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 Childhood: Cultural Transmission and Learning in a Rural Puerto Rican Village. United States, University of North Carolina Press, 1959.

Maberry, Jonathan, and Kramer, David F.. They Bite. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2009.