The perigret is also known as the sea sausage, or the stinky sea sausage. These creatures are not native to Hopeless, Maine, but are regularly sighted from boats around the coast. Either they spend all of their time at sea, or they come ashore somewhere nearby.

Most of us only encounter the stinky sea sausage after heavy storms, when you may find a few of them wheezing out their final breaths upon the beach, or being eaten by crows. Crows are notoriously not put off by the smell and are therefore the only entities willing to eat sea sausages.

However, the perigret has dense fur that is very waterproof indeed. Their distinctive red skins are often taken as hats, and worn by fisher folk. If you are out in a boat, the smell of the perigret dissipates, or is lost amidst the smell of the catch. The consensus is that no one in their right mind would wear perigret fur indoors, aside from Judge Joe.

Helpfully, a deceased sea sausage is easy enough to peel. A neat slice from chin to tail is all you need, and the outer layer can simply be removed from the rest of the creature. This is an exceptionally stinky job, but the crows will thank you for it. It is usual to just deploy the whole skin rather than going to the effort of removing the face and feet, and many people feel the shiny noses add a pleasing, jaunty quality to a hat.

(Image and text by Nimue Brown)