According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s smallest park is Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon. A journalist created a local legend about a leprechaun who lives in the park and who was his on-the-ground source of information from the elfin realm.
Tales of Irish fairies and leprechauns are well known. I am fascinated by these types of stories, which are found in all cultures. Colorado mining lore includes tales of Tommyknockers, leprechaun-like beings who could be ornery, or who could warn miners of impending doom.
In Iceland, there is an extensive hierarchy of beings including elves, Hidden People and trolls. This park in the town of Hafnarfjordur is reputed to be a metropolis of these beings. I took a walking tour and didn’t see any myself, nor had the tour guide ever seen any, but you have to admit that it’s a place where it would at least seem possible for them to dwell:
The town of Vik on the southern coast has a spectacular black sand beach. Out in the crashing waves are three large rock formations individually named Skessudranger, Landdranger and Langhamrar. These three are Reynisdranger, the “Troll Rocks.” Evidently, these enormous trolls were behaving badly early one morning, trying to drag a boat ashore. The sun caught them in action and turned them to stone.
-Michelle
Little Vignettes 