The Leprechaun of Sheeaune.

Here is another story about the fairy cobbler. This one I’ve given a local twist. It’s called:

 

The Leprechaun of Sheeaune.

The Leprechauns are happy, hard working, mischievous members of the fairie realm. They are the shoemakers, the cobblers, and the tailors for the fairy gentry and are often seen at sunset underneath a hedge singing, stitching and tapping away but only by those with the power to see them. They are said to know where all the hidden treasure is and if they take a shine to someone then they may guide them to a spot in a fairy rath where a pot of gold lies buried. It is rumoured that there is a family somewhere around Westport in County Mayo who came by their riches in a rather mysterious way. It is said that it was through the good services of a friendly leprechaun and this story has been handed down through the generations as being the pure truth. I’ll leave you to decide.

Once upon a time long, long ago one of this families ancestors was nothing more than a poor boy who used to drive his cart of turf back and forward every day trying his best to sell it for as much as he could. It is said that he was a strange young boy, very quiet and moody and some people even suspected that he may have been a changeling. He never joined in any of the games or sports with the other young lads choosing instead to spend his time all alone reading any old book he could pick up on his rambles. If he had a dream at all it was to get rich and to be able to give up the old turf cart and to live a peaceful quiet life all alone with nothing but books, a beautiful house and a garden where he could sit all alone and listen to the sound of the birdsong and the gentle humming of bees.

One of the things he had read about in his old books was the story about the leprechaun and how they knew all the secret places where gold lay buried and every day he watched from the seat of his old turf cart for the sight of the little cobbler, every day he would listen for the tic tack tic tack of the hammer as the shoemaker would sit under the hedgerow mending the shoes.

At last his patience was rewarded, one evening just as the sun was setting he was heading home when he saw a little man in a red hat, dressed in green. He was sitting under a dock leaf working away and humming softly to himself.

The young boy jumped down from his cart and grabbed the little man by the neck.

“Now I have you” he cried, “Tell me where your gold is hidden”

“Take it easy now” said the leprechaun “don’t hurt me and I’ll tell you all about it. Mind you, I could hurt you if I chose for I have the power, but I won’t do it for we are cousins once removed. So as we are near relations I’ll just be good and show you the place of the secret gold. No mortal can see it but as you have fairy blood and are a relation of the fairy race you’ll be able to have it. You’ll have to hurry up though because we have to go out to the fairy fort near Sheeaune for there it lies. Hurry, for when the last rays of the sun vanish the gold will disappear also and you’ll never find it or me again”

“Come on then” said the boy and he carried the leprechaun into the turf cart and off they set. They were quickly at the old fort and they went through a door made in a stone wall.

“Now, look around you” said the leprechaun and the boy saw the whole floor covered with gold pieces and solid silver buckets filled with more gold, it was if all the riches in the world was there just waiting for him to pick it up.

“Hurry, take what you want” said the leprechaun, “You will have to be quick because if the door shuts you will never leave this place for as long as you live”

The young boy gathered up as much gold as he could carry and threw it into his cart and was on his way back for more when the door shut with a sound like thunder and all of a sudden Sheeaune was plunged into the dark of night. The young boy was never to see the leprechaun again and felt sorry because he never even got to say thank you.  He decided to drive home at once with his treasure and when he was alone he counted his riches and found it to be enough to pay a kings ransom, or what he imagined a kings ransom to be from reading such things in his old books. Mind you, the young boy was cute enough to keep his mouth shut and to say nothing. He told no one about his good luck and the following morning he was up early and headed to the Credit Union and put all his money into a special account for some reason he didn’t trust the banks. I’m saying nothing. The very nice man at the credit union advised the young boy that he was now as rich as a lord and could have whatever money could buy, Even in them days there was a credit union.

So the young boy ordered a fine house to be built with spacious gardens and a huge library that he filled with books. He employed the best teachers he could find to give him the education he yearned for and in time he became a great and powerful man in County Mayo. If I was to tell you the family name you would know as much as me and it would take the joy out of wondering. His memory is still held in high esteem and his descendents are still living around Westport to this day rich and prosperous for their wealth has never decreased even though they give a lot to charity and will always try to help those who are genuine.