HUFFLE HISTORICAL ANECDOTES +
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL MANAGMENT

(HHAAMM)

​Strutting

 

Strutting is the act of mimicking human behavior in an exaggerated and increasingly over-the-top manner in an attempt to "fit in" and be accepted by humans. When two Huffles begin strutting in the same location, they can become trapped in an unintended contest of "humanness," leading to increasingly bizarre and sometimes distressing behavior.

 

If a Huffle begins to strut, it is best to intervene immediately before it escalates. For more details on strutting and other Huffle behaviors, please refer to the Homes for Huffles website.

 

One notable strutting incident occurred in 2020 when a group of Huffles witnessed an MMA weigh-in on a public TV at the 23rd Street train station in New York City. By the early hours of the morning, over 50 Huffles were aggressively chest-bumping and headbutting one another. The event tragically ended when a human was accidentally pushed onto the train tracks.

 

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Huffle Puddles

 

A Huffle Puddle is a large gathering of weepy or unhappy Huffles, all failing to console one another. While the exact cause of Huffle Puffles remains unknown, it is believed to be linked to a Huffle’s deep instinct to console any distressed entity—be it another Huffle, a human, or even a leaky inanimate object like a faucet.

 

In some cases, a Huffle may be so distraught that even multiple Huffles cannot provide comfort. When this happens, the consoling Huffles become overwhelmed themselves, breaking into tears and attracting even more Huffles to the emotional spiral. Once a Huffle Puffle reaches a certain size, it becomes notoriously difficult to disperse, often causing major disruptions by blocking highways, side streets, fire stations, or even hospitals.

 

The largest Huffle Puddle ever recorded occurred in 2018 during the Second Huffle Population Crisis outside of New Delhi, India. The gathering grew so massive that it covered an area larger than the city itself and was visible from space.

 

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Ballooning

Ballooning refers to the uncontrolled and unintended expansion of a Huffle’s body, typically caused when a Huffle is physically prevented from completing an action or expressing an emotion. If the obstruction continues for too long, the resulting distress and inner turmoil causes the Huffle to expand so large that it actually lifts off the ground.

 

While the exact mechanics of inflation are still being studied, it is widely known to be an unpleasant experience for Huffles and a potential hazard for humans. Inflated Huffles have been known to get caught in power lines, block highways and railway lines, and even become tangled in large machinery. (Thankfully huffles don't appear to feel physical pain and cannot die.)

 

The largest recorded case of inflation occurred in 2009, shortly after Huffles first arrived on Earth. A group of children deliberately prevented a Huffle from completing an action, causing it to expand to the size of a two-room RV. Eventually, the Huffle was carried up into the Earth’s atmosphere and drifted into outer space. It was never seen again.

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MIMICKING

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Huffles are known for their open fondness of Humans and Human activity. It is not known why they seem to love humanity so much, but it is apparent that they will attempt to insert themselves, copy, and "join in" on human activities, rituals, and pastimes with varying degrees of success. Entire groups of Huffles have been spotted queuing patiently outside bakeries with no money, imitating yoga poses in public parks (often inflating when they lose balance), and solemnly nodding along during wedding ceremonies they were never invited to. Their mimicry is rarely accurate, but always earnest—Huffles seem less interested in mastering the act itself than in sharing the feeling of participation. This often leads to charming, if disruptive, outcomes: a Huffle may sit at a café table for hours “reading” an upside-down menu, or carefully push a shopping cart full of nothing through a grocery store. Researchers suspect this instinct stems from their deep emotional sensitivity; to a Huffle, being left out of human life is unthinkable, and so they improvise until they feel included.

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Object Bonding

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In a similar vein as mimicking, Huffles that have spent some time living with humans will even begin to participate in rituals of self-identity, choosing clothing, items, or sometimes artistic mediums to “dress” themselves in their own unique or “observed” styles. In this regard, it is not rare to see a Huffle waddling along the street with its favorite item in its arms or proudly displaying it as if it were part of their very being. A battered shoe, a half-empty paint can, or even a garden gnome may become an extension of the Huffle’s personality, carried everywhere with the same devotion one might reserve for a lifelong companion. These attachments can last weeks or years, with some Huffles fiercely defending their chosen objects from removal. While the logic behind such selections is mysterious, the earnestness is unmistakable—Huffles seem to believe that by bonding with a human-made object, they too are participating in the grand and bewildering ritual of “having a self.”

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Echoing

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Echoing occurs when a Huffle repeats a single sound, phrase, or noise it has overheard, often with obsessive intensity. While sometimes dismissed as harmless parroting, Echoing can escalate quickly, particularly if the Huffle latches onto emotionally charged words such as “fire,” “help,” or “sale.” Entire clusters of Huffles have been recorded chanting a single syllable in unison for hours, unnerving passersby and occasionally prompting unnecessary emergency evacuations. Although disruptive, researchers note that Echoing seems to be a sincere (if misguided) attempt to join in on conversation and appear “socially competent.”