Stuff of nightmares

In Eastern Mediterranean countries like Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Egypt and Israel, a fearsome foe haunts the night. Known only as ‘L’uomo Nero’, he’s dressed entirely in black with a large hood or hat that covers his face, and prowls around looking explicitly for naughty children who disobey their parents. He kidnaps them – but instead of eating them, as is the case in myths similar to this one from all round the world, he simply whisks them away to live with him in his dark, scary lair for a whole year! As yet, though, no kids have returned to say whether this is a good thing or a bad thing!