Irish  Leprechauns

Many stories have been told about Leapin Leprechauns in Ireland. This is one you never heard before because it happened to to me …. Seriously!

Let me begin….

Many years ago, my friend called me in the early morning to go pick mushrooms at Fleming’s Castle in Ferrybank, Waterford, Ireland. This was a favorite spot for the mushrooms to peak, but it was also well known to be a haunted castle.

Now, in order to be able to pick mushrooms in Ireland, one had to be up really early in the morning to get these delicious things.

This particular morning at the crack of dawn, it was more mistier than usual and my friend Richard called to the house and asked if I was ready. Be right with you Rich….

Anyway, we made our way up the lane  with buckets in hand and arrived at the gates to Flemings Castle.

The castle also had an orchard where we used to grab some cooking apples, just in case the mushrooms were not blooming, at least that way the day wouldnt be a dead loss.

The fields had a lot of dew that morning and you could see the foot tracks we were making.

Richard decided to concentrate on one side of the field with me on the other.

Things were coming along fine and we were both picking some mushrooms when we heard this howling from a wooded area that divided the fields. It was a noise I had not heard before and decided to investigate.

When we got closer the noise was getting lower, we thought it was some kind of animal stook in a trap. That’s when we met Leapin Leppy!

Leppy

We heard a little cry ~ Can you help me here lads?

My name is Leapin Leppy and I’ve lost me pipe.

What we saw, to our amazement, was a little man about 12 inches tall at the base of a tree, searching for something.

Anyway, at that time we didn’t know anything about Pots of Gold or the like. We helped Leapin Leppy retrieve his pipe. He leaped with joy and  said he would repay us someday. With a big leap, he disappeared into the mist and was gone in an instant.

The following week when we went to pick mushrooms in the same field, there was a bumper crop and we both filled our buckets. When our Moms went to clean the mushrooms ~ in the bottom of each bucket was a Gold Coin, with an inscription that read ~ Thanks for your help! Leapin Leppy

For those of you who don’t believe in Leapin Leprechauns, just look at Leppy above!

He was happy to get his pipe back!

Moral of the story~ If you help those in need, especially Leapin Leprechauns,
they will return the favor some day!