sacred to the Druids, so Saint Patrick s use of it in explaining the trinity was very wise. According to legend, St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Different versions of the story tell of him standing upon a hill, using a wooden staff to drive the serpents into the sea, banishing them forever from Ireland. One version says that an old serpent resisted banishment, but that Patrick outwitted him. Patrick made a box and invited the snake to enter. The snake insisted it was too small and the two argued. Finally to prove his point, the snake entered the box to show how tight the fit was. Patrick slammed the lid closed and threw the box into the sea. Although it s true that Ireland has no snakes, this likely had more to do with the fact that Ireland is an island and being separated from the rest of the continent the snakes couldn t get there. The stories of Saint Patrick and the snakes are likely a metaphor for his bringing Christianity to Ireland and driving out the pagan religions (serpents were a common symbol in many of these religions). March 17 was not the day St. Patrick was born but the day he died. Even though we don't know the date of his birth, most scholars believe the year was 385 AD and the year of his death was 461 AD. 1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor St. Patrick. True False 2. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Italy. True False 4. St. Patrick was born in Britain. True False 5. Ireland has no snakes. True False TheTeachersDesk.info Page 2 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4
1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor St. Patrick. True False 2. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Italy. True False 4. St. Patrick was born in Britain. True False 5. Ireland has no snakes. True False 1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor St. Patrick. 2. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Italy. 4. St. Patrick was born in Britain. 5. Ireland has no snakes. 1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor St. Patrick. 2. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Italy. 4. St. Patrick was born in Britain. 5. Ireland has no snakes. TheTeachersDesk.info Page 3 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4
Leprechauns In most stories leprechauns are harmless creatures who live alone and far away from people. Although rarely seen, leprechauns are very well spoken and can make good conversation. It is said that at the end of a rainbow, you may find a leprechaun and his treasured pot of gold. The most popular belief about leprechauns is that they are very rich and like to hide their gold in secret locations. If anyone keeps an eye on one, the leprechaun cannot escape, but the moment one looks away, the leprechaun vanishes. If one captures a leprechaun, he must be truthful and honest and tell where he has hidden his treasure, however, the leprechaun is crafty, so he may escape without revealing where he has hidden his gold. The leprechaun also carries two leather pouches. If he's caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it. By nature, leprechauns are said to be cranky, mischievous, clever, and tricky. In many stories the leprechaun outsmarts a human, as in the following examples: A farmer or young boy captures a leprechaun and forces him to reveal the location of his buried treasure. The leprechaun assures him that the treasure is buried in an open field beneath a particular ragwort plant. The farmer ties a red ribbon to the plant, first making the leprechaun promise not to remove the ribbon. Releasing the leprechaun, he leaves to get a shovel. Upon his return he finds that every weed in the field has been tied with an identical red ribbon, making it impossible to find the treasure. In another story, a young girl finds a leprechaun and makes him show her the location of his buried money. She takes his hand and sets out to find the treasure, but all of a sudden she hears a loud buzzing behind her. The leprechaun shouts at her that she is being chased by a swarm of bees, but when she looks around there are no bees and the leprechaun has vanished. TheTeachersDesk.info Page 4 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4
1. Leprechauns are evil fairies that hurt people. 2. Leprechauns like to live around lots of people. 3. Leprechauns keep a hidden pot of gold. 4. A leprechaun can lie about where his gold is hidden. 5. If you see a leprechaun and look away he will vanish. 6. Leprechauns are crafty and tricky. Color and draw a face for the leprechaun. TheTeachersDesk.info Page 5 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4
1. Leprechauns are evil fairies that hurt people. True False 2. Leprechauns like to live around lots of people. True False 3. Leprechauns keep a hidden pot of gold. True False 4. A leprechaun can lie about where his gold is hidden. True False 5. If you see a leprechaun and look away he will vanish. True False 6. Leprechauns are crafty and tricky. True False TheTeachersDesk.info Page 6 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4
Ireland is divided into two parts. The biggest part is called the Republic of Ireland. The smaller part is known as Northern Ireland and is ruled by Great Britain. The capital city of Ireland is Dublin. IRELAND Most people in Ireland speak English, but many Irish people also speak a very old language called Gaelic (GAY-lik). The Irish (Gaelic) word for Ireland is Éire. Long ago, Irish people were known as the Celts. Ireland is part of the continent of Europe. Ireland is an island west of Great Britain. It is so full of beautiful green plants and fields that it is called the Emerald Isle. The Irish flag has three vertical stripes in green, white and orange. The green represents the older Gaelic people, the orange represents the Protestants (under William of Orange) and the white represents the peace between the two groups. The shamrock is the national symbol of Ireland. A shamrock is a kind of clover that grows all over Ireland. Ireland is only about the size of the state of South Carolina but Ireland has had a big influence on the rest of the world: The Irish invented Halloween about 2,500 years ago. Celtic families would light bonfires and dress up as witches, goblins, and demons to frighten away the spirits of the dead. The ancient Celts also invented jack-o'-lanterns. Originally, there were made from turnips, but when the Irish immigrated to the United States, they couldn't find turnips so they made jack-o'-lanterns out of pumpkins instead. TheTeachersDesk.info Page 7 of 21 St. Patrick's Day K-4