The Bubák
In Czech folklore, the sound of a baby crying out in the dark fields at night is a trick, and whoever goes to help may meet the bubák.
What was reported
The bubák is a bogeyman of Czech folklore, a ragged, scarecrow-like figure said to lurk near rivers, reed beds and fields. In some tales he imitates the crying of a child to lure people out into the night.
Parents used him to frighten children who wandered off or misbehaved: 'the bubák will get you'. The word is still used in Czech for a bogeyman, or for something scary.
Explanations offered
The bubák is one of many bogeyman figures across Europe used to keep children away from danger. The cries of animals at night, such as foxes, owls and cats, can sound remarkably like a child, which may explain this part of the legend.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Bohemia, Czechia
- Witnesses
- Czech folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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