An order Scrooge receives from Ireland turns out to have a surprise stowaway in it; a mischievous thieving leprechaun named Far Daric. He makes no delay in trying to pilfer some of Scrooge's money, but finds himself in danger of being run over. Scrooge saves his life — having chased after the thief — and Far Daric is forced to grant Scrooge's wish, as per the customs of his people. Scrooge, Launchpad, the triplets and Webby fly to Ireland, and after an initially rough reception at the Leprechaun King's Castle, are welcomed to a party. Here, Scrooge reveals his wish: to be given the contents of the Golden Caverns, the sacred storage for all the treasures of all leprechauns.
Naturally, the King is furious, and though he can't openly defy Scrooge, he commands Far Daric stop him. When an effort to scare the ducks away by enlisting two ghosts fails, Far Daric and the King have no choice but to lead Scrooge to the Golden Caverns — although the King commands that Scrooge either be made to leave the money behind, or entombed with it. Finding that the cavern is too deep for him to have a hope of climbing out with any riches at his age, Scrooge makes plans to come back with the resources to get the money. Having saved Far Daric from falling to his death, he wishes for Far Daric to leave alone a handkerchief he uses to mark the bush that conceals the caverns' entry.
Reluctantly, Far Daric agrees. And then, once Scrooge has left, he and a bunch of other leprechauns rig up a boulder trap to seal Scrooge and his family inside when they return for the treasure. On his way back, Far Daric meets Webby, who innocently offers him some tokens of affection and explains that he has her friendship. Breaking down in guilt, Far Daric enlists the innocent duckling in a plan.
The next day, Scrooge and company find that Webby and Far Daric have placed handkerchiefs on every bush in the entire forest. Although Scrooge rages at first, Far Daric decides to show him what would have happened had it not been for Webby's kindness, triggering the trap and burying the Golden Caverns. Shocked back to his senses at how close he brought his family to death, Scrooge apologizes for letting his greed get the best of him.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Always Someone Better: Scrooge is the richest duck in the world, but the gold in the leprechaun king's caves makes his money bin look like pocket change.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Far Daric saves Scrooge from the Leprechaun King's ploy because of Webby's kindness to him.
- Beware the Silly Ones: The leprechauns are obviously upset and angry at the idea of giving up their Golden Caverns, even as a wish, yet Scrooge badly underestimates how far they would go to protect the Caverns.
- Comforting Comforter: Launchpad gets spooked by the dullahan sent to scare the group away so the leprechauns won't have to grant Scrooge's wish. Although Scrooge dismisses the vision as a dream, he and Webby take time to pull the covers up over the pilot, who's still shivering and wide-eyed.
- Death by Materialism: Scrooge almost gets himself buried alive by trying to claim the Golden Caverns as his wish.
- Exact Words:
- Scrooge ties a white handkerchief next to the tree that hides the entrance to a cave with a treasure he wants and makes Far Daric promise he'll not remove it from the tree. He never said anything about tying similar handkerchiefs to nearby trees.
- Also, while the leprechauns would technically keep their word by giving Scrooge the Golden Caverns, they never said he could leave them once he claimed the wealth within as his own.
- The Fair Folk: the leprechauns that Scrooge McDuck and his nephews meet aren't evil per se, but they are willing to kill anyone who trespasses on their property, even by dumping them into a snake pit in their castle. (This almost happens to the protagonists, but when the Leprechaun King finds out that they were invited by the leprechaun who brought them there - despite the fact that the leprechaun in question is a Snake Oil Salesman - he decides they can't do that.)
- Horrifying the Horror: The dullahan and banshee both say they were scared by the ducks, and leave together, saying that Far Daric isn't offering them enough to do this kind of job.
- Huge Rider, Tiny Mount: Scrooge, the Nephews and Launchpad ride miniature horses. The trope is most noticeable with Launchpad, whose horse tries to buck its heavy load.
- I Owe You My Life: Leprechauns are required to grant a wish if someone rescues them.
- Morality Pet: His friendship with Webby makes Far Daric a somewhat better leprechaun.
- Moral Myopia: Scrooge happily abuses the leprechauns' obligation to grant a wish after saving Far Daric's life to claim their Golden Caverns as his own, but he breaks down crying when Far Daric uses Exact Words to protect the Caverns while still keeping to the letter of his wish.
- Not Now, Kiddo: On two occasions, Webby calls Scrooge out on his treatment of Far Daric and his selfish desire for the leprechauns' Golden Caverns. Scrooge's response is to brush the issue aside, unwilling to explain himself yet selfishly wanting to keep Webby's loyalty. This attitude nearly costs Scrooge and his family their lives, since they underestimate how far the leprechauns are willing to go to protect the Caverns.
- Oblivious Guilt Slinging: Webby tells Far Daric he's a very fine friend soon after he and the other leprechauns built a trap for her uncle. This breaks the leprechaun, who enlists Webby's help to keep Scrooge from triggering the trap.
- Out-of-Character Moment: At one point, the nephews dive into and swim in Scrooge's money, something that they have never been able to do before.
- Our Banshees Are Louder: The banshee Far Daric hired to scare the ducks away appears as a wailing, ghostly figure floating in midair. Far Daric says her wailing presages some misfortune. However, she seems to be solid to some degree, because the triplets are able to block her from coming in the window with a dresser.
- Pet the Dog: While he gets a dig in at Launchpad's crash habit in the process, Scrooge does take the time to pull the covers back over the shivering pilot after he gets unnerved by the dullahan.
- Redhead In Green: Launchpad decides to dress up for the trip and hence is in Irish costume for the actual flight to Ireland.
- Rump Roast: The dullahan scares Launchpad enough that he backs up to the fireplace and singes his tailfeathers.
- Sacred Hospitality: A Con Artist leprechaun steals Scrooge's money, and to save face, he invites Scrooge and his nephews to "his" castle in Ireland. Only problem is, the castle isn't his, and the other leprechauns don't like him or trespassers. However, after the Leprechaun King finds out that the guy did invite Scrooge and his family, he decides they can't throw them in the snake pit, as they first intend to do. Instead he decides to throw a big party for them (seeing as leprechauns will apparently use any excuse to throw a party, no-one else objects).
- Shout-Out: The Leprechaun King is named Brian, as in Darby O'Gill and the Little People
- Shown Their Work:
- The trick Far Daric uses to get the better of Scrooge in the end is based on a well known old Celtic folktale.
- Far Daric the leprechaun owes his name to the Far Darrig, a leprechaun-like malicious fae also native to Ireland.
- Also, Far Daric hires what folklorists would recognize as a banshee and a dullahan to try and scare the ducks out of the Leprechaun King's Castle rather than grant Scrooge's wish.
