Resources · Creatures, spirits & other beings
Folklore Dictionary
Meet the beings of folklore: explore their names, descriptions and associated traditions, from familiar creatures to less familiar inhabitants of the otherworld.
1,598 reference entries · Browse A–Z or explore by place
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Creature coverage
Zoom or move the map, then choose “Filter to this area” to list creatures with a tradition location in that view. You can combine this with a character family or a search term.
Creatures associated with a tradition
57 creatures at 87 tradition locations · 41 without tradition coordinates
Markers use tradition coordinates linked through source names, recorded aliases, language groups or reviewed associations. Language-group links show cultural context, rather than verified creature occurrences in every tradition. Creatures sharing a location are grouped; select a marker to see their names. Counts cover all matching entries across every results page.
Use the location filter or the list below to browse associated places.
Browse associated places without the map
- Anambe (2)
- Ancient Egypt, Egyptian (1)
- Ancient Greece (17)
- Asurini, Parakana; Arawete (2)
- Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography (3)
- Belarus (1)
- Bosnia Muslims (1)
- Bosnians (1)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (1)
- Burmese, Intha (1)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (1)
- Central America (1)
- Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal) (1)
- China (1)
- Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan (2)
- Chontal (2)
- Chorti (2)
- Colombia (1)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (1)
- Czech, Czechs (1)
- Danes, Danish (1)
- Dutch, Flemish (1)
- Early Russian written sources (1)
- Eastern Ukrainians (1)
- Egypt (1)
- England (1)
- England, British, Bretons (2)
- Europe (1)
- Faroe Islands (1)
- France (2)
- France (2)
- Frisians (1)
- Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen (1)
- Germans: Northeast (Brandenburg, Meklenburg, Rügen, Pommern, Silesia, Posen) (1)
- Germans: South (Upper German dialects): Alsace (Elsass), Baden-Württemberg, Bawaria, Swabia, Switzerland, Bohemia, Sudeten, Austria (1)
- Germans – Southwest: Alsace (Elsass), Baden-Württemberg, Swabia, Switzerland (1)
- Greece (17)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (17)
- Greeks of Cyprus (17)
- Guyana (2)
- Huastec (Teenek) (2)
- Icelanders (1)
- India (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Ireland (2)
- Japan (2)
- Japan (1)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (2)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (2)
- Kashubians (1)
- Kekchi; Mopan (2)
- Korea (1)
- Koreans (1)
- Lacandon (2)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (1)
- Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec (2)
- Mapuche (3)
- Micmac (1)
- Myanmar (1)
- Navajo (1)
- Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong (2)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (2)
- Northern Ukrainians (1)
- Norwegians (1)
- Old and New Testament (1)
- Persians (1)
- Poles (1)
- Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam (2)
- Romania (1)
- Russian Pomors ("seasiders"): Lower Pechora (1)
- Russian Pomors ('seasiders'): Terski Coast (Murmansk province) (1)
- Russian Pomors (“seasiders): Arkhangelsk province without its southern part (Shengur district and Konosha dstrict), Karelia White Sea coast (1)
- Russians: Central part of ethnic territory as in A.D. 1500 (Tver, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Kostroma, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk provinces; in case of absence in other areas also Russians in Vyatka, Perm, Kazan provinces) (1)
- Russians: Novgorod and Pskov provinces (1)
- Russians: Olonets province/SE Karelia, Shengur district of Arkhangelsk province (1)
- Russians: Southern part of ethnic territory as in A.D. 1500 (Belgorod, Voronezh, Tambov, Penza, Lipetsk, Orel, Kursk, Bryansk provinces; in case of absence in other areas also Russians in Samara, Simbirsk and Saratov provinces) (1)
- Russians: Vologda province (incl. Belozersk, Kirillov and Cherepovets districts of form. Novgorod Province) (1)
- Rusyns, Hutsuls (1)
- Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia) (1)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (7)
- Serbia (1)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (1)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (1)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (2)
- Swedes (1)
- Tapirape (2)
- Tenetehara (2)
- Terek Cossacks (1)
- Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec (2)
- Transylvanian Saksons (1)
- Tupinamba (2)
- Tzeltal (2)
- Tzotzil (2)
- Tzutujil (2)
- Urubu (Urubu-Kaapor) (2)
- Wales (5)
- Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot (1)
- Western Ukrainians (1)
- Yucatec, Itza (2)
- Zulu, Swazi (1)
Browse the dictionary
98 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| CabeiriDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Greek | Smith and wine spirit | 3 |
| CacusGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Roman | Fire-breathing giant | — |
| CadejoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Central America | Cow-sized dog-goat hybrid | — |
| CailleachDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Scottish | Divine creator and weather deity hag | 1 |
| CaiporaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Tupi | Fox-human hybrid and nature spirit | 6 |
| CaladriusGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | White bird that can foretell if a sick person will recover or die | — |
| CalingiHumans (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Humanoid with an eight-year lifespan | — |
| CallitrixAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Apes who always bear twins, one the mother loves, the other it hates | — |
| Calydonian BoarGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Giant, chthonic boar | 3 |
| CalygreyhoundGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Heraldic | Wildcat-deer/antelope-eagle-ox-lion hybrid | — |
| CamahuetoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Chilota | One-horned calf | — |
| CamazotzSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Mayan | Underworld bat spirit | 14 |
| CambionSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Medieval folklore | Offspring of a human and an incubus or succubus | — |
| CampeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Dragon-human-scorpion hybrid | 3 |
| CamulatzGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mayan | Bird that ate the heads of the first men | 14 |
| CanaimaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Guyanese | Were-jaguar | — |
| CandilejaThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Colombian | Spectral, fiery hag | — |
| CanotilaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Lakota | Little people and tree spirits | — |
| CaoineagSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Death spirit (a particular type of Banshee/Bean Sídhe) | 1 |
| CăpcăunGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Romanian | Large, monstrous humanoid | — |
| CarbuncleGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Latin America | Small creature with a jewel on its head | — |
| Cath PalugGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Welsh | Monstrous cat | 1 |
| CatoblepasGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Scaled buffalo-hog hybrid | — |
| Cat SidheSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Fairy cat | 1 |
| CeasgSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Benevolent Scottish mermaids | 1 |
| Ceffyl DŵrSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Welsh | Malevolent water horse | 1 |
| CentaurGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Human-horse hybrid | 3 |
| CenticoreGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Indian | Horse-Antelope-Lion-Bear hybrid | — |
| CerastesAnimals (suggested) | Greek | Extremely flexible, horned snake | 3 |
| CerberusAnimals (suggested) | Greek | Three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the underworld | 3 |
| CercopesSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | Mischievous forest spirit | 3 |
| CericopithicusAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Apes who always bear twins, one the mother loves, the other it hates | — |
| Ceryneian Hind | Greek | Hind with golden antlers and bronze or brass hooves | 3 |
| CetusGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Large sea monster | 3 |
| ChakoraAnimals (suggested) | Hindu | Lunar bird | — |
| ChalkydriAnimals (suggested)Divine and sacred beings (suggested) | Apocryphal writings | Angelic birds | — |
| ChamroshGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Persian | Dog-bird hybrid | 1 |
| ChanequeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Aztec | Little people and nature spirits | 1 |
| ChangelingSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | European | Humanoid child (fairy, elf, troll, etc.) substituted for a kidnapped human child | — |
| ČhápaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Lakota | Beaver spirit | — |
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