The name comes from a Middle Irish word, luchorpán (little body). The first recorded reference to leprechauns comes in the 8th century story of "The Death of Fergus mac Leiti" where the original luchorpán are water Spirits. The luchorpán sieze upon Fergus while he lies sleeping a on the seashore. When he wakes, he finds he is hovering over the water held in their grip. He traps three of them and makes them promise to
share their swimming skills with him in return for their release. They grant him waterproof powers & the ability to swim underwater, but warn him away from Lake Rudraige. Unfortunately, Fergus wanted to show that he feared nothing, so he goes there and finds himself in a deep deep lake dive with a terrible monster
(Muirdris) which causes a facial disfigurement which disqualifies him from his rulership. A later 13th century version of this story
introduces a comedic element giving the leprechaun king Iubdan and his
Queen Bebo and their poet Eisirt wonderful witty exchanges with Fergus. A confusion arose between Luchorpán and the solitary fairy being of Ireland known as the Cluricaune who is a cunning spirit who haunts cellars, drinks, smokes & plays tricks. This came about possibly due to the publication of Crofton Croker's "Fairy Legends" (1825). Since that time, leprechauns seem to be entirely male and solitary.
