Bogle

A bogle, boggle or bogill is the Scots term for a folkloric creature with a fierce temper, it is probably from the Middle-English Bugge (of which bogey is also derived) which is a cognate of the German term word bögge (of which böggel-mann ("Goblin") is derived), the Welsh Bwg could also be connected [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bug] . They are reputed to live for the simple purpose of torturing young children who disobey their mothers, or of punishing those who are lazy, incontinent (lacking self-restraint), or guilty of crimes.

One of the most famous usages of the term was by Gavin Douglas, who was in turn quoted by Robert Burns at the beginning of "Tam O' Shanter"

"Of Brownyis and of Bogillis full is this Buke."

The bogle is also a creature that loves to vex humans until they go insane. They may cause a human to hear a voice around a corner, only to find that nothing is there, and then repeat the same antics around another corner. This will go on and on until the human decides to give up in utter frustration. Another way they might annoy humans is to enter a person's house and create a mess, make weird noises, or do other small things that for some reason, always happens at very unopportune times.

A bogle is often confused with its many closely-related Scottish and English legendary creatures, such as the better known Boggart. It is also considered to be involved in a family called the "ballybogs". A modern rendition of the Bogle is the Bogeyman. There is also a cognate term in Scottish Gaelic, "bòcan" [A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language by Malcolm MacLennan, pub. Acair / Aberdeen University Press 1979] , usually meaning a hobgoblin, and some senses of "bodach" [A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language by Malcolm MacLennan, pub. Acair / Aberdeen University Press 1979] also bear some similarities.

There is a popular story of one such bogle known as Tatty Bogle, who would hide himself in potato fields (hence his name) and either attack unwary humans or cause blight within the patch.

Also the name of a popularly marketed line of rubberized hand puppets from Canada during the late 1980s and early 1990s representing the upper torso, hands & head of "Bogle" monsters.

ee also

* Bogeyman
* Boggart
* Wirry-cow

References