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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrus (or Hydros)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | a water snake with various abilities | — |
| HyōsubeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | hair-covered kappa | 5 |
| HypnalisAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | snake that kills its victims in their sleep | — |
| Hồ ly tinhSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Vietnamese | nine-tailed fox spirit | 1 |
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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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