The leprechaun arrived in America’s Northern Lumberwoods with the Irish immigrants who found work as woodsmen. While harmless in their native lands, their antics wrecked havoc with the complex and dangerous logging operations of the late 1800’s. They were responsible for all sorts of damage, injuries, and calamities - such things happen when we don’t respect these good little neighbors.
By the early 20th Century there were reports in the Canada of the Great Lakes States of leprechauns attacking unsuspecting lumbermen.
The fact that all culture have stories about magical little people, and that Maine has so many is quite interesting. Find out more about this little fellow, other little people, and over 40 others in Mythical Creatures of Maine, available for pre-order or wherever fine books are sold on 9/1/2021!
Preorder a signed copy: https://tinyurl.com/mythicalcreaturesofmaine
Leprechaun image credit: Coert du Bois, 1910 Lumber sled photo: circa 1905, courtesy of the National Library of Congress