Bauk (Serbian: Баук, Serbian pronunciation: [bauk]) is an animal-like mythical creatureinSerbian mythology.[1] The bauk is described as hiding in dark places, holes, or abandoned houses, waiting to grab, carry away, and devour its victim; but it can be scared away by light and noise.[1] It has a clumsy gait (bauljanje), and its onomatopeaisbau (Serbian pronunciation: [bau]).[1]
Interpretation of the bauk's attributes leads to the conclusion that the bauk is actually a description of real bears,[1] which were already regionally extinct in some parts of Serbia and known only as legend.[1] The word "bauk" was initially used as a hypocorism.[1]
Bauk is used as the translation for goblin in Serbian editions of works of J. R. R. Tolkien, first translated by Mary and Milan Milišić.[2] Bauk is also used as the translation for the Imp in the Serbian edition of A Song of Ice and Fire series, translated by Nikola Pajvančić.[3] It's also used as the Croatian translation for Boggart in the Harry Potter book series.
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