Sunday, March 17, 2013

THE BRADLEY BEACH LEPRECHAUN

THE BRADLEY BEACH LEPRECHAUN
TOLD TO W. E. MAY IN 1967
BY MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER FLORENCE MCCALL

The story of The Bradley Beach Leprechaun It is said that every Leprechaun has a pot of gold, hidden deep in the land. The story of the leprechaun in Bradley Beach dates back to the time before the borough was founded. It was said that the McCall family and the Wallace family were having a get together at the home of Mrs. Wallace in the north end of Ocean Park. The McCall children were outside playing when the oldest boy said did you see that, about this time the oldest Wallace boy came out to play and said John I think that was the local leprechaun was he clad in a red or green coat. John the oldest McCall boy said yes I think he was a old man with a red coat on but he was very small and looked to be partaking in some mischief. John said lets find him and James agreed so before their parents could stop them they were off to find the wee person at the beach. The boys leading the rest of the children down to Cooks beach where the story turns scarey they find a small hole the size of a small child near the pines at the most westerly end of the beach. John and James each have a beach shovel with them and the younger children each have a pail. James starts to dig around the hole and John says I think my sister could fit down that hole but his little sister is scared of the dark and runs home. John and James are sure that the hole leads to the place where the leprechaun buried his pot of gold so they keep digging and digging till they have a hole the size of a small pool but they still did not find the pot of gold. Now their little sister gets home and tells the elders about what is going on Mr. Wallace and Mrs McCall head to the beach only to find the children walking up cook avenue tired and dirty, Alonzo Wallace says to his oldest son what have you done this time. I have told you that there is no sough thing as a leprechaun and now you have taken our guests children and have them believing in the story of the leprechaun at the beach.

Many years later Bradley Beach is now a small little seashore community with many tales of buried treasurer the story most know is that of the famous pirate Captain Kidd buried treasure which some think is still buried here today. But in my family the story of The Bradley Beach Leprechaun still holds true in our minds and hopefully the minds of many more generations of McCall, Wallace ,Malchow and May families. So each year on the same day about the same time with a shovel and a couple of pail the descendents of McCall’s and The Wallace's would meet at Cooks beach now known as Newark Avenue beach and search for the pot of gold left by The Bradley Beach Leprechaun. Today not many show up and we all know that someday the only thing remaining about The Bradley Beach Leprechaun will be the folk tale and stories.
The Bradley Beach Leprechaun


My Great Grand Father John McCall
        Could he be the Leprechaun


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