The honorary Creature of the Month for September is the bowtruckle! These adorable creatures are very intelligent and curious. Their tiny bodies have the appearance of wood and twigs, but they are flesh and blood creatures! They can get up to eight inches tall, and have big, brown eyes that will melt your heart in an instant.
Bowtruckles can be found in Western England, Southern Germany, and throughout the Scandinavian forests. They make their homes on the very trees that wand wood is harvested from, which makes it a bit tricky for wand-makers to collect the wood they need, and can be fiercely territorial. To appease the bowtruckles, wand-makers will offer them woodlice, or even fairy eggs! These gifts distract the bowtruckles so the wood can be harvested without any trouble and, of course, without damaging their natural habitat.
These intelligent creatures can also make for fantastic companions. They are known to be quite affectionate, and can be trained to do many things! Their small, sharp hands make them adept at various useful tasks. Bowtruckles can be taught knot-tying, fruit-peeling, and even lockpicking (though, this is definitely NOT encouraging any such behaviour). Along with the many skills they can be taught, it is said that once a bowtruckle chooses its person, the bond is unbreakable.
So, remember, if you’re ever out in the forest and find yourself a twig that looks a little too friendly to be ordinary, watch your step! You may be close to a bowtruckle’s nest, and if you’ve nothing to offer, you might find out how quickly those tiny hands can peck out your eyes!
Written by Artemis Greenwich
