When you're lying in bed at night and you get that strange sensation that you're not alone, you just might be right. Superstitions from around the world tell of the boogeyman, an evil monster or spirit that terrorizes children. Legend has it that this creature can take any shape it likes to hide in a child's room, waiting for the kid to fall asleep so it can steal the victim away.
Be Nice: This monster supposedly kidnaps naughty children. It comes out only at night, however, and waits until the kids are alone in their bedrooms. The monster disappears in a flash if anyone else comes in.
Pick it Up: In some countries, people have found ways to prevent the boogeyman from stealing their kids. An offering of a bowl of milk and a piece of bread on the doorstep is said to keep this monster from troubling you. Another way is to clean up your room!
Believe in the Boogey[]

The boogeyman is said to lie in wait in graveyards.
Nobody has ever seen the boogeyman in its true form, at least nobody who has lived to tell about it. Legend has it that this monster is a master of disguise. More than just creeping from a dark closet or under the bed, the boogeyman can hide anywhere, and change its appearance to blend in. Many children from around the world claim that Mr. Boogey disguises itself as clothes in a pile of laundry or as a shadow on the wall. It almost always appears after their parents close the kids' bedroom door.
The Fear: Nobody is sure where or when the boogeyman myth began, but some think it came from parents who feared their children could be kidnapped. They might have invented this monster to scare the kids from sneaking out of their rooms at night.
Real Deal? In one actual case, a boy went into the closet to ease his brother's fears of the boogeyman. He closed the closet door, then began screaming. When his mother opened the door, the boy was gone. The police claimed he ran away from home.
Monster in the Closet[]
- A boy wakes up in the night, and is terrified to see the shadow of a monster on his wall. He tells himself that it's just a trick of the moonlight to calm himself, but then his closet begins to open.
- As the door opens, the shadows take shape and the boy sees the boogeyman walking slowly toward him. The boy is frozen with terror, but is soon able to scream for his mom and dad, who might not be able to get to his room in time!