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
53 creatures at 75 tradition locations · 36 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
- Africa (1)
- Ancient Greece (6)
- Asia (1)
- Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography (1)
- Basques (1)
- Bosnia Muslims (2)
- Bosnians (2)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (2)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (2)
- Cherokee (1)
- China (4)
- Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan (1)
- Chontal (1)
- Chorti (1)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (2)
- Czech, Czechs (2)
- Danes, Danish (1)
- Early Russian written sources (2)
- Eastern Ukrainians (2)
- Egypt (1)
- England (1)
- England, British, Bretons (1)
- Faroe Islands (1)
- Finland (1)
- Finns (1)
- France (1)
- France (1)
- Greece (6)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (6)
- Greeks of Cyprus (6)
- Huastec (Teenek) (1)
- Hungarians (1)
- Hungary (1)
- Icelanders (1)
- Japan (17)
- Japan (17)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (17)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (17)
- Kashubians (2)
- Kekchi; Mopan (1)
- Lacandon (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (2)
- Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken) (1)
- Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec (1)
- Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands) (4)
- Mestizos of Soconuzco; Cotzumapguapa iconography (1)
- Mexico (1)
- Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong (1)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (17)
- Northern Ukrainians (2)
- Norwegians (1)
- People's Republic of China (4)
- Persians (1)
- Philippines (3)
- Philippines (3)
- Poles (2)
- Portugal (1)
- Portuguese, Portugal (1)
- Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam (1)
- Russian Pomors ("seasiders"): Lower Pechora (2)
- Russian Pomors ('seasiders'): Terski Coast (Murmansk province) (2)
- Russian Pomors (“seasiders): Arkhangelsk province without its southern part (Shengur district and Konosha dstrict), Karelia White Sea coast (2)
- 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) (2)
- Russians: Novgorod and Pskov provinces (2)
- Russians: Olonets province/SE Karelia, Shengur district of Arkhangelsk province (2)
- 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) (2)
- Russians: Vologda province (incl. Belozersk, Kirillov and Cherepovets districts of form. Novgorod Province) (2)
- Rusyns, Hutsuls (2)
- 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 (1)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (2)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (2)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (2)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (2)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (17)
- Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan (1)
- Spain (1)
- Swedes (1)
- Taiwan (1)
- Terek Cossacks (2)
- Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec (1)
- Tzeltal (1)
- Tzotzil (1)
- Tzutujil (1)
- Wales (1)
- Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot (1)
- Western Ukrainians (2)
- Yucatec, Itza (1)
- Zulu, Swazi (1)
Browse the dictionary
89 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tachash | Jewish | Large land animal | — |
| Tailypo | American Folklore; Appalachia | Powerful animal, that takes revenge on those who steal its tail | — |
| Taimatsumaru | Japanese | Tengu surrounded in demonic fire | 5 |
| Taka-onnaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Female spirit which can stretch itself to peer into the second story of a building | 5 |
| TakamSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Persian | Nature spirit | 1 |
| TalosGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Greek | Giant made of bronze | 3 |
| TangieSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Shapeshifting water spirit | 1 |
| TaniwhaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Māori | Water spirit | 1 |
| Tantankororin | Japanese | Unharvested persimmon which becomes a monster | 5 |
| TanukiAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Shapeshifting raccoon dog | 5 |
| Taotao MonaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)The dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Mariana Islands | Ancestral spirits | — |
| TaotieSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Chinese | Greed spirit | 1 |
| Taowu | Chinese | A stubborn beast | 1 |
| TapairuSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Mangaia | Nature spirit | — |
| TapioDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Finnish | Forest deity | 1 |
| TarasqueGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | French | Dragon with leonine, turtle, bear, and human attributes | 1 |
| TartaloGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Basque | One-eyed giant | 1 |
| Tartaruchi | Christian | Demonic punisher | — |
| Tatami-tataki | Japanese | Poltergeist that hits the tatami mats at night | 5 |
| TatsuGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | Japanese dragon | — |
| TatzelwurmAnimals (suggested) | Not specified | (Alpine Folklore) lizard-like creature, often described as having the face of a cat, with a serpent-like body which may be slender or stubby, with four short legs or two forelegs | — |
| TaurokampoiGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Etruscan | Fish-tailed bull | — |
| Tchico | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Te-no-meThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Ghost of a blind man, with his eyes on his hands | 5 |
| TecumbalamAnimals (suggested) | Mayan | Bird | 14 |
| Teju JaguaAnimals (suggested) | Guaraní | Lizard with seven dog heads | — |
| Tek-ko-kuiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Taiwanese | Bamboo ghost | 1 |
| Teke TekeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Vengeful spirit of a slain schoolgirl with a half upper-torso body | 5 |
| TenguAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Anthropomorphic bird | 5 |
| TenninDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Japanese | Angelic humanoid | 5 |
| Tepegoz | Azerbaijani | Azerbaijani mythical creature similar to the cyclops Polyphemus | — |
| Terrible MonsterGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Jewish | Lion-eagle-scorpion hybrid made from the blood of murder victims | — |
| Teumessian FoxAnimals (suggested) | Greek | Gigantic fox | 3 |
| Te Wheke-a-MuturangiAnimals (suggested) | Māori | Gigantic octopus | 1 |
| The Cu Bird | Mexican | El Pájaro Cu; a bird | — |
| The Fates | Greek | Three time-controlling sisters | 3 |
| Theriocephalus | Medieval folklore | Animal-headed humanoid | — |
| The SwallowerGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Ancient Egyptian | Crocodile-leopard-hippopotamus hybrid | — |
| ThorDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Norse mythology | God of thunder and storm | — |
| Three-legged birdAnimals (suggested) | Asia and Africa | Solar bird | — |
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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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