The Pretzel is Boomberlik’s most valuable possession. It was given to him by his father in an obscure ritual called ‘The Passing of the Pretzel’ shortly before his parents moved away. The Pretzel is actually a thousand year-old, petrified knot of dough, and signifies Boomberlik’s official position as Dorfbewohner Dummkopf (Village Idiot). It has been in Boomberlik’s family for centuries. Legends say that The Pretzel has ‘special powers’ and can bless its owners with good-luck and fortune. Unfortunately, only Village Idiots have ever been in possession of The Pretzel, so who can really say?

Boomberlik has a variety of uses for The Pretzel. It can be used as a bludgeoning tool or weapon, clamp, grappling hook, shield, boomerang, etc. Sometimes when Boomberlik gets hungry, he tries to eat it.

Boomberlik often visits the town dentist.

The most significant use of The Pretzel is in the extremely challenging sport of Fingerhakelm, or Fingerhooks. Two contestants sit on opposite ends of a table, one finger wrapped around each loop of The Pretzel. Then, in a mighty show of strength, they try and pull each other over the table, proving once again the harmful effects of inbreeding within secluded Eastern European countries…

'FINGERHOOKS'

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