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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoinchennGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Irish | Sea monster | 1 |
| Colo ColoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mapuche | Rat-bird hybrid that can shapeshift into a serpent | 1 |
| Corycian nymphsSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | Nymph of the Corycian Cave | 3 |
| Cretan BullGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Monstrous bull | 3 |
| CrinaeaeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | Fountain nymph | 3 |
| CriosphinxGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Ancient Egypt | Ram-headed sphinx | 1 |
| CrocottaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Monstrous dog-wolf | — |
| CucoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Latin America | Bogeyman | — |
| CucuySpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Latin America | Malevolent spirit | — |
| CuegleGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Cantabrian | Monstrous, three-armed humanoid | — |
| CuélebreGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Asturian and Cantabrian | Dragon | — |
| CurruidGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Irish | Sea monster | 1 |
| CurupiraSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Tupi | Nature spirit | 6 |
| Cu SithSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Gigantic fairy dog | 1 |
| Cŵn AnnwnAnimals (suggested) | Welsh | Underworld hunting dog | 1 |
| CyclopsGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | One-eyed giant | 3 |
| CyhyraethSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Welsh | Death spirit | 1 |
| CynocephalusGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Dog-headed humanoid | — |
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How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. Citation version 1.261029.1 (29 October 2026). https://folkloredatabase.com.
0009-0006-1672-4451
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