There are times when, during the course of normal events here at Greene Publishing, Inc., conversations take an often unusual turn. That was the case recently when the topic of things parents and grandparents tell young people in order to "scare" them into some desired behavior. I suppose that's not an uncommon thing, though I wonder about the effectiveness of the practice.
I had an aunt who would often tell us about the mythical "Sackman" who would come and put us in a sack and carry us away if we misbehaved. My oldest sister will still tell you of the time when she saw a man walking along the street in Greenville with an array of burlap bags (or sacks, if you will) hanging from his belt. My sister was immediately terrified and proclaimed that the "Sackman was coming!"
My grandmother told me another cautionary tale about a man who would put his fingers in his nose. This practice caused his nose to fall off and he was forced to go through the remainder of his life without a nose. She also claimed that he lived nearby. Well, in the mind of a six or seven-year old little boy, that is something that must be seen. Often, I would ask Mama Patrick, "When can we go see the man who doesn't have a nose?" Alas, I never did enjoy the opportunity to see such a sight. I have no doubt, the man actually existed. I know that Mama Patrick would not lead me astray on such a topic, but, to my dismay, I never was able to see him for myself.
In parts of Germany, Austria and other areas of Central Europe, the tale of a creature called "Krampus" is told. Krampus is a mean-looking, goat-horned fellow who carries switches with which to spank naughty children. The really bad kids are put into a sack and hauled off to the underworld. Krampus would make his rounds during the Christmas season as sort of an "Anti-Santa."
Personally, I think better results can be achieved with the promise of a nice reward, rather than the threat of some kind of punishment from Krampus or the Sackman. But, either way, I don't want to take any chances at this time of year. Afterall, Santa's watching, and so is Krampus.