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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CharengGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Meitei | Semi-hornbill, semi-human creature | 1 |
| CharybdisGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Sea monster in the form of a giant mouth | 3 |
| ChenooGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mi'kmaq/Algonquian | Giant, human-eating ice monsters; former humans who either committed terrible crime(s) or were possessed by evil spirits, turning their hearts to ice | 1 |
| ChepiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Narragansett | Ancestral spirit that instructs tribe members | — |
| CherufeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mapuche | Volcano-dwelling monster | 1 |
| Cheval GauvinGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | French | Evil horse who drowns riders, similar to kelpie | 1 |
| Cheval MalletAnimals (suggested) | French | Evil horse who runs away with travelers | 1 |
| ChibaiskwedaThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Abenaki | Ghost of an improperly buried person | 1 |
| ChichevacheGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | Human-faced cow that feeds on good women | — |
| ChickcharneyGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Bahamian | Bird-mammal hybrid | — |
| ChimaeraGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Lion-goat-snake hybrid | 3 |
| ChimimōryōSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Chinese/Japanese | Spirits of mountains and rivers | 6 |
| ChindiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Navajo | Vengeful ghost that causes dust devils | 1 |
| ChintheGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Burmese | Temple-guarding feline, similar to Chinese Shi and Japanese Shisa | 1 |
| ChitauliGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Zulu | Human-lizard hybrid | 1 |
| Chōchin'obakePersonified nature and animated objects (suggested) | Japanese | Animated paper lantern | 5 |
| CholGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Biblical mythology | Regenerative bird | 1 |
| ChollimaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Korean | Supernaturally fast horse | 1 |
| ChonchonGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mapuche | Disembodied, flying head | 1 |
| ChoorileThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Guyanese | Ghost of a woman that died in childbirth | — |
| ChortSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Malign spirit or demon | 27 |
| ChromandiHumans (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Hairy savage with dog teeth | — |
| ChrysaorGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Giant son of the gorgon Medusa | 3 |
| ChrysomallusGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek mythology | Golden winged ram | 3 |
| ChukwaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Hindu | Giant turtle that supports the world | — |
| ChullachakiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| ChupacabraGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Latin America | Cryptid beast named for its habit of sucking the blood of livestock | — |
| Church grimSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Guardian spirit | 15 |
| ChurelThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Hindu | Vampiric, female ghost | — |
| ChutSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Belarusian | Household spirit | — |
| CiguapaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Dominican Republic | Malevolent seductress | — |
| CihuateteoDivine and sacred beings (suggested)The dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Aztec | Ghost of women that died in childbirth | 1 |
| CikavacGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Serbian | Bird that serves its owner | — |
| Cinnamon birdGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Giant bird that makes its nest out of cinnamon | — |
| CipactliGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Aztec | Sea monster, crocodile-fish hybrid | 1 |
| CipitioSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Salvadoran folklore | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Cirein cròinGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Sea serpent | 1 |
| CoblynauSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Welsh | Little people and mine spirits | 1 |
| CockatriceGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Chicken-lizard hybrid | — |
| CofgodDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | English | Cove god | 2 |
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