Bogeyman legend

The bogeyman is one of the best known folklore characters in popular children's culture.

This “monster” is present in the stories told in almost every people in the world. In Brazil, he is known in all regions.

bogeyman legend

The bogeyman is present in the imagination of all Brazilian children. Since we were little we hear about a supposed monster that terrorizes naughty and rude children.

This "monster" has a frightening appearance and appears in the naughty children's room. He stays under the bed, behind the door or inside the closet to scare them while they sleep.

Plus he eats the stubborn kids. Based on this, his name came up (from the verb "papar", which is synonymous with "to eat").

In some versions of the legend, the bogeyman remains on the roofs of houses, analyzing the behavior of the children in the house.

Regarding its appearance there is no consensus. For some it is a very big and fat monster with red eyes. For others, it has shapes that resemble those of Cuca.

There are even some versions that claim that the character has the power to mutate and thus transforms into various animal forms.

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Difference between the bogeyman and the Cuca

The bogeyman is often confused with the head, another character in Brazilian folklore. She is a very ugly witch, of some age, with an alligator head.

Both are associated with children's disobedience. However, while Cuca kidnaps the naughty children, the Boggart appears in their homes to scare them.

The two legends have the same educational purpose: children have to be obedient to their parents and respect the imposed rules.

In addition to Cuca and Boggart, the Bag man it is also present in the imagination of children in Brazil. This popular culture figure carries a big bag in which he imprisons disobedient children.

Want to know more about the Bag Man and Cuca? Check out the texts below!

legend of cuca
Legend of the Papa-Figo or Man with the Sack

bogeyman music

One of the best known lullabies in Brazil is “nana neném”, which makes reference to the Boggart and Cuca.

Children who do not want to sleep at the right time are taken by Cuca or devoured by the Boggart:

"Sleep Baby
Cuca is coming to get
dad went to the farm
mom went to work

bogeyman
get off the roof
leave this baby
sleep peacefully"

Curiosities about the bogeyman

The story of the boogeyman is very common in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain). Even though it is different in appearance, it serves the same purpose: to terrorize and eat disobedient children. In Portugal there is a lullaby about this popular figure:

“Go away you boggart,
from above this roof,
let the boy sleep
a restful sleep.”

Movie about the bogeyman

Several films were produced with the theme "Bogeyman". It stands out "My Bogeyman Friend" (in English, Don't Look Under the Bed) which was released in 1999 and directed by Kenneth Johnson.