Facts about Leprechauns*

During the Seventeen Days of Saint Patrick, I decided to offer up a public service called "Facts About Leprechauns."

Very little is actually known about these symbols of Irish folklore. So, in an effort to educate anyone with an interest, I decided to do some research and watched all six movies in the Warwick Davis "Leprechaun" series. It was from this source, (*and this source alone, mind you,) that the following list of facts was compiled.

Facts About Leprechauns, (according to the movie "Leprechaun.")

1. A four leaf clover is like Kryptonite to a leprechaun. (Or garlic to a vampire, silver to a werewolf, Southwest Airline "coach" seating to Kevin Smith... You get the idea.)

2. Leprechauns are addicted to gold and, apparently, shining shoes. (I mean, junkie-addicted! You throw a leprechaun a scuffed Oxford and he will abandon all else until that baby sparkles!)

3. Leprechauns possess highly developed powers of mimicry, (and can imitate Jennifer Anniston perfectly!)

4. If a leprechaun loses a body part, (like a hand, for example,) the severed part retains animation as well as intelligence and re-attaches to the leprechaun with just brief pressure. (Which is damned convenient!)

5. Leprechauns speak in rhyme, like Underdog, almost constantly, (or, as they more appropriately say in the Latin, "ad nauseum!")

You see? There is so much we can learn from the wee folk.