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Gnomus Rustica Vulgaris - unbottled

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Description

A while ago, not long before I moved from the northeast of Sweden and down to Stockholm, I acquired this rather rare object. It is a male Gårdstomte, or Swedish farmyard gnome, that has mummified in a sitting position.

The label on the bottle, translated from Swedish, reads as follows:

Gnomus rustica vulgaris
Captured in Burträsk 1926-04-09
Feed once daily


Apparently, whoever the so-called caretaker of this poor creature was, they didn't care much about following the instructions. The jar where he was found included a small clay bowl and a tiny spoon, crudely carved out of wood, but it was quite empty apart from some ancient traces of mould. There was also a stone axe resting near the creature's feet.

If this is indeed a specimen of Gnomus rustica vulgaris as the label claims, and not some other species of small hominid native to the north of Sweden, there are several questions that comes to mind. According to folklore, Gårdstomtar were a highly magical and clever breed, well-versed in crafting and possessing of prodigous strength for their size. This does not seem to describe this figure, naked apart from the stone amulet around his neck, with his very simple tools. Neither does it explain how a creature of such supposed strength was imprisoned in a regular glass jar. No weights or clamps ought to have been able to keep him from shattering the glass.

Being at best an amateur cryptoanthropologist, I cannot claim to have the explanation. Maybe this was an outcast from the regular tomte society -- perhaps shunned for his lack of magic aptitude or for his comparitive physical feebleness. Maybe the tomtar were once the forceful creatures I grew up hearing about, but diminished over time due to loss of their natural magic. Maybe this is simply another species. I do not know.

What I do know, is that whatever the nature of this small figure and of the circumstances in which he was caught, I cannot help but to feel a sense of compassion for him as I watch his remains. Whether he was kindly or malignant towards the humans who became his captors, this seems a poor way for any creature to die.

Here is a view of the specimen within the jar it was found in.
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Darnokthemage's avatar
Burträsk!? Those thieving bastards probably stole it!