Rumtifusel – [Fearsome Critter]

Description

Rumtifusel  – [Fearsome Critter.] – Latin name: “Villosus sumptuous.” – aka “flat bear”,”Rumptifusel”, “Sukhaluck”, “The Flat”

• About this critter: A Cunning and Vicious predator about the size of a man with fur like a luxurious mink fur, similar to a warm or valuable fur coat. – it “plays on man’s greed” by wrapping itself around a tree or draping itself around a stump near the Tote Roads [A Tote Road is a supply trails that lumberjacks would use to haul their gear.] – There, it rests, hiding in plain sight in a stump –  When a chilly lumberjack gets close, the creature springs forth! Engulfing them & then devouring them in seconds, the small pores on its underbelly melt & suck their bones clean, leaving only fuzzy pellets of the  victims clothing behind…

• History, Variants & Similar Creatures: The Rumtifusel’s earliest written mention [most likely based on earlier oral accounts.] seems to be a brief mention by name in Paul bunyan tales. [1922]. – it was then catalogued in “Paul Bunyans Natural History” [1935], and shortly thereafter it was elaborated on further & first properly illustrated in Henry H Tryon’s Fearsome Critters [1939.]  later, In “Animal folktales of North America” [1961.] it was also described & drawn as something like an incredibly thin “flat bear” – of course the creature has also appeared and been mentioned in numerous modern bestiaries since.

According to the American Geographical Society: Michigan [1961] – mentions breifly that the legend likely migrated from Scandinavian lumber camps, as a prank used to scare greenhorns. (Unfortunately, its difficult to track down more information about that, I am unaware if there are any similar creatures in Scandinavian folklore or not! as its not my specialty (i’ll be sure to see if I can find more information about it and update this page when/if I do!)

[as it appears in Henry H Tryons Fearsome critters 1939]

[According to Grandpas Rib Ticklers “Gallery of Fearsome Critters” [1984] – The “Sukhaluk” is the American Mid-west region’s name for the Rumtifusel.]

Another similar critter known in appellation folklore is the “Hangdown” could also be seen as the same sort of creature, although specifically it hangs in a tree and waits for someone to pass by. (since they were both listed separately in Paul Bunyans Natural History, & because they have a size difference (ones big, ones small.) we should assume that they’re different enough to deserve separate classifications!)

Yet another similar creature found in appellation folklore & stories is known as “THE FLAT” (Notably: ‘The Flat’ lies on the ground & inches along like a crawling carpet, waiting for someone to walk over top of it instead.)

In South American/Chilean Folklore, there is a similar creature known as El Cuero (the “hide” or “leather”) a flat water beast, which has the appearance of an animal’s hide skin that has been splayed out to dry. [Records of El Cuero date back to at least 1908 & going back far earlier in native Chilean Folklore.] – Given the similarities, theres a possibility that Rumtifusel’s attack method stemmed orally from ElCuero legends. (In the same breath, that in itself, could also be coincidence!)

The Rumtifuesl is also thematically quite similar to a few Yokai from japan as well, notably “Ittan-momen” & “Kosode-no-te”, however; one should point out that those are both classified as Tsukumogami (literally Haunted antiques.) – Whereas the Rumtifusel & other creatures listed thus far are seemingly distinct as a type of naturally occurring animal. –

Art Sticker by @SamKalensky, part of my “Fearsome Critters” collection of stickers, check my shop and consider following me on patreon for more!