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
75 creatures at 94 tradition locations · 59 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
- Albania (2)
- Albanians, Balkarians (2)
- Anatolia Turks (1)
- Ancient Egypt, Egyptian (1)
- Ancient Greece (6)
- Astrakhan Tatars, Karagash Nogai (1)
- Azeris (Azerbaijanis) (1)
- Bashkirs (1)
- Batak (Toba, Dairi) (1)
- Bosnia Muslims (8)
- Bosnians (8)
- Brazil (1)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (8)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (8)
- Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal) (1)
- Central Yakuts (Sakha) (1)
- Cherokee (1)
- China (5)
- Choctaw, Chicasaw (1)
- Chulym Turks (1)
- Chuvash (1)
- Crimean Tatars, Karaims (1)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (8)
- Czech, Czechs (8)
- Danes, Danish (1)
- Dolgans (1)
- Early Russian written sources (8)
- Eastern Ukrainians (8)
- Egypt (1)
- England (3)
- England, British, Bretons (3)
- Faroe Islands (2)
- Finland (1)
- Finns (1)
- Gagauz (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 (2)
- Greece (6)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (6)
- Greeks of Cyprus (6)
- Hittite, Hurrit (2)
- Icelanders (2)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Japan (31)
- Japan (31)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (31)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (31)
- Karachays, Balkar (1)
- Kara Kalpak (1)
- Kashubians (8)
- Kazakh (1)
- Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars (1)
- Khakas (1)
- Khwarezm Uzbek; Turkic written tradition from Kök Orda (1)
- Kirghiz (1)
- Kumyk, Terekemen (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (8)
- Nogai (1)
- Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins (1)
- Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians (1)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (31)
- Northern Ukrainians (8)
- Northwestern Yakuts (Sakha): Yessey, Anabar, Olenyok and Lower Lena Basins (1)
- Norwegians (1)
- People's Republic of China (5)
- Persians (2)
- Philippines (3)
- Philippines (3)
- Poland (1)
- Poles (9)
- Romania (3)
- Russian Pomors ("seasiders"): Lower Pechora (8)
- Russian Pomors ('seasiders'): Terski Coast (Murmansk province) (8)
- Russian Pomors (“seasiders): Arkhangelsk province without its southern part (Shengur district and Konosha dstrict), Karelia White Sea coast (8)
- 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) (8)
- Russians: Novgorod and Pskov provinces (8)
- Russians: Olonets province/SE Karelia, Shengur district of Arkhangelsk province (8)
- 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) (8)
- Russians: Vologda province (incl. Belozersk, Kirillov and Cherepovets districts of form. Novgorod Province) (8)
- Rusyns, Hutsuls (8)
- Salars (1)
- Scandinavia (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 (3)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (8)
- Shor (1)
- Siberian Tatars (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (8)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (8)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (8)
- Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians (1)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (31)
- Stavropol Turkmen (recent migrants from Mangyshlak Peninsular) (1)
- Swedes (1)
- Terek Cossacks (8)
- Tofa (Karagas) (1)
- Trinidad and Tobago (1)
- Turkmen (1)
- Tuvinians of Monglian Altai (1)
- Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans (1)
- Uyghur (1)
- Uzbek (1)
- Venezuela (1)
- Venezuela (1)
- Western Ukrainians (8)
- Western Yakuts (Sakha): Olekma and Vilyuy Basins (1)
- Yugur (Sarïg Yogïr, Yellow Uyghur) (1)
Browse the dictionary
134 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaciSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Brazilian | One-legged nature spirit | — |
| Sack Man | Worldwide | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| SagariAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Horse head that dangles from trees on Kyūshū | 5 |
| Sakabashira | Japanese | Haunted pillar, installed upside-down | 5 |
| Salamander | Alchemy | Fire elemental | — |
| Samebito | Japanese | Shark-man servant of the dragon king of the sea | 5 |
| SamodivaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Nature spirit | 27 |
| SampatiDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Hindu | The demigod Jatayu's brother | — |
| SandmanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Northern Europe | Nursery spirit that induces sleep in children | — |
| Sango | South Western Nigeria | Yoruba king of arts, music, dance and entertainment | — |
| Santa ClausHumans (suggested) | North Pole-European folklore | Elderly man who delivers gifts to well-behaved children on the night of Christmas Eve | — |
| SantelmoSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Philippine | Spirits in the form of fireballs that roam around the forest | 1 |
| SânzianăSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Romanian | Nature spirit | — |
| SarimanokAnimals (suggested) | Philippine | Bird of good fortune | 1 |
| SarngikaAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Hindu | Bird spirit | — |
| SarugamiAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Wicked monkey spirit who was defeated by a dog | 5 |
| Satan | Heaven-Abrahamic mythology | Ruler of Hell | — |
| Satori | Japanese | Mind-reading humanoid | 5 |
| SatyrSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Human-goat hybrid and fertility spirit | 3 |
| SatyrusAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiary | Apes who always bear twins, one the mother loves, the other it hates | — |
| SayonaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Venezuela | Vengeful spirit | 1 |
| Sazae-oniSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Shapeshifting turban snail spirit | 5 |
| SceadugengaThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | English | Shapeshifting undead | 2 |
| SchratSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | German and Slavic | Either a wood sprite, domestic sprite and/or a nightmare demon | 28 |
| ScitalisAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Snake which mesmerizes its prey | — |
| Scorpion ManGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Sumerian | Human-scorpion hybrid | 1 |
| ScyllaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Human-snake hybrid with a snake's tail, twelve legs, and six long-necked snake heads | 3 |
| Sea-lion | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Sea-WyvernGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Heraldic | Fish-tailed wyvern | — |
| Sea monk | Medieval folklore | Fish-like humanoid | — |
| Sea monsterGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Giant, marine animals | — |
| Sea serpentGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Serpentine sea monster | — |
| SekoSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Water spirit which can be heard making merry at night | 5 |
| SelkieGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish | Human-seal shapeshifter | 4 |
| Senbiki OkamiAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Not specified | Wolf spirits | — |
| Senpoku-KanpokuGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Human-faced frog which guides newly deceased souls to the graveyard | 5 |
| SepsAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Snake with corrosive venom | — |
| SerpentAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Worldwide | Snake spirit | — |
| SerpopardGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Ancient Egypt | Serpent-leopard hybrid | 1 |
| ShachihokoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Tiger-carp hybrid | 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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