Pipu mort

Pipu mort or "aspen man". A character in the mythology of the Komi peoples.

According to one of the folklore versions, the hunter, being on a fishing trip, got tired of loneliness and decided to make a companion out of an aspen log, persuading him to wake up to life. When the figure came to life, she helped the hunter for a long time in the fishery, but he became afraid of his friend. When trying to escape, the aspen man began to pursue his creator, gnawing through all the doors, but at that time a cock crowed, the wooden monster fell lifeless, and for complete safety was burned.

According to another version, it was made by unknown people and was in the forest in the form of a kind of wooden sculpture. The hunter, annoyed by the unsuccessful fishing, saw him and swore. The sculpture came to life and followed him. The hunter got scared, ran to his fishing hut and locked himself in it, crossing the door. Until midnight, the creature gnawed at the door, but failed to get into the hut. The same thing happened the next night. Finally, on the third night, it was able to get into the hut through the chimney, which the hunter forgot to cross, and killed his victim.