El Coco — The Boogeyman of the Spanish-Speaking World
El Coco, also known as El Coco Man or El Hombre del Costal (the Sack Man), is a bogeyman figure used throughout the Spanish-speaking world to frighten children into good behavior. The figure likely has Moorish origins, derived from the Arabic word for 'fear.' In the Mexican-American and Chicano communities of the Southwest, El Coco is described as a dark, shadowy creature with glowing red eyes who hides in closets, under beds, or in dark corners. Parents warn children: 'Duérmete mi niño, duérmete mi sol, si no viene el Coco y te come el dedo gordo del pie' (Sleep my child, sleep my sun, or the