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
Explore by place
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
52 creatures at 48 tradition locations · 32 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 (10)
- Australia (1)
- Basques (1)
- Brazil (1)
- Canada (1)
- Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal) (1)
- China (2)
- Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan (1)
- Chontal (1)
- Chorti (1)
- Colombia (1)
- Danes, Danish (2)
- Egypt (1)
- England (2)
- England, British, Bretons (2)
- Europe (1)
- Faroe Islands (3)
- Finland (2)
- Finns (2)
- 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)
- Germany (1)
- Greece (9)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (10)
- Greeks of Cyprus (10)
- Huastec (Teenek) (1)
- Icelanders (3)
- Japan (12)
- Japan (12)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (12)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (12)
- Kekchi; Mopan (1)
- Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara (1)
- Korea (1)
- Koreans (1)
- Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw) (1)
- Lacandon (1)
- Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken) (2)
- Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec (1)
- Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands) (1)
- Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong (1)
- Nordic countries (5)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (12)
- Norwegians (2)
- People's Republic of China (2)
- Persians (3)
- Philippines (1)
- Philippines (1)
- Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam (1)
- Scandinavia (2)
- Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia) (2)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (12)
- Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan (2)
- Swedes (2)
- Taiwan (2)
- Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec (1)
- Tzeltal (1)
- Tzotzil (1)
- Tzutujil (1)
- United States (3)
- Vietnam (1)
- Vietnam (1)
- Yucatec, Itza (1)
Browse the dictionary
84 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| HábrókAnimals (suggested) | Nordic | listed as the "best" hawk | — |
| Hades | Greek | Ruler of the Underworld | 3 |
| Hadhayosh | Persian | gigantic land animal | 1 |
| HaetaeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Korean | dog-lion hybrid | 1 |
| Hag | Many cultures worldwide | wise old woman who is usually a malevolent spirit or a disguised goddess | — |
| Hai-uriGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Khoikhoi | male cannibalistic partially invisible monster | 1 |
| HaietlikAnimals (suggested) | Nuu-chah-nulth | water serpent | — |
| Hakutaku | Japanese | talking beast which handed down knowledge on harmful spirits | 5 |
| Hākuturi | Māori | nature guardian | 1 |
| Half-elfSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Nordic | human-elf hybrid | — |
| HalloiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Sanamahism | natural maiden spirits of celestial origin | — |
| HaltijaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | spirit that protects a specific place | 1 |
| HamadryadSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | oak tree nymph | 3 |
| HamingjaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scandinavian | personal protection spirit | 6 |
| HamsaAnimals (suggested) | Buddhist, Hindu and Jainism | mystic bird | — |
| Hanau epe | Rapa Nui | long-eared humanoid | — |
| Hantu AirSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Malay | shapeshifting water spirit | 1 |
| Hantu DemonSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Philippine | demon | 1 |
| Hantu Raya | Malay | demonic servant | 1 |
| Harionago | Japanese | humanoid female with barbed, prehensile hair | 5 |
| HarpySpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | birdlike human-headed death spirit | 3 |
| HaugbúiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Nordic | undead being who lives in its burial mound | — |
| HavsråSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Nordic | saltwater spirit | — |
| Headless HorsemanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | European | humanoid spirit who haunts or kills | — |
| Headless Mule | Brazilian | fire-spewing, headless, spectral mule | — |
| HecatonchiresGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | primordial giants with 100 hands and fifty heads | 3 |
| Heikegani | Japanese | crabs with human-faced shells, the spirits of warriors killed in the Battle of Dan-no-ura | 5 |
| HeinzelmännchenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | German | household spirit | 1 |
| Hejkal | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| HeleadSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | fen nymph | 3 |
| HellhoundAnimals (suggested) | Many cultures worldwide | underworld dog | — |
| Helloi | Meitei mythology | celestial maidens, daughters of the Sky God Salailen | 1 |
| Heracles | Greek | gatekeeper of Olympus | 3 |
| HerciniaAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | glowing bird | — |
| HerensugeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Basque | dragon | 1 |
| HesperidesSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Greek | nymph daughters of Atlas | 3 |
| Hidebehind | United States | nocturnal forest creature | 1 |
| HiderigamiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | drought spirit | 5 |
| HieracosphinxGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Ancient Egypt | falcon-headed sphinx | 1 |
| HihiGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | baboon monster | 5 |
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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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