Stalchild

A Stalchild, also known as Stalkin, is a skeletal enemy that rises from the earth immediately after sunset in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, and make appearances in various areas of Four Swords and in dungeons in Twilight Princess. In Ocarina of Time they only appear in pairs, but in later games they show in much larger numbers. They are commonly small, but larger varieties exist.

Despite common perception, these enemies are not skeletal children, but are said to be cursed soldiers and are seemingly weaker relatives of Stalfos. They are also not always entirely aggressive, and in Majora's Mask they show the ability to talk.

Captain Keeta from Majora's Mask is the most notable Stalchild to date.

Ocarina of Time
Stalchildren are common to Hyrule Field, spawning exclusively at night and disappearing at sunrise. These skeletal warriors bear no armor other than a Roman Cingulum, or a Military Kilt, furthering their perception as cursed soldiers suggested by Majora's Mask. They attack in pairs, and if one falls before the other, another Stalchild may spawn in its place but only if Link takes too long to destroy the surviving Stalchild. Each Stalchild, regardless of size, can only take two hits and their attacks only deal 1/4 damage. If Link attacks the Stal from the front, it will lose its head and begin wandering around without aim, however if attacked from behind it will merely count as 1/2 hits.

Wearing the Bunny Hood before nightfall will prevent their appearance altogether, and they will not appear while Links stays on the dirt roads. Each time ten Stalchildren are defeated, a larger one will spawn alongside a regular sized Stalchild, much like Guays and Leevers. Due to the time it takes to spawn pairs of Stalchildren and the time from dusk till dawn, Link can only defeat two of the larger Stalchildren and this process will be restarted by the morning. The second large Stal will be even larger than the first, and offer an even larger Rupee reward for its defeat. Once Link becomes an adult, these creatures mysteriously disappear, and Poes haunt the field in their place.

''Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, the Stalchildren are of the Ikana race. In the game, they haunt the Ikana Graveyard and are the fallen soldiers of the Ikana Kingdom. Their general is Captain Keeta, but they'll mistake anybody that wears the Captain's Hat for their fallen leader. By wearing the Captain's Hat, the Stalchildren will ask Link whether they should open or guard the grave, mentioning that they already had an order from Captain Keeta to guard it. While this is their most major role in the game, they also have a slight role in the Oceanside Spider House, where each of the Stalchildren in there will reveal the solution to the house's puzzle, ultimately leading to a Piece of Heart.

Four Swords
Stalchilds in Four Swords appear in various locations that the four Links can visit. They are similar in appearance to those in previous games, but they attack differently; throwing their bones at Link in a similar manner to regular Stalfos in A Link to the Past. Their movement is slow and defenses are not particularly strong, but they are able to leap out of the way of Link's attacks. They commonly appear in small groups and are particularly prolific in areas with lava such as Death Mountain.

Twilight Princess
Known as Stalkin in Twilight Princess, they are miniature skeleton enemies similar in appearance to Stalfos found in the Arbiter's Grounds and the Cave of Ordeals. Stalkin emerge from the ground in large groups and attack with small spears. While individually they are weak, they can be quite bothersome in packs. They can be destroyed with almost any weapon, though Link's sword is arguably the most effective for dealing with large groups of these tiny nuisances, especially when the Spin Attack is utilized.

Trivia

 * By installing a modification to Ocarina of Time which lengthens the passing of day and night, it is possible to spawn increasingly large Stalchildren in Hyrule Field. There is no apparent limit to the size of the creatures, making it possible to create Stalchildren which are larger than the gates of Hyrule Castle Town. Regardless of their size, the creatures do not grow any stronger.