Saturday Rave - The Kildare Leprechaun.

It's not often that St Patrick's day falls on a Saturday Rave day, so here's a traditional story in celebration.

The Kildare Leprechaun

There was once a girl called Breedheen who lived near Castle Carbury.

One day Breedheen was going to the well when she came across a leprechaun. He was sitting in a corner singing to himself, and he was so busy making a dancing shoe for a fairy (for that's how leprechauns make their fortunes) that he didn't notice Breedheen until she grabbed him.

Well, he kicked and shouted and struggled, but Breedheen only held onto him all the tighter. She knew all about leprechauns and their fortunes, and she wasn't letting this one go until he'd handed over his gold.

Well, the leprechaun realised at last that it was no good struggling, for of course he was only a little fellow, and he called up all his cunning.

First he told Breedheen that he was as poor as a winter tiddler, but Breedheen was no fool, herself, and so that did no good at all.

Then the leprechaun called out to Breedheen that her shoe lace was undone (because if you stop looking at a leprechaun it can vanish into thin air as quick as the mist on a mirror).

But the leprechaun's gold was shining brightly in Breedheen's mind's eye, and she was having none of that, either. So in the end the poor  leprechaun sighed sadly and began to lead her up a little hill.

Well, Breedheen was busy planning how to spend all the leprechaun's gold when all at once the leprechaun screamed out "oh save us! Someone's set Castle Carbury on fire!"

Well of course at that Breedheen couldn't help but look up towards the castle.

And the moment she took her eyes off the leprechaun he was away as fast as a scorched weasel and in an instant he was right out of sight.

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Personally I think it served Breedheen quite right, too.

Word To Use Today: leprechaun. This word comes from the Irish Gaelic leipreachān, from lū which means small and corp which is Latin for body.

NB: traditionally leprechauns wear red coats.