How to Catch a Leprechaun

How big are leprechauns? Where do they come from?  Why can’t you catch one? What do they do with all their gold?

These are the questions I get as we approach St. Patrick’s Day.

I answer, “I don’t know. Let’s catch one and find out.”

We design and build leprechaun traps. A simple Internet search will yield a wealth of ideas and inspiration.

In our house, we use shamrocks and shiny coins, toys, jewelry or anything that shimmers for bait.  We try to make at least one of the pesky creatures fall in a hole from which he can’t escape.

The simplest trap we’ve designed is an empty Kleenex box (which happens to be green) with a sole tissue draped across the opening.  On top of the tissue are three plastic gold coins.  Our hope is one of the traditional little Irish fairies will climb on top, reach for the gold and fall into the box.

Our most sophisticated trap is an empty Quaker oatmeal container covered in green paper.  A rainbow adorns the top and a sign reads “shiny stuff inside” with an arrow pointing to the top.  Shamrock-covered stairs take our victim to the trick gold.

In 2010 our traps failed to yield a single catch. The escaped leprechauns exacted their revenge by leaving chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil and playing pranks.

Little green shamrocks appeared on windows, mirrors and other surfaces amenable to dry erase markers.  A few games, toys and books were strewn across the floor, pillows were off the couch.  Our toilet water was green and so was the morning milk. 

The leprechauns clearly went wild at our house.

I’ve heard in Mount Tabor there are homes where drawers are switched around and a sprinkling of gold dust can be found.  In Lake Parsippany, I understand there are leprechauns who leave gold coins scattered in the lawn beneath the trees. 

Reports have been made of kindergarten classes at Littleton preparing their own traps and rumor has it in at least one classroom last year the leprechauns tattooed toilet paper with tons of tiny shamrocks!

In Druid Hill there’s a story circulating that the children wake up with green kisses on their foreheads. Folks from Intervale claim that their leprechauns leave them witty notes, complimenting them on their traps and wishing the builders better luck next time.