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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ŠišigaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| SisiutlGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | American Indian | Two-headed sea serpent | — |
| SjöråSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Norse | Freshwater spirit | — |
| SjövættirSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Norse | Sea spirit | — |
| SkeletonThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Medieval folklore | Living skeletons | — |
| Skin-walkerHumans (suggested) | American Indian | Animal-human shapeshifter | — |
| SkogsråSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scandinavian | Forest spirit | 6 |
| SköllGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Norse | Wolf that chases the Sun | — |
| SkookumGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Chinook Jargon | Hairy giant | — |
| SkrzakSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Household spirit | 27 |
| Sky WomenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Polish | Weather spirit | 1 |
| Slavic dragonGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| SleipnirGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Norse | Eight-legged horse | — |
| SluaghThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Irish and Scottish | Restless ghost | 2 |
| Snow LionGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Tibetan | Celestial animal | 1 |
| Sodehiki-kozōSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Invisible spirit which pulls on sleeves | 5 |
| SōgenbiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Fiery ghost of an oil-stealing monk | 5 |
| SoragamiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Ritual disciplinary demon | 5 |
| Soraki-gaeshiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Sound of trees being cut down, when later none seem to have been cut | 5 |
| SorobanbōzuThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Ghost with an abacus | 5 |
| SōtangitsuneSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Fox spirit from Kyoto | 5 |
| SoucouyantHumans (suggested) | Trinidad and Tobago | Vampiric hag who takes the form of a fireball at night | 1 |
| SpearfingerGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Cherokee | Sharp-fingered hag | 1 |
| SpectreThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Worldwide | Terrifying ghost | — |
| SphinxGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Winged woman-headed lion | 3 |
| SpiriduşSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Romanian | Little people | — |
| SprigganSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Cornish | Guardians of graveyards and ruins | — |
| SpriteSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Medieval folklore | little people, ghosts or elves | — |
| SquonkGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | American | Ugly and lonely creature capable of evading capture by dissolving itself into a pool of tears | — |
| StalloGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Sámi | Cannibalistic giant | — |
| StihiGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Albanian | Demonic dragon who guards a treasure | 1 |
| StrigoiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Romanian | Vampire | — |
| StrixGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Roman | Vampiric bird | — |
| StruthopodesGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Humanoid whose males have enormous feet, and females have tiny feet | — |
| StrzygaThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Slavic | Vampiric undead | 27 |
| StuhaćSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Malevolent mountain spirit | 27 |
| Stymphalian BirdGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Metallic bird | 3 |
| SuangiHumans (suggested) | New Guinea | Cannibalistic sorcerer | — |
| SuccubusSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Judeo-Christian | Female night-demon and seductress | — |
| SudiceSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic | Fortune spirit | 27 |
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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.
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