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samedi 9 mars 2013

Leprechauns : the little green men of Ireland



   When you say "Leprechaun" (Irish Gaelic: leipreachán), you immediatly think about this little old man, wearing a big hat and a green (or red) coat, with a beard and a pipe, smoking God only knows what kind of weed. But, you should remember that those moody little green men are a part of the Irish people’s legacy and are more than anything, a legend to know.

The leprechaun is an icon of Irish folklore and comes from the Irish Gaelic leigh bhrogan which means "maker of one shoe", or it also is said that it could come from another Gaelic word, luacharman, which means "little man" or even "pigmy". It is totally possible that "leprechaun" comes directly form both of them. 
There are many legends and stories about the leprechauns. A leprechaun is a mischievous little guy who hides his pot of gold jealously at the end of a rainbow. He is a small (max: 90 cm), stocky[1], wearing a green (or red) apron[2] cobbler. He has a grumpy character and loves the dudeen (which is a liquor manufacture) and his pipe. He is solitary, unsociable, not always friendly, and moody. There are only males Leprechauns. Legend says that they were born from the union of a human and a spirit. 
 The Leprechauns also know how to be grateful and they like to offer their homemade whiskey. Unfortunately, they avoid humans. A leprechaun has in two leather purses[3], a piece of one shilling and a gold coin. 
In addition of cobbler[4], he is the guardian of a pot full of gold coins so that he has the role of the banker of the mound-dwellers[5] He knows that humans are greedy[6] and stupid and he wants to protect his treasure from them. He lives in bushes. He is fast but if you catch him, you are allowed to ask for three wishes he would make them come true, in exchange of his freedom, but you shouldn't ask for his treasure, because he won't exauce any wish you've made. The legend has it that you better not to close the eyes: one blink of eye is enough for the Leprechaun to disappear by magic! 
They are so famous and important in Ireland that, for St Patrick’s Day, the Irish are used to looking like them.

So, you’re a professional now, aren’t you? Prove it by answering these three questions after reading the text:

  1)      Who are the parents of a Leprechaun?
  2)    What are the 2 Gaelic words which gave the Leprechauns their name, and what do they mean?
  3)      What do they carry in their leather purses?


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[1] Trapu
[2] Tablier
[3] Bourses de cuir
[4] Cordonnier
[5] "Les habitants des buttes" = Le Petit Peuple / Le Peuple des Collines
[6] Cupides





1 commentaire:

  1. We forgot to sign : this article has been written by Helene BADOUI and Amandine LEFEVRE 2nde 2

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