Bubak
Also known as: Bugbear, Bumann, Boggelmann, Boogeyman, Bogy, Golliwog, Hastrman
Also spelled: Bebok, Babok, Bobok
Etymology: Bugbear, Hastrman – “scarecrow”
This starts off seeing the image of a rather scary looking scarecrow from either Polish, Czech Republican or Slovakian folklore. The imagination is hooked.
According to what I found and much of it seems largely repeat the same information over and over, a Bubak is a scarecrow-like entity said to hide along riverbanks. It will make sounds like an infant in order to lure victims, adults and children alike to their doom. Further, the Bubak has a cart that is driven by cats. The Bubak’s clothing is made from the souls of its victims.
Poland – An alternative name is the Hastrman, meaning scarecrow. This is a man with a sack who will take any children and adults. He is known for hiding beside riverbanks and making a sound like a lost baby.
On the night of full moons, the Hastrman is known to weave and make clothing from the souls of those it has taken. Further, this creature also has a cart that is drawn by black cats.
Essentially, the bubak is another type of boogeyman.
Posted on October 8, 2017, in Bogeyman, Cat, Czech, Death, Moon, Polish, River, Scarecrow, Slavic, Slovia, Soul, Uncategorized, Weaving & Spinning. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Hi there, great site but I have to notice you about a little mistake. I’m from Czech republic, “hastrman” isn’t other expression fór Bubak, in slavic mythology it’s completely different creature.
Hastrman (also called vodník or vasrman) comes from German “Wasserman” which means water man. It’s a fish-like man similar to cat-fish (specially with his mustache) with green skin and hair, usually wearing a long green tail-coat, whose tail must always be wet.
It lives in ponds, lakes also rivers where it lures and drowns victims and collect their souls, keeping them in ceramic cups with lids.
It’s commonly known in Central Europe, especially in Czechia, Slovakia, Germany And Slovenka. It’s similar to russian/eastern Europe Vodyanoy.
First, let me give you an apology for not responding to this much sooner.
Thank you for the correction. I will make an effort to make some corrections and to go looking up the Hastrman for a future post.
*sorry, I meant Slovenia, not “Slovenka”.