strange rubbery tentacled root/toy found while weeding garden

[thething]

Hello,

Hoping someone can help me identify a very strange root (or parasite) that we dug up whilst weeding the garden today. I could not figure out how to put the pics into this thread, so I posted them online at:

put it in the freezer, but the thing is kind of freaking me out. It is just so odd looking. I am beginning to think a kid might have buried a toy that has been latched onto by roots. If anyone can help me figure it out - that would be great.

[brooklyn1]

It's the rhizome root of some plant... would be easier to identify had you photographed the foliage before it all wilted... just a guess but to me it looks like you dug up an old bed of tiger lily. Poke around: