It's that day again - March 17, when the Irish celebrate the day honoring their patron St. Patrick.
In this regard, we've decided to share a few stunning facts about leprechauns, which are said to bring money and good fortune to locals.
In modern-day pop culture, these strange creatures are presented as tiny troublemakers, standing out with their green clothes and orange beards. Researchers say, however, that the concept of the leprechaun was different in the past.
The first leprechauns were said to wear red coats with a gold decoration. Unlike their modern interpretation, they did not have green cylinder hats and orange beards, instead they had pointed red hats and dark or whitish beards.
They were thin and elderly creatures that were not particularly social. Plus, other mystical creatures were not fond of them, as leprechauns were known for being notorious. Many accused them of being drunks, troublemakers and even bandits.
A curious fact is that there are no female leprechauns, which immediately raises the question of how they reproduce. Some say they can't reproduce because they are the crippled heirs of other mythical beings. Another theory is that they are the children of fairies and humans.
The word leprechaun is believed to originate from the Irish term Lú Chorpain, which translates as "little body". But it's also possible for the modern word to have come from the word luchorpán, which was used to depict spirits and fairies.
Leprechauns are believed to have first appeared in a literary work in the 8th century, when they were mentioned in a poem, although legends about them date further back.
There exist all sorts of stories about leprechauns. Some say that anyone who catches a leprechaun would gain the amazing ability to breathe underwater.
Other literary works claim that anyone who catches a leprechaun will receive untold wealth and good luck, which is the reason why people are always on the lookout for one.
