Minish

Minish
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

The Minish (known as the Picori to Hyrulians) are a race of tiny mouse-like creatures who are believed to only be fictional. They were first introduced in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, making them the near-titular creatures of the game.

Information

A tiny race of people who have long coexisted with humans but due to their size have become the stuff of legends. It is said that the Minish only appear to children and hide from adults. It is said that long ago they came from the sky bringing men a powerful sword, the Picori Sword (later the Four Sword), as well as the mysterious Light Force. They are described as hailing from their own world, the portal of which (known as the Minish Door) only opens once per century. The Minish people speak their own language, although a few have learned to speak Hyrulian (such as Ezlo and Festari). As well as their own language, they can communicate with all (regular) animals. Being as small as they are, they particularly fear cats but get along well with dogs and other animals. Monster creatures of any kinds are incredibly dangerous and are typically avoided.

Among their own people they are the Minish, but to others they are called the Picori. They particularly live in the Minish Woods where they make their homes out of discarded items like barrels and boots. Others have carved their own homes into the mountains away from big people. A lot of Minish, however, make their home in Hyrule Village where they coexist with the bigger people. They make their home in rafters, tiny hones in the walls, or in a specially carved home in a bookshelf at the library. Minish are said to be responsible for leaving rupees and items in bushes and grass for the benefit of children. Town Minish often help the hyrulians they live among by performing special favors, though often it backfires.

Although the Minish took only a small part in history for a long time, something happened to propel their people into the center of attention. A great wizard, Ezlo, had made the a special cap that granted great power. His apprentice, Vaati stole the cap and assumed great power. He cursed his master and then took the guise of a hyrulian and started searching for the Light Force to become even more powerful. Ezlo teamed up with Link and allowed him to become Minish size so he could interact with the Minish and speak to them. Vaati was eventually defeated and the Minish again faded into legend. Ezlo left through a portal into the Minish World. It is possible, but uncertain, that all Minish did the same.

Trivia

• The name "Minish" can refer to the term 'mini' and/or 'diminish'. The name "Picori" seems to be a play on 'pico' a prefix used for measurements that indicates a factor of ten to the negative twelfth power, essentially meaning a very tiny fraction of a number.
• The Minish built the Armos (in The Minish Cap at least) for the Wind Tribe. Because of that, the Minish keep a on-off switch inside the creatures.
• The Minish, or a similar race of tiny people, were considered for inclusion in Breath of the Wild at some point, with Link being able to shrink down to communicate with them.