Bodach

A Bodach (Irish IPA| [ˈbɔd̪ˠəx] ; plural "Bodaich") is a mythical spirit or creature, rather like the Bogeyman. The word is a Scottish Gaelic term for "old man" although historically it was used as a pejorative term to refer to peasants or farmers ("bothach") by the warrior class amongst the Scots Fact|date=February 2007.

Bodachs in Literature

* Bodachs occasionally appear in Charles De Lint's books of mythic fiction.
* The name Bodach is used to describe shadow-like creatures - invisible to most people - that appear at locations before disasters in the books Odd Thomas, Forever Odd, Brother Odd and Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. These can only be seen by Odd.

"A bodach is a mythical beast of the British Isles, a sly thing that comes down chimneys during the night to carry away naughty children." - Dean Koontz (Forever Odd)

"Bodachs are ink-black, fluid in shape, with no more substance than shadows. Soundless, as big as an average man, they frequently slink like cats, low to the ground." - Dean Koontz (Brother Odd)

"In regions of Wales and Scotland, a bodach is a term for an imp or a faery, often one of the shapeshifting, mischievous variety; this term, though derogatory in nature, was often used with affection, translating closest to "scoundrel" or "rascal".

Bodachs in Movies

The movie "The Eye" (2008 film) staring Jessica Alba shows shadowy, otherworld creatures that escort the dead away, matching the idea of bodach. Like in Odd Thomas novels, the bodach in The Eye also become numerous just before a tragic incident where many people will die.

ee also

*Cailleach (the Old Woman)
*Urisk
*Wirry-cow