Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Totiyana. Totiyana Wonders, “What does a leprechaun do if you catch it?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Totiyana!

Are you dressed all in green? Have you gone hunting for four-leaf clovers? Do you plan to eat corned beef and cabbage for dinner? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be celebrating a traditional Irish holiday. What are we talking about? St. Patrick’s Day, of course!

No St. Patrick’s Day celebration is complete without people dressed as leprechauns. These mythical creatures are the small fairy folk of Irish legends. They’re traditionally portrayed as snappy dressers in green suits with hats and buckled shoes.

How big are leprechauns? They’re quite small. Some pictures show them tiny enough to sit on your shoulder. Others claim they’re about the size of small children.

Leprechauns are known to be practical jokers. They love to play tricks on humans. Many stories depict them as mischievous. However, they tend to be mostly harmless. They are also said to be intelligent and clever creatures.

Irish legends hold that leprechauns are shoemakers. They supposedly store all the gold coins they earn in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

You may have heard the legend of the pot of gold before. It’s very popular. Many people have been known to chase rainbows in search of leprechauns and their gold. Supposedly, if you catch a leprechaun, they will grant you three wishes in return for freedom.

St. Patrick’s Day festivities would not be the same without leprechauns. The creatures are known to be great musicians, too. What instruments might leprechauns play? They’re said to master a variety of traditional Irish instruments. This includes tin whistles, the fiddle, and the Irish harp.

Where did the word “leprechaun” come from? No one is quite sure. Some believe it comes from the Old Irish words for “small” and “body.” Others say the term may have come from the Irish words for shoemaker.

Have you ever dressed as a leprechaun? Would you like to hunt for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Leprechauns may be mythical, but that doesn’t stop many people from dreaming of their riches!

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.W.3, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2

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