He steals wee Irish boys away from their homes because they do work so well. He makes them work for himself—this mischief-making fairy!
He will not bother with wee girls.
"Wee girls are not so strong as wee boys," says he.
So when you meet Shaun O'Day, you must not be surprised to find him wearing a petticoat! You must not be surprised, because it is the fault of the leprechaun.
You see, Shaun O'Day lived in a very western part of Ireland, in Connemara, where fairies abound.
And in the village where he lived, the boys were all dressed in red petticoats! They were dressed in red flannel petticoats until they reached a tall and manly age.
HE WORE A FLANNEL PETTICOAT
This was many years ago. And though they would not tell you why they wore those petticoats, I am telling you 'twas because of the leprechauns.
Every wee boy's mother feared the leprechaun. And so she dressed her boy in the dress of the girl to trick that sly creature.