Black Heart

[Graphixmeister]

I remember as a kid growing up in Jamaica how stories about 'Black Heart,' the supposed demon who would surface from Hell to abduct children and take them back to the underworld as slaves, would scare me. Now in adulthood, I have a more than passing need to write a novel on the subject matter. Does anyone know the exact origination of this tale? I understand it was brought over from Africa by the slaves in the Middle Passage. I'm assuming these people were from the Ashanti tribe as it is well known these are the ancestors of Jamaicans. So, I'm assuming the tale can be traced back to Gambia, Nigeria and these African countries where our ancestors originally lived. Can someone offer some solid advice? Thanks in advance.