Deku Scrub

Deku Scrubs are small forest creatures that spit Deku Nuts at their enemies, when threatened. These creatures appear to be wood-based, with clothing-like leaves worn about their bodies, and foliage-like hair; they appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, and Four Swords Adventures.

Characteristics
Deku Scrubs play a small role in Ocarina of Time, in which they are both enemies and salesmen. If Link defeats a salesman-type Deku Scrub, known as a Business Scrub, they would try to sell Link an item that is almost always overpriced. Dealing with Business Scrubs, however, is the only way to increase Link's carrying capacity of Deku Sticks and Deku Nuts. Some of the normal Deku Scrubs host games.

Majora's Mask explores a different side of this species, as there is a functioning society composed entirely of Deku Scrubs in said game. They are situated in the swamp of Termina under monarchial rule. The Deku royal family is composed of a King and a Princess, who are served by guards, yes-men, and a butler whose son had mysteriously disappeared prior to the game. Skull Kid also turns Link to a Deku Scrub at the beginning of the game. When Link was healed, he received the Deku Mask.

In Majora's Mask, we learn much about Dekus and how they work and/or function. Most Dekus speak Hylian and they can be very friendly at times. However, if an unknown stranger ever goes near a Deku, it will attack; walking close to them forces their passive bodies into their Deku Flowers; most of them will respond to threats by attacking with Deku Nuts shot from their snout.

Dekus normally live in either a nest or a Deku Flower, and if other Dekus try to enter without permission, they usually become enraged. While some Dekus use propeller-like flowers to glide, some have propellers on their heads which allow for flight, too. Link in his Deku form was able to retreat into a hardened shell for defensive purposes, but no other Deku has shown this ability.

In Majora's Mask, there is also a mini-game specifically for Deku Scrubs located in North Clock Town, the Deku Scrub Playground.

Four Swords Adventures features a group of friendly Hyrulean Deku Scrubs. These Deku Scrubs serve Ganon because he promised to increase the size of the woods within which they reside, potentially allowing the Deku Scrubs to travel/live all over Hyrule. As such, they think of Ganon as a friend, but do not attack Link.

Variants

 * Deku Scrub, the ordinary green leaf-covered enemies from Ocarina of Time  that appear in the Deku Tree and in the Lost Woods, as well as the Swamp Spider House in Majora's Mask.
 * Mad Scrub, the autumn-colored  variant of the Deku Scrub that appears as a more-powerful version  of scrub species in Ocarina  of Time in the Sacred Forest Meadow and Kokiri Forest.  They take on the behavior of their predecessors, and exist as the  only Deku enemies in Majora's  Mask, appearing in the Deku Palace  and Woodfall.
 * Deku, autumn-colored Deku Scrubs that lack the leafy hood that Deku Scrubs had in Ocarina of Time.  Though they appeared in a  grotto in Ocarina  of Time, their major appearance  is as the guards of the Deku Palace in Majora's Mask  and as Ganon's followers in Four Swords Adventures.  Elite Dekus have mustaches and  appear older.
 * Business Scrub, the entrepreneur Deku Scrubs that appear in Ocarina of Time,  Majora's  Mask, and the Oracle series.

Weaknesses
Dekus can deal with water, but if they happen to venture in deep areas they will hop on the water to survive drowning. Like plants, too much water can hurt them. Luckily, Dekus are usually light enough to stand on lilypads, granting safe travel over the swampy waters that the Dekus of Termina call home. In Deku form, Link is able to skip across water, but can not swim. Dekus are also highly flammable, and rightly so, as they are wood-based creatures.

Trivia

 * The fact that Deku Scrubs shoot things at Link may have been inspired by the snifit in the Mario series.