Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Bodaich, Bodach Glas, Old Grey Man
Category: Forest Dweller
The Myth
The Bodach is a mysterious, frightening old man who appears in Scottish mythology as a trickster and bogeyman. He is often imagined as a sinister, ragged figure whose appearance inspires fear and distrust. In some tales, he wears old, striped clothing beneath a worn cloak, with his ears sticking through the fabric and water splashing from his shoes. He may carry a sword projecting from behind him and hold three blackened holly spears in his hand. His strange, disheveled appearance makes him seem both comical and threatening, concealing a cunning nature beneath his shabby exterior.
The Bodach is particularly feared as a kidnapper of naughty children. According to Scottish tales, he comes down the chimney at night to seize children who misbehave, carrying them away as punishment. Parents use stories of the Bodach to frighten children into obedience, warning them that the old man may appear if they refuse to behave. The creature is also associated with trickery and deception, sometimes attempting to confuse people with riddles or lure them into dangerous situations.
A particularly ominous form is the Bodach Glas, or Old Grey Man, whose appearance foretells death. Those who encounter him may receive a warning of their impending doom. In one tale, a mysterious Bodach attempts to trick a traveller with a riddle, hoping to approach him and steal his money. The Bodach is also associated in some stories with Manannán mac Lir, a supernatural figure who disguises himself as a ragged, peculiar old man. Whether appearing as a child-stealing bogeyman, a cunning trickster, or a harbinger of death, the Bodach embodies the frightening uncertainty of encounters with mysterious strangers and supernatural beings.
Sources
“Bodach.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodach