How to Catch a Leprechaun
The Irish Leprechaun
Catching a leprechaun is tricky, and I don't actually know anyone that has been successful. But, you might be the one that finds the four-leaf clover, the pot of gold, and nabs a leprechaun for your own!
Legend has it that leprechauns are aged men, dressed in green, and make beautiful shoes for other Irish spirits. The next time you pass by a cobbler's shop, look closely, because he might just be a leprechaun. They tend to be hard workers, but avoid humans because they believe them to be foolish and greedy creatures.
How leprechauns came to be, I can't say. There is no mention about female leprechauns in the Irish legend, so how they came to be – well, your guess is as good as mine!
How to Identify a Leprechaun
All leprechauns dress in old-fashioned green clothing, wear a red cap, leather apron with many pockets, and shoes with buckles. They love to smoke their clay pipes, and they can often be intoxicated from home-brewed concoctions. But, they never become so drunk that they lose sight of their mischievous tricks.
In addition to cobbling, leprechauns also guard ancient treasures. You see, when the Danish trampled through Ireland, they left their treasures of gold behind. The leprechauns gathered the gold and buried it in pots. Rainbows show where the pots of gold are hidden. In the Leprechaun's efforts to guard the gold, they spend a lot of time moving the pots from one place to another to keep it hidden from the tell-tale end of rainbows.
Leprechauns carry two leather pouches. In one pouch there is a magical silver shilling, that returns to his pouch each time it's spent. In the other pouch, he keeps a gold coin, and uses it to bribe his way out of trouble. Many have accepted his offering of a gold coin, but once in your hand it turns into a stone. But, if you do a good deed for leprechaun, he will reward your kindness by granting a wish.
Bad Boy Leprechauns
Be aware that there are two types of these illusive chaps -- leprechauns and cluricauns. A clurican dresses in stylish apparel and wears a designer cap. He sports shoes with gold laces, large silver buckles, and wears light blue stockings. You won't see him working, but you will find that he is almost drunk and cheerful. He has no money and no idea where the gold treasure is buried, so don't try to catch this empty-handed trickster.
A cluricaun steals or borrows almost anything, wants only to party and create mayhem in your house at night. He'll raid your kitchen, and after dinner he will harness your horse or dog to happily ride away. Leprechauns don't subscribe to this type of behavior, but it has been suggested that cluricauns might just be leprechauns on drunken sprees.
How to Trap a Leprechaun
You can make a leprechaun trap easily from items found around your house. All you need is a net, cardboard box, green paint, green tissue paper, some shiny pennies and an old shoe. Paint the cardboard box green and put an old shoe inside. Cover the opening of the top of the box with the green tissue paper, and lay the pennies on the tissue paper. You can use chocolate coins wrapped in gold paper to attract their attention, if you want.
Now, put the trap near some trees or hedges. Make sure the trap blends in with its surroundings. You see, leprechauns are greedy and look gold to steal. When a leprechaun sees the coins, he'll try to collect them. When he steps on the tissue paper, it will tear and he'll fall into the box. Quickly throw the net over the hole in the box!
I don't think anyone has caught a leprechaun yet, but there's got to be a first time. Right?
