William Allingham—The Leprechaun. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
  5. ↑ Joseph Jacobs, “The Field of Boliauns,” Celtic Fairy Tales, (1892). Retrieved March 24, 2007.
  6. ↑ Thomas Keightley, “Clever Tom and the Leprechaun,” The Fairy Mythology, (1870). Retrieved March 24, 2007.
  7. ↑ Thomas Keightley, “The Leprechaun in the Garden,” The Fairy Mythology, (1870). Retrieved March 24, 2007.
  8. ↑ W. B. Yeats, Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, (Dover Publications, 1991 ISBN 0486269418 ISBN 978-0486269412).
  9. ↑ Katherine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures, (Pantheon, 1978 ISBN 0-394-73467-X).
  10. ↑ Ibid.

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