The Boo-Hag

“Don’t let the Boo-Hag get ya!” is a saying in the South Carolina and the Georgia low country. As the legend goes, the Boo-Hag is an evil spirit who has no skin and when seen it appears as a red creature. It needs to steal someone’s skin so it can remain inconspicuous as it creeps around at night to steal people’s breath.

A Boo-Hag must steal people’s breath for substance and that’s why they search out a victim to ride all night long. It selects a victim and enters the home through a crack or hole. After a visit from a Boo-Hag a person, although having slept all night, wakes up exhausted.

If a Boo-Hag is near the air will be hot, damp and smell like rot. Beware!

To keep the evil spirit out of your house you can paint the windows and doors Haint Blue and throw down some salt. Or, some folks say, you can leave a straw broom on the porch because Boo-Hags are curious and will stop to count the bristles and they will run out of night riding time.

If you wake up and find a Boo-Hag riding your chest don’t freak out. If you struggle and fight it might steal your skin. Then what would you do? It’s best just to let the spirt suck some of the life out of you.

When you wake up tried and drained, just go make yourself one helluva big cup of coffee, get on with your day and hope the Boo-Hag don’t get ya again!

Books By JK Bovi