| Leprechaun | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Leprocaun (Fearsome Critters) Clurichaun (regional corruption) | ||
| Binomen | Simiidiabolus hibernicus horribilis Pygmailicius hibernicus | ||
| Original | Leipreachán | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Humanoid | ||
| Average height | Generally between 1 and 3 ft (though sometimes thought of as six inches) | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | Varies | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Ireland | ||
| Habitat | Sídhe | ||
| Diet | Omnivorous (most likely) | ||
| Locomotion | Bipedal | ||
| Lifespan | Unknown (possibily immortal) | ||
| Related species | Duende, Dwarf, Elf, Fairy, Gnome, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, Pixie, Sprite, Tomte | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Real | ||
The Leprechauns are small humanoid creatures originating from Irish legend. They're considered a type of Aos Sí - a name used to designate the inhabitants of the sídhe or "fairy hills".
Although the name "Aos Sí" is usually associated with the term "Fairy", it includes an incredibly diverse assemblage of magical beings, some of which are not even humanoid. Banshees, Dullahans, Fuathan, and Púcas are also examples of Aos Sí.
Folkloric Portrayals[]
The Leprechauns are described as looking like diminutive bearded men and act as shoemakers to the other magical beings. In the original legends, they were exclusively male and most often seen wearing red, rather than today's more popular green. They're also popularly known for their mischievousness, for guarding treasures, and for their love of alcohol, although even inebriation doesn't affect their shoemaking skills. The Leprechaun is described as a solitary being, although some stories may have more than one working together.
Capturing a Leprechaun is a difficult task, and ensuring that he doesn't get away or vanish if you look away is even harder. If you do capture a Leprechaun, he may grant you three wishes in exchange for freedom, or offer you his treasure. Being a trickster, however, he can easily fool people. For instance, the Leprechaun typically carries a magical coin with him, which will inevitably return to his pocket after being given as payment. Modern stories typically have it that the Leprechaun owns a cauldron-full of gold which can be found at the end of the rainbow.
Outside Ireland, Leprechauns are occasionally equated with similar creatures from other cultures. For instance, German speakers may refer to them as "Kobolds" and Portuguese speakers as "Duendes".
Works featuring Leprechauns[]
Literature[]
- The Faery Convention, by Brett Davis
- Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling
- The Moon Pool, by A. Merritt
Films[]
- Darby O'Gill and the Little People
- The Last Leprechaun
- Leprechaun
- The Luck of the Irish
- The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold
- The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns
- Muppets Most Wanted
- Getting Lucky
- Finian's Rainbow
- Red Clover
- The Wearing of the Grin
Television[]
- Adventures of the Gummi Bears
- Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
- DuckTales
- Extreme Ghostbusters
- The Fairly OddParents
- Johnny Bravo
- Martin Mystery
- New Looney Tunes
- Lilly the Witch
- Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo
- The Simpsons
- Supernatural
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
- Popeye the Sailor
Video Games[]
- Heroes of Might and Magic IV
Gallery[]
.png "Leprechaun (Destination Truth).png (415 KB)")
.png "Leprechaun (Leprechaun).png (718 KB)")
.png "Leprechaun (Leprechaun Origins).png (185 KB)")
Notes[]
- While the Leprocaun, the Fearsome Critters corruption of the leprechaun, is usually treated as a distinct creature, they are displayed on the same page for the purposes of this article.