Tomte (tom-ta) is a charming character from Swedish folklore that may look like gnomes, but don’t let that fool you — they have many more duties compared to their holiday creature lookalikes. Tomtes are responsible for caring for farm animals, especially horses, and doing chores around the house, and they can be mischievous if they are offended. They might turn buckets upside down, tie the tails of livestock together, or even break household items. They work hard for their humans and expect to be treated with trust and respect.