Leprechaun

Google Image. 4 Dec. 2012. JPEG file.

The Leprechaun is widely recognized as an aged man, short, and usually in an intoxicated state and miserable. He is usually wearing wool and a green cloak with a cocked hat. His Irish name is "lobaircin" which means "small-bodied fellow". The folktale behind the Leprechaun is that he is an Irish fairy shoemaker who tricks greedy mortals out of a promised treasure. They are told to be very fast, once you take your eyes off a leprechaun he'll vanish so quickly without you even noticing. In addition, they are to be hiding their own treasure, such as gold, that humans could usually never obtain. The Leprechaun has been shown in movies today with the same characteristics that describe the Irish fairy. The movie "The Leprechaun" depicts a greedy Irish monster who goes on a killing spree in search for his precious gold. Although the character in the movie is a killer, his image and main ideal features from the folklore are kept pretty similar.

Harvey, Steenie. "Twilight Places: Ireland's Enduring Fairy Lore." World & I. March 1998: 186-193. SIRS Renaissance. Web. 04 Dec 2012.