Sack Man Facts for Kids

The Sack Man (also known as the Bag Man or Man with the Bag) is a scary character from old stories. He is like a bogeyman, often shown as a man with a big sack on his back. People say he carries away children who misbehave.

Sack Man Stories Around the World
Sack Man and Christmas Traditions
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Sack Man Stories Around the World

Stories about the Sack Man are told all over the world. You can find them especially in countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy. In these places, he might be called the vecchio col sacco (which means "the old man with the sack"). In Latin America, he is known as el hombre del saco or o homem do saco, both meaning "the sack man." Similar tales are also found in Haiti and some parts of Asia.

Stories from Spain and Latin America

In Spain, el hombre del saco is often described as a very ugly and skinny old man. People say he might eat children who are naughty.

In Brazil, o homem do saco is a tall, strong man. He often looks like someone who travels a lot and carries a sack. He is said to collect children who are disobedient.

In countries like Chile and Argentina, he is called "El Viejo del Saco" ("The old man with the bag"). This character is said to walk around neighborhoods at dinnertime. Parents might even say he can take a child who has been very disappointing. He might also take any child who isn't home by sundown.

In Honduras and Mexico, misbehaving children are told about "El Roba Chicos," which means "the child-snatcher." This character is very much like the Sack Man.

Stories from Eastern Europe and Asia

In Armenia and Georgia, children are warned about the "Bag Man." He carries a bag and kidnaps kids who do not behave well.

In Hungary, the local scary character is called the zsákos ember, which means "the person with a sack." In Poland, children are scared by the bebok or bobok, who is also a man with a sack.

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there is a similar creature called bubák. This creature is linked to darkness and scary places. It makes children afraid but usually does not take them away. Instead, the character of čert, the devil, is sometimes used to warn children.

In Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, characters like buka, Babay, or Babayka are used to make children stay in bed or stop misbehaving. 'Babay' means "old man" in the Tatar language. Children are told that "Babay" is an old man with a bag or a monster hiding under the bed. He will take them away if they are naughty.

In North India, children are sometimes told about the Bori Baba or "Father Sack." He carries a sack where he puts children he catches. A similar being, "Abu i Kees" ("The Man with a Bag"), appears in Lebanon. In Turkey, Kharqyt (also called Öcü or Torbalı) is a man with a sack. He carries naughty children away to eat or sell them.

In Korea, there is mangtae yeonggam, an old man who carries a mesh sack to put kidnapped children in. In some areas, this character is an old woman called mangtae halmeom.

In Vietnam, misbehaving children are told that ông ba bị (in the North) or ông kẹ (in the South) will come at night and take them away.

In Sri Lanka, among the Sinhalese people, elders warn children about Goni Billa. This name means "sack kidnapper." He is a scary man with a sack who comes to capture children.

Stories from Africa

In the Western Cape region of South Africa, there is a scary character called Antjie Somers. This Bogeyman catches naughty children in a bag over his shoulder. Even though the name sounds like a girl's name, Antjie Somers is usually a male character.

Sack Man and Christmas Traditions

Some countries have a version of the Sack Man that is different from the kind Father Christmas who brings gifts.

In the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (Dutch for "Black Pete") is a helper of Sinterklaas. He delivers bags of presents on December 5th. But he also takes naughty kids back to Spain in the empty bags. Some stories say that the Zwarte Piets themselves were once kidnapped children.

In Switzerland, a similar figure is called Schmutzli in German or Père Fouettard in French.

Another character, Krampus, appears in the stories of Alpine countries. He is sometimes shown with a sack or a large tub to carry children away.

In Bulgaria, children are sometimes told about a dark, monster-like person called Torbalan. His name means "Man with a sack." He will come and kidnap them with his large sack if they misbehave. He is seen as the opposite of Santa Claus (called Bulgarian: Дяdo Koleda).

In Haiti, the Tonton Macoute (meaning "Uncle Gunnysack") is a giant. He is a character similar to Father Christmas, known for taking away bad children by putting them in his knapsack.