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
36 creatures at 65 tradition locations · 34 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
- Ancient Egypt, Egyptian (1)
- Ancient Greece (4)
- Basques (2)
- Bosnia Muslims (1)
- Bosnians (1)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (1)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (1)
- China (2)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (1)
- Czech, Czechs (1)
- Danes, Danish (3)
- Dutch, Flemish (1)
- Early Russian written sources (1)
- Eastern Ukrainians (1)
- Egypt (1)
- England (3)
- England, British, Bretons (4)
- Faroe Islands (3)
- Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga) (1)
- France (1)
- France (1)
- 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 (4)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (4)
- Greeks of Cyprus (4)
- Hittite, Hurrit (1)
- Icelanders (3)
- Iranian literary tradition (including Avesta, Pahlevi scripts, Sah-nameh, Marzban-nameh); Zoroastrians of Iran, Indian Parsees, Zoroastrianism (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Japan (5)
- Japan (5)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (5)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (5)
- Kashubians (1)
- Korea (1)
- Koreans (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (1)
- Mapuche (1)
- Nepal (1)
- Nepali; Tharu (1)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (5)
- Northern Ukrainians (1)
- Norwegians (3)
- People's Republic of China (2)
- Poles (1)
- Russia (2)
- Russian Federation (2)
- 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)
- Scandinavia (1)
- Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia) (3)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (4)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (1)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (1)
- South Africa (1)
- South Africa (1)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (5)
- Swedes (3)
- Terek Cossacks (1)
- Transylvanian Saksons (1)
- Wales (2)
- Western Ukrainians (1)
Browse the dictionary
70 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| GaasyendiethaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Seneca | Dragon | 1 |
| GaganaAnimals (suggested) | Russian | Iron-beaked bird with copper talons | 1 |
| GakiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Ghosts of especially greedy people | 5 |
| GalluSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Mesopotamian | Underworld demons | — |
| Galtzagorriak | Basque | Small demonic servants | 1 |
| GamayunGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Russian | Prophetic human-headed bird | 1 |
| Gana | Hindu | Attendants of Shiva | — |
| GancanaghSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Irish | Male fairy that seduces human women | 1 |
| GandabherundaAnimals (suggested) | Hindu | Double-headed bird | — |
| GandharvaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Hindu | Male nature spirits, often depicted as part human, part animal | — |
| Gaokerena | Zoroastrianism | Mythic plant | 1 |
| GargouilleGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | French | Water dragon | 1 |
| Garkain | Australian Aboriginal | Flying humanoid who envelops his victims | — |
| GarmrGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Norse | Giant, ravenous hound | — |
| GarudaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Hindu | Human-eagle hybrid | — |
| GashadokuroGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Giant malevolent skeletons | 5 |
| GauekoAnimals (suggested) | Basque | Wolf capable of walking upright | 1 |
| GebDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Egyptian | God of the Earth, married to Nut | 1 |
| GedAnimals (suggested) | Heraldic | The fish pike | — |
| GegeneesGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Six-armed giant | 3 |
| Genius lociSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Roman | Spirit that protects a specific place | — |
| GermanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Male spirit associated with bringing rain and hail | 27 |
| GeryonGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Three-headed six-armed giant with three torsos and (in some sources) six legs | 3 |
| Ghillie Dhu | Scottish | Tree guardian | 1 |
| GhostSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)The dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Worldwide | Disembodied spirits of those that have died | — |
| Ghost ridersThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| GhoulSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)The dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Arabian | Cannibalistic shapeshifting desert genie often classified as undead. | — |
| GiantGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Immensely large and strong humanoids | — |
| Giant animalGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Unusually large beasts | — |
| Gichi-anami'e-bizhiwSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Ojibwa | Bison-snake-bird-cougar hybrid water spirit | — |
| GidimThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Sumerian | Ghost | 1 |
| Gigantes | Greek | Race of giants that fought the Olympian gods, sometimes depicted with snake-legs | 3 |
| Gigelorum | Scottish | Smallest animal | 1 |
| GirtabliluGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Akkadian | Human-scorpion hybrid | — |
| GjengangerThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Scandinavian | Corporeal ghost | 6 |
| GlaistigGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Human-goat hybrid | 1 |
| GlashtynAnimals (suggested) | Manx | Malevolent water horse | — |
| GnomeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Alchemy | Diminutive Earth elemental | — |
| GoblinSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Medieval | Grotesque, mischievous little people | — |
| GogGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Giant protector of London | 2 |
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How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. Citation version 1.261028.1 (28 October 2026). https://folkloredatabase.com.
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