Page 42 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Jan-Feb 2018, Vol 27, No 1

42 Ghosts From A - Z

Ghosts From A to Z

‘X’ Chronicles Staff

“Ali the Cairene and the Haunted House in
Baghdad”: One of several ghost stories told in
One Thousand and One Nights, Ali the trader
spends the night in a notorious haunted house…
where the jinn end up being pretty cool, actually.

Annie Sawyer (Being Human, BBC): On of
the three original protagonists on Being Human,
along with George (a werewolf) and Mitchell (a
vampire), Annie struggles to piece together the
events leading to her untimely death, and to deal
with her newfound ghostly status, with all its
new abilities and unfortunate shortcomings.

Banquo (Macbeth): Murdered on Macbeth’s
orders, noble Banquo’s ghost appears at a feast,
causing quite a scene. The historical Banquo
was thought to be an ancestor of James I, which
colored his depiction in Shakespeare’s play.

Bob, aka Hrothbert of Bainbridge (The
Dresden Files): In the Dresden novels, Bob is a
“spirit of intellect” who assists Harry Dresden
with magical tasks. On the television series, Bob up with Betelgeuse. Or the Candyman. Everybody knows these guys: the three spirits
is more of a presence (played rather sassily by The Candyman (Candyman): In life, the who take their respective turns with miserly
Terrence Mann) as Dresden’s close friend and Candyman was the son of a slave who became a Ebenezer Scrooge in order to show him the error
ghostly sidekick. well-known artist; when he fell in love with a of his ways. In Dickens’ original novella, The
white woman, an angry mob cut off his hand, Ghost of Christmas Past is an androgynous spirit
Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice): The Ghost with the replacing it with a hook, smeared him with who shows Scrooge his old boarding school
Most. honey, and watched as he was stung to death by days and his treatment of his former fiancée,
bees. According to the film’s urban legend, he Belle. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a
Boo Berry (General Mills Monster Cereal): can be summoned by saying his name five times festive party giant who takes Scrooge around the
Ghostly cereal-hawking mascot, often appearing in a mirror, but since we’re talking about Tony city, peeking in on the Cratchits and revealing
in conjunction with Count Chocula and Franken Todd with a hook-hand, it’s not recommended. the emaciated personifications of Ignorance and
Berry; former associate of Fruit Brute and Fruity Want. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a
Yummy Mummy (both discontinued. RIP). The Canterville Ghost (“The Canterville fearsome, black-robed spirit who shows Scrooge
Powers include impersonating Peter Lorre as a Ghost”): Oscar Wilde’s first published short the aftermath of his own death, as well as Tiny
ghost, pretending that fake blueberry flavoring story tells the humorous tale of a modern Tim’s, finally pushing him to a moment of
isn’t gross. American family who move into an old English epiphany and transformation.
country house haunted by the titular character,
Mr. Boogedy (Mr. Boogedy): The star of a Sir Simon. Simon undertakes a dramatic Cihuateteo (Aztec mythology): The ancient
surprisingly unsettling late-80s Disney movie, haunting of The Otises, but unfortunately, the Aztecs regarded childbirth as a form of battle, so
Mr. Boogedy is the ghost of cranky pilgrim who family remains sunny, pragmatic, and women who died giving birth were honored as
sold his soul to Satan for a magic cloak, and unimpressed with his efforts at horrifying them. fallen warriors. In death, they became the
ends up haunting David Faustino and Kristy A wonderful story, which has inspired multiple fearsome Cihuateteo, known for haunting
Swanson, for some reason. movie versions (with another one slated for crossroads, causing sickness and madness, and
2014). stealing children. Do not get on their bad side.
Bogle / Boggle / Bogill (Scottish / English
folklore): Goblin-esque ghostly beings who Casper the Friendly Ghost (Cartoons / Dr. Malcolm Crowe (The Sixth Sense): Child
delight in messing with humans, usually to comics): Starting out in (some oddly dark) psychologist played by Bruce Willis, and…
annoy, perplex, or simply frighten (rather than animated cartoons in the mid-40s, Casper has what? You haven’t seen The Sixth Sense? But
inflicting serious harm). For example, “Tatty been through various incarnations in serial it’s been out for 13 years!!! Okay, okay: fine.
Bogle” would hide in potato fields and cause cartoons, comic books, and TV, with a live- SPOILERS. Just forget we said anything.
blight, when not attacking unsuspecting action film in 1995. Casper’s backstory has
humans. Hilarious! changed a bit over the years, but regardless of Clytemnestra (Greek myth/drama): One of
how he became a ghost, it seems clear that he the first ghosts to appear in a work of fiction,
Bhoot/Bhut (Indian folklore): The restless probably isn’t out to get us. Unless he’s just been Aeschylus’s Oresteia (458 BC) portrays her as a
ghost of a deceased person, usually appearing in lulling us all into a false sense of security for the scheming femme fatale who murders her
human form but with backward-facing feet. six decades. husband and is in turn killed by her son, Orestes.
Bhoots tend to appear in white, often floating Her vengeful spirit appears to spur The Furies to
above the ground or in trees, and cast no Chindi (Navajo folklore): The ghost that leaves action, urging them to torment and punish
shadow. the body with a person’s last breath, containing Orestes. Even in death, she’s not a woman to be
everything that was bad or unharmonious in trifled with…
Bloody Mary (American folklore): Other their spirit. After death, the dead person’s name
urban legends may come and go, but proud is never spoken and their remains and Elvira Condomine (Blithe Spirit): The
Mary keeps on burning. As long as there are possessions are avoided in order to avoid chindi- disruptive ghost who causes trouble for her
sleepover parties, there will be someone bold inflicted “ghost sickness.” former husband in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit.
enough to say her name three times in front of a
mirror at midnight. We should totally hook her Christmas Ghosts (A Christmas Carol): (Continued on Page 43)