What is the story behind Quebec's "7 o'clock man"?

Question

What is the story behind Quebec's "7 o'clock man"?

Question #69308. Asked by zbeckabee.

peasypod
Answer has 3 votes

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peasypod
21 year member
3273 replies

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

"The Bonhomme Sept-Heures (7 o'clock man) is said to visit houses around 7 o'clock to take misbehaving children who will not go to bed back to his cave where he feasts on them."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogeyman

Aug 04 2006, 7:43 PM

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Answer 1

CaroSun
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CaroSun
19 year member
17 replies

Answer has 2 votes.

7 o'clock men for us in Quebec is the equivalent of Boogeyman for you!

Aug 04 2006, 7:51 PM

Answer 2

cromulence
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cromulence

Answer has 2 votes.

Apparently, the term comes from the English word "bone-setter" which was francicized into "bonhomme sept-heures".

Feb 25 2007, 10:27 PM

Answer 3

Baloo55th
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Baloo55th
22 year member
4545 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Some etymologies agree, but others see it as not being of English origin - even linking it to similar forms in Brittany.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonhomme_sept-heures

Feb 26 2007, 12:43 PM