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Leprechaun: A Fairy’s Godly Origins
For many the word leprechaun conjures up images of cereal boxes or murderous little men (a.k.a. Warwick Davis in the Leprechaun films) but how many know of his true origins? How many realize that the shoe making little man with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was once seen as the Irish Zeus? (Berresford Ellis, 9) This is the story of how the once mighty Lugh Lamhfada becomes the curmudgeonly little Leprechaun.
Lugh Lamhfada is the “crowning glory of the Gaelic Pantheon.” He leads the Children of Danu to victory over the Fomorii during which he defeats his grandfather Balor. Yet today his glory is but a memory found in the myths and legends of the Irish and Celtic peoples. (“The Gods of the Gaels;” Berresford Ellis, 31-3)
Originally a god, in many of the later versions of his stories Lugh is transformed from a god to a hero. In one such story Lugh arrives at the court of The Dagdha, known as “The Good God,” and requests admittance to the company of the gods. The gatekeeper asks what skills he posses that would entitle him to be in company with the great gods. For every skill, talent, and ability that Lugh names the gatekeeper says they already have a master for each. Lugh then points out that he is a master of them all and thus, he is granted entrance to the court. (“Celtic Deities”) In different version of the story, Lugh, known as Lug, is a mighty warrior who wishes to be seated in King Nuada’s council of war for the upcoming battle with the Fomors, another name for the aforementioned Fomorii. This story includes an exchange with the gatekeeper and two other feats that he must complete before being granted entrance. Upon joining the council, Lug is placed at the king’s side in the seat of knowledge and in time King Nuada awards him the crown to lead the council. After the planning session the Tuatha De Danann engage in battle with the Fomors who are lead by Lug’s grandfather Balor. Ultimately, Lug faces Balor and kills him by using his slingshot to knock Balor’s evil eye from his head. This eye destroys whoever gazes upon it; from where it lands many of the Fomors are killed by its stare. Following the battle, Lug is declared king of the Tuatha De Danann. (“Lug—The Master of Masters”)
An earlier account of this story, called “The Ever-Living Ones,” finds the chosen people of the Mother Goddess Danu, known as the Children of Danu and/or the Tuatha De Danann, departing for the island of Inisfail to fulfill their destiny. Here they meet and enter into battle with the Children of Domnu, also known as the Fomorii. The Fomorii are the descendants of the Goddess Domnu, Danu’s sister and rival. It is during this battle that Lugh defeats his grandfather Balor and acquires the Island of Destiny for the Children of Danu. (Berresford Ellis, 25-34). Evident in the more recent adaptation cited above, the story is the same but all aspects of the characters’ divinity have vanished. Gods have become heroes. It is here that we see the beginnings of Lugh’s fate unfold.
While Lugh Lamhfada is not well known, his descendant the leprechaun is. Leprechaun appears as an aged diminutive man who is often unfriendly, intoxicated, and incredibly clever. (Krull, 145; “The Leprechaun”) Leprechauns are famous for beings cobblers and shoemakers to the elves and fairies. They are owners of a secret treasure, often a pot of gold, which may be procured by humans. The trick is the humans must be able to capture and keep their eye on Leprechaun – not an easy task. (“Leprechaun”) The story “Patrick O’Donnell and the Leprechaun” finds Mr. O’Donnell coming upon a leprechaun who has gotten himself caught on a long black thorn. Mr. O’Donnell agrees to help him get unstuck under the condition that the leprechaun shows him the location of his pot of gold. Leprechaun agrees but craftily tries to trick the man into looking elsewhere. In due course, the leprechaun leads Mr. O’Donnell deep into the swamp to one of hundreds of black thorn bushes, stating that the treasure is buried beneath it. The man has nothing with which to dig up the treasure and the leprechaun refuses to help him further. He has already done what the man requested. Mr. O’Donnell ponders his situation and finally decides to tie his red scarf to the bush so that he can find his way back with his shovel. Leprechaun laughs at Mr. O’Donnell asking, “That’s your solution?” Regrettably, Mr. O’Donnell thinks his solution is sound, lets the leprechaun go free, and begins the long journey back to his house. When he returns the next day, for that is how long it took him to walk home and back, he discovers that every thorn bush in the swamp has a red scarf, identical to his own, tied to it. (Krull, 147-151) This story highlights the innovative, clever, trickster-like nature of the leprechaun.
Some of the elements that tie the leprechaun to Lugh Lamhfada are their skills in making things: the leprechaun is a cobbler; Lugh is a smith, carpenter and master of all things. Both are clever as seen in the leprechaun’s trickster-like qualities, Lugh’s battle preparations and ability to outsmart the competition. Both are quick-witted but perhaps not quick enough.
It is the introduction of Christianity that in the end decides the fate of Lugh. Formerly a god, many of Lugh’s stories and those of other pre-Christian gods and goddesses morph into fairy tales or legends in which gods become mere heroes, goddesses transform into benign spirits, and pagan priests emerge as wizards and sorcerers. (Berresford Ellis, 6-7) In fact it is in the story of “The Ever-Living Ones” that this fate is best explained:
Despite the transition, the heritage of this god lives on in the hearts and minds of the people, in the stories and tales as the image of Ireland, the rainbow and its treasure. Yet, buried in the myths and tales of the Irish, the truth about the mighty Lugh Lamhfada shines once more, brighter than any gold, that is, if you are quick enough to catch a glimpse of him.“Indeed, there came a time when the Children of Mil flooded into the Island of Destiny and when the Children of Danu were driven underground into the hills, which were called sidhe, which is pronounced shee, and in those mounds they dwelt, the once mighty gods and goddesses, deserted by the very people who they had sought to nourish. The descendants of Mil, who line in the Island of Destiny to this day, called the Children of Danu the aes sidhe, the people of the hills, and even when the religion of Mil was forgotten, when the religion of the Cross replaced that of the Circle, the people, simply called the aes sidhe by the name of fairies.
Of the greatest of the gods, the victor of the battle on the Plain of Towers, Lugh Lamhfada, god of all knowlesge, patron of all arts and crafts, his name is still known today. But as a memory of the mighty warrior, the invincible god, has faded, he is known only as Lugh-chromain, little stooping Lugh of the sidhe, relegated to the role of the fairy craftsman. And, as even the language in which he was venerated has disappeared, all that is left of the supreme god of the Children of Danu is the distorted form of that name Lugh chromain . . .leprechaun.” (Berresford Ellis, 34)
Works Cited
Berresford Ellis, Peter. Celtic Myths and Legends. Running Press Book Publishers, 2008. Print. 6-9, 25-34.
“Celtic Deities.” The Sacred Fire. 1999. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.sacredfire.net/gods.html>
“The Gods of the Gaels.” The Gaelic Gods and Theirs Stories. Sacred Texts. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cml/cml09.htm>
Krull, Kathleen. A Pot O’ Gold: A Treasury of Irish Stories, Poetry, Folklore, and (of Course) Blarney. Hyperion Books for Children. 2004. Print. 145, 147-151.
“The Leprechaun.” Irish Fairies. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.html>
“Leprechaun.” Lindemans, Micha F. Encyclopedia Mythica. 1999. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/l/leprechaun.html>
“Lug—The Master of Masters.” Argdagh, Philip. Celtic Myths and Legends. World Book, Inc., 2006. Print. 7-12.
