Bogeyman Figures
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Cuco
The Cuco is a Hispanic and Lusophone form of bogeyman. They take children if they don’t go to sleep on time. They are sometimes believed to be the male version of a creature called the Coca. The Cuco has inconsistent representation, but is often depicted with a jack o lantern. The female version, the Coca, was the linguistic origin of the coconut, as they were hairy and had holes resembling a face. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2013. Landy, David. Tropical…
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Le Croque-Mitaine
Le Croque-Mitaine is a bogeyman from France. Its name means “hand cruncher” or “mitten biter.” It is unclear as to what it is. Some guesses are a fairy, one of the Fates, a goblin, or a cat-like humanoid who is sporadically savage and sly. It grinds its teeth. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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La Calchona/Chiludo
La Calchona is a mythical creature from South America whose name means “ghost” or “bogeyman.” It sometimes looks like a large, bearded man covered in sheep-like wool, but in Chile its thought to look like a large dog with tangled wooly fur. It’s nocturnal and lives in fields and hills. They mostly just scare horses and travelers and sometimes steal food. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Bugul Noz
Bugul Noz is a mysterious Fae from Breton myth. Its name translates to “night shepherd.” It’s thought to be a tall nature spirit living in the forests of Brittany, currently France. Bugul Noz is thought to be the last of its kind, and is thought to be so ugly that animals will run away as it approaches. Despite its horrific appearance, Bugul Noz is very kind, and announces its presence as it walks at night to avoid scaring anyone. It was sometimes seen as a bogeyman figure, and seeing it without expecting it could scare someone to death. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United…
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Bugbear
The Bugbear is a form of creature from English Folklore. They’re malevolent creatures often used as bogeyman figures. They frequently take the form of bears or other large beasts and eat bad children. Bugbear is also often a word used to refer to a scarecrow. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2013. Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
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Bogey/Bogie/Bogey-Beast
The Bogey is a creature from British folklore. They’re described as large black creatures with vague appearances like dust or smoke that have been known to take the form of dogs. It’s often thought that looking through the keyhole of a wooden door would allow you to see their dull eyes. They move at night and often travel in packs. They enjoy startling people as much as possible before killing them, and especially like scaring people to death. They may cause food to rot, water to become poisoned, or cause crops and livestock to become diseased. They have been known to cause disruptions by moving objects and may rest in…
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Bloody Bones/Old Bloody Bones
Bloody Bones is a bogeyman figure from England and the United States. It’s described as being incredibly ugly with blood and bone visible, and sometimes even looks like a dancing headless skeleton. He was often seen as a companion to Rawhead, or one part of the same being. He is also sometimes related to a figure named High Walker, who could raise the bones of the dead. Rawhead and Bloody Bones defied him and ended up causing his death. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United States,…
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Baubas/Babauzis
The Baubas is a creature from Lithuanian myth. It is a monster or witch thought to carry off bad children. This creature’s name translates to “one who frightens children.” It is believed to have associations with the goddess of death (possibly Veliuona). Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Asin
The Asin is a bogeyman figure from the Pacific Northwest Alsea people. It has some relation to the Apotamkin. It is either a demon in the form of a human woman, or the female form of a species of woodland monster. It looks like a woman covered in hair with taloned fingers and wolf teeth. She preys upon children who stray too far from their villages. It rushes in, snatches up the child, and rushes back to the woods at an incredible speed. Asin enchanted some huckleberries on a particular bush and because of this, the Alsea banned all huckleberry bushes. Her laugh echoes and signifies someone’s impending death. If…
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Apotamkin
The Apotamkin are a form of bogeyman figure from the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy people. They are humanoid with long hair and large teeth. They scare children away from the water whether it be frozen over or warm. Citations: Rose, Carol. Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth. United Kingdom, Norton, 2001. Sullivan, Irene F., and Gill, Sam D.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.