A boggart is a type of malevolent fairy originating from English folklore. These creatures are said to inhabit caverns or swamps, but others take up residence in human households, always remaining out of sight and causing mischief around the house. Such antics include moving or breaking objects, causing pets to fall ill and milk to go sour. Other more evil activities practiced by outdoor-dwelling boggarts include frightening travellers and kidnapping children. In fact, the bogeyman is said to be based upon the legends surrounding boggarts.
Background[]
Household boggarts are malicious pests, creating all kinds of havoc within a home. One such activity boggarts are prone to is climbing into a person's bed whilst they are sleeping and molesting them in various ways, such as placing their clammy hands over a person's face or pulling their ears. Boggarts can supposedly be warded off by hanging a horseshoe over a bedroom door and placing a pile of salt outside the room.
According to some old tales, boggarts were once helpful house spirits known as brownies, but were turned into these vile creatures after receiving poor treatment from humans.
Appearance[]
Depictions of boggarts tend to vary significantly from source to source, but most describe them as looking like short, ugly humanoids. T. Sternberg's 1851 book Dialect and Folk-lore of Northhamptonshire describes a certain boggart as "a squat hairy man, strong as a six year old horse, and with arms almost as long as tacklepoles".
Other depictions of boggarts describe them as looking more animalistic, sporting various traits from different animals. Others still describe them as looking rather demonic, even matching classic interpretations of the Devil, sporting horns and goat-like legs.
Examples of boggarts[]
- Boggle - From C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.
- Boggart (Harry Potter)
- Boggart (The Spook's Apprentice)
- Boggart (Magic: The Gathering)