Sandman

El Hombre de la Arena o Sandman, es un personaje del folklore anglosajón que según las leyendas se encargaba de hacer dormir a las personas derramando un poco de arena en los ojos (de ahí que a veces despertemos con legañas). También era el que hacía que tuvieran sueños buenos o malos.



Hay muchos autores que han utilizado a este personaje. El primero fue Hans Christian Andersen en su cuento Ole Lukøje. Copio de wikipedia:

There is nobody in the world who knows so many stories as Ole-Luk-Oie, or who can relate them so nicely. In the evening, while the children are seated at the table or in their little chairs, he comes up the stairs very softly, for he walks in his socks, then he opens the doors without the slightest noise, and throws a small quantity of very fine dust in their eyes, just enough to prevent them from keeping them open, and so they do not see him. Then he creeps behind them, and blows softly upon their necks, till their heads begin to droop. But Ole-Luk-Oie does not wish to hurt them, for he is very fond of children, and only wants them to be quiet that he may relate to them pretty stories, and they never are quiet until they are in bed and asleep. As soon as they are asleep, Ole-Luk-Oie seats himself upon the bed. He is nicely dressed; his coat is made of silken stuff; it is impossible to say of what color, for it changes from green to red, and from red to blue as he turns from side to side. Under each arm he carries an umbrella; one of them, with pictures on the inside, he spreads over the good children, and then they dream the most beautiful stories the whole night. But the other umbrella has no pictures, and this he holds over the naughty children so that they sleep heavily, and wake in the morning without having dreamed at all.

Me hace gracia esto que dice: "But Ole-Luk-Oie does not wish to hurt them, for he is very fond of children". No me extraña que tenga que aclararlo porque alguien que entra en casa de los niños sigilosamente, se les acerca por la espalda y les sopla un polvo para hacerlos dormir me parece más un secuestrador psicópata que un simpático duendecillo. Por otro lado el asunto de los dos paraguas es también bastante inquietante. Imagina que te despiertas y te encuentras a un tipo poniéndote un paraguas negro encima de la cabeza.