Some say the legend originated in Scotland. There have also been references made to the boogeyman since the 1500s, although others believe it existed long before that time. According to Ghostly Activities, one origin story is about a priest who became corrupted and preyed on children.
The Boogeyman is one of a race of creatures with origins in mythology, legend, and folklore around the world. In particular, accounts of its existence number it among numerous other frightening specters spoken of to children to warn them from harmful, dangerous, or destructive behavior
Is the boogeyman evil?The Boogeyman was a cruel, sadistic, evil monster, possibly a shapeshifter, as he looked different in each incarnation. His first appearance was a hideous goblin-like creature, then a deformed, corpse-like fiend with long hair, and then a gruesomely pale, knobbly human-like abomination with long black hair.
It is used by the parents to scare their children so they will not misbehave. This creature is supposed to be some kind of cannibal that eats the children. The most used phrase about the creature is "Greek: Ο Μπαμπούλας θα έρθει και θα σε φάει", which means "The Bogeyman will come and eat you".
Is The Bogeyman Real?
Theoretically, the bogeyman exists only in legends and myths. So, from this point of view, the answer is no, the bogeyman is not real. It is a figment of the imagination. The origin and meaning of the word Bogeyman refer to a goblin or a scarecrow. Sometimes it is associated with the hobgoblin, which is a mixture between an elf and a goblin. Generally, the is a horrid mischievous fairy.
In many cultures, the Bogeyman is a mere allusion to a mythical monster that haunts children's dreams if they misbehave. Parents from different countries try to frighten naughty children with the appearance of a certain Bogeyman who might kidnap or eat them. However, the imagined embodiment of such a creature takes various forms. For instance, in Polish and Russian folklore, the Bogeyman legend unravels the mystery of a witch called. She is pictured as an old woman flying in what appears to be a tree trunk. She is said to kidnap children and feed on them.
The Bau-Bau Or The Bogeyman Legend in Romania
The Bogeyman legend in Romania is connected to the myth of fearing "the other" or "the stranger." Parents and tutors often threaten naughty or misbehaving children with the Bau-Bau, who is going to come and kidnap them. The threat is usually followed, in the narration, by the parent offering to protect the child from the menace, only if the child starts to behave, to restore his/her authority. That is how the bogeyman legend parenting model is carried in all countries where the bogeyman exists.
Furthermore, the Romanian Bogeyman is described as an evil man wearing a long black coat and a hat or a hood that covers his face. Not only the Romanian folklore mentions it, but also Romanian poets like famous. In one of his poems from 1896, the bogeyman consecutively takes the shape of a wolf, a poor man, and a foreign merchant, who comes into the village to buy children who are not loved by their mothers. As opposed to the Russian bogeyman who is actually a female character, or the Spanish bogeyman who is practically shapeless, the Bau-Bau is a man, be it a gypsy (sometimes a gypsy woman) or an unknown person.