What would a real life Smurf look like if it had actually been born out in the woodlands of Belgium? Forget the Smurfs movie — this is the real, fungus-covered creature you would encounter, if the Smurfs lived in our world. Prepare for horror!


Artist Nate Hallinan has put a lot of thought into the physical appearance of the Smurf, if they were real creatures, and not just CG playmates for Neil Patrick Harris. The result is horrifying:

What if Smurfs were real? The Smurf is actually the result of a symbiotic relationship between two organisms. We believe that Smurfs put their 'embryos' in the button of a developing mushroom. From a distance, Smurfs seem like they are wearing a hat and pants but as you can see this is a fallacy. The fungus provides camouflage and protective epidermal layers for the creature, while the creature provides nutrients and mobility for the spreading of spores. Smurfs are believed to be a hunter gatherer society. As you can see, this little guy is returning from a successful venture. It is generally difficult to spot a Smurf; they are very apprehensive and cunning. Sadly though, it is rumored that they are hunted for their medicinal properties. It's hard to determine but it is thought that there are not many colonies of Smurf left.


We love the idea of symbiotic pants, but if we ever saw these creature singing in the woods, our response would be to crush it under a rock immediately.

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[via Geekologie]