The bauchan (
Scottish: ''bòcan''
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
: ''bauchan'', ''buckawn'' or ''bogan''
[) is a type of domestic ]hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, typically appearing in folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his ''A Midsummer Nigh ...
in Scottish folklore
Scottish folklore (Scottish Gaelic: ''Beul-aithris na h-Alba'') encompasses the folklore of the Scottish people from their earliest records until today. Folklorists, both academic and amateur, have published a variety of works focused specifically ...
. It is often mischievous and sometimes dangerous, but is also very helpful when the need arises.[Briggs, Katharine (1976). ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies''. Pantheon Books. p. 19. .]
Folklore
John Francis Campbell
John Francis Campbell (Scottish Gaelic: Iain Frangan Caimbeul; Islay, 29 December 1821 – Cannes, 17 February 1885), also known as Young John of Islay (Scottish Gaelic: Iain Òg Ìle) was a Scottish author and scholar who specialised i ...
in his ''Popular Tales of the West Highlands
''Popular Tales of the West Highlands'' is a four-volume collection of fairy tales, collected and published by John Francis Campbell, and often translated from Gaelic. Alexander Carmichael was one of the main contributors. The collection in four ...
'' tells the story of Callum Mor MacIntosh whose farm in Lochaber
Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation ...
was haunted by a bauchan. The relationship between Callum and the bauchan was noted as being contradictory in nature. While the bauchan was belligerent and combative, he often provided assistance in various farm-related tasks. When Callum emigrated to New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
the bauchan went with him and helped him clear his new plot of land. In this tale the bauchan is a shapeshifter and is able to transform into a goat.
Fiction
The character "Buckeye" is a bauchan in the fantasy novel ''The Haunted Wizard'' (1999) by Christopher Stasheff.
See also
*Brownie (folklore), Brownie
*Wild man
References
{{Fairies
Fairies
Hobgoblins
Scottish folklore
Scottish legendary creatures