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
21 creatures at 43 tradition locations · 14 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
- Basques (1)
- Bosnia Muslims (1)
- Bosnians (1)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (1)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (1)
- China (5)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (1)
- Czech, Czechs (1)
- Early Russian written sources (1)
- Eastern Ukrainians (1)
- England (1)
- England, British, Bretons (1)
- Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga) (1)
- Guyana (1)
- Japan (4)
- Japan (4)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (4)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (4)
- Kashubians (1)
- Korea (1)
- Koreans (1)
- Lithuania (1)
- Lithuanians (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (1)
- Micmac (2)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (4)
- Northern Ukrainians (1)
- Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria (1)
- People's Republic of China (5)
- Poland (1)
- Poles (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)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (1)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (1)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (4)
- Sweden (1)
- Swedes (1)
- Terek Cossacks (1)
- Tuareg (1)
- Western Ukrainians (1)
Browse the dictionary
35 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack-In-IronsGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Malevolent giant | 2 |
| Jack-o'-lantern | Medieval folklore | Vegetal lantern | — |
| JackalopeAnimals (suggested) | American | Rabbit with antlers | — |
| Jack FrostPersonified nature and animated objects (suggested) | Not specified | Personified of ice, winter and snow | — |
| JaculusAnimals (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Winged serpent or small dragon | — |
| Jake the Alligator ManGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | American | Alligator human hybrid. | — |
| JaroszekSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Polish | Field Demon | 1 |
| JasconiusAnimals (suggested) | Medieval folklore | Island-sized fish | — |
| Jasy Jaterei | Guaraní | Nature guardian and bogeyman | — |
| JatayuDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Hindu mythology | Vulture demigod | — |
| Jaud | Slavic | Vampirised premature baby | 27 |
| JenglotSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Java | Vampiric little people | 1 |
| JenguSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Sawa | Water spirit | — |
| JentilGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Basque | Megalith-building giant | 1 |
| JenuGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Mi'kmaq | Anthropophagous giant | 1 |
| JerffGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Swedish | Gluttonous dog-cat-fox hybrid | 1 |
| Jersey DevilSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | American | Demonic dragon or flying demon who was given birth to by an American living in New Jersey | — |
| JianAnimals (suggested) | Chinese | One-eyed, one-winged bird who requires a mate for survival | 1 |
| JiangshiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Chinese | Life-draining, reanimated corpse | 1 |
| JiaolongGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Chinese | Dragon | 1 |
| JibakureiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Spirit that protects a specific place | 5 |
| JievarasSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Lithuanian | House spirit | 1 |
| JikininkiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Corpse-eating ghost | 5 |
| JinnSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Arabian, Islamic | Spiritual creatures; genii | — |
| Jipijka'mAnimals (suggested) | Mi'kmaq | Underwater horned snake; lives in lakes and eats humans | 1 |
| JiufengAnimals (suggested) | Chinese | Nine-headed bird worshiped by ancient natives in Hubei Province. | 1 |
| Jiu tou niaoAnimals (suggested) | Chinese | Nine-headed, demonic bird | 1 |
| JobarGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Tuareg | Giant carnivorous monster. | 1 |
| JogahSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Haudenosaunee | Little people nature spirit | 1 |
| JörmungandrAnimals (suggested) | Norse | Sea serpent | — |
| Jorōgumo | Japanese | Spider woman | 5 |
| Jotai | Japanese | Animated folding screen cloth | 5 |
| JötunnSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Norse | Gigantic nature spirits | — |
| JujakAnimals (suggested) | Korean | Bird | 1 |
| JumbeeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Guyanese | Malevolent spirit | — |
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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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