The idea that at the end of the rainbow lies a pot of gold, watched over by a cunning goblin – the Leprechaun, is typical of Irish folklore. It is said that only farmer Barry came close to the treasure, but his thirst for wealth led him to lose everything and the pot became unattainable. Thus, today as then, the colored trail remains an unattainable promise for us: chasing it means chasing what you cannot have, because the rainbow always moves one step further away.
The mystery of the leprechaun and the pot of gold
Barry was a farmer whose farm, land and animals were not producing as well as he would have liked. His adventure begins when, after meeting a elfhe decided to chase the treasure. The goblin complained that he was too old and tired to climb to the top of the mountain on which was his pot full of gold and treasures, at the very end of the rainbow. Barry offered to help the goblin, who in turn rewarded him with a part of the treasure hidden in the pot: but Barry wanted to boast of his discovery, and told his neighbor where the magic pot was located.
At that point the goblin went into a rage, caused Barry’s farm to collapse, and prevented anyone from reaching the pot at the foot of the rainbow.
Told in Ireland for centuries and in different variations, Barry’s story aims to tell how success and luck they often seem to one step away from us, nevertheless they remain out of reach when we let ourselves be dominated by arrogance and pride. Just as happens in front of the rainbow, which seems to touch the earth a few meters away, but as we move it moves further and further away (being an optical effect dependent on the position of the observer), even the wealth promised by the legend remains an unattainable dream for those who do not know how to be humble.
The symbolism of elves in Irish folklore
The elves, in Irish mythology and folklore of pagan origin, are very important figures: among them, the Leprechaun – also known as Leith Bhrogan – is the most famous, dressed in green, with a hat on his head and big shoes on his feet, made famous as an icon of St. Patrick’s Day. The Leprechaun, like all his elves, has a job – he is a shoemaker – but he spends his free time doing numerous jokes to human beings, stimulates them and deceives them, even for put to the test their soul.
According to Celtic beliefs, there is a strong connection between the world of humans and that of spirits, of which elves are part: these little beings, according to tradition, are responsible not only for small and large accidents and misadventures, dramatic and funny, but thanks to their playful and at the same time evil spirit, they have the ability to stimulate and tease men, bringing out our true nature.
