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
19 creatures at 47 tradition locations · 25 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
- Athna (1)
- Beaver (1)
- Carrier (1)
- Chilkotin (1)
- China (3)
- Chipewyan (1)
- Chiricahua (1)
- Denaina (1)
- Dogrib, Slavey (1)
- Dutch, Flemish (1)
- England (1)
- England, British, Bretons (1)
- Europe (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 (2)
- Germany (2)
- Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux) (1)
- Han (1)
- Hare (K'ahsho Got'ine) (1)
- Hupa, Chilula (1)
- Ingalik (Der Hit’an) (1)
- Japan (2)
- Japan (2)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (2)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (2)
- Jicarilla (1)
- Kaska (1)
- Kiowa Apache (1)
- Koyukon (1)
- Lipan (1)
- Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken) (1)
- Mapuche (1)
- Mescalero (1)
- Navajo (1)
- Netherlands (1)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (2)
- Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa (1)
- Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito (1)
- People's Republic of China (3)
- Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina) (1)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (3)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (2)
- Tagish (1)
- Tahltan (1)
- Tanana (1)
- Tsetsaut (1)
- Tutchone (1)
- Upper Kuskokwim (Kolchan) (1)
- Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross (1)
- Wailaki, Mattole, Lassik, Sinkyone, Cahto (1)
- Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot (3)
- Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos) (1)
- Yellowknife (1)
Browse the dictionary
44 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wa-won-dee-a-megwSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Abenaki | Shapeshifting snail spirit | 1 |
| Wana-games-akSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Abenaki | Water spirits | 1 |
| WangliangSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Chinese | Malevolent spirit or monster | 1 |
| WaniGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Crocodilian water monster | 5 |
| WanyūdōSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Demon in the form of a burning human-headed ox cart | 5 |
| Warak ngendogAnimals (suggested) | Indonesian Muslim | Egg-laying bird | — |
| WargAnimals (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English and Scandinavian O.N. vargr | Giant, demonic wolf | 2 |
| WarlockHumans (suggested) | Worldwide | Male witch | — |
| Warraguk | Australian Aboriginal | Flying humanoid | — |
| Wassan-mon-ganeehla-akSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Abenaki | Aurora spirits | 1 |
| Water monkeySpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Chinese | Water spirit | 1 |
| Water spriteSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Alchemy | Water elemental | — |
| Wati-kutjaraSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Australia Aboriginal | Goanna spirits | — |
| Wechuge | Athabaskan | Human-eating supernatural creature | 32 |
| Weiße FrauenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | German | Female spirit | 1 |
| WekufeSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Mapuche | Demon | 1 |
| WendigoSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Algonquian | Cannibalistic evil spirit | — |
| WentshukumishiteuSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Inuit | Water spirit | — |
| WerecatGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Feline-human shapeshifter | — |
| WerehyenaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | African and Near Eastern | Hyena-human shapeshifter | — |
| WerejaguarGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Olmec | Jaguar-human shapeshifter | — |
| WerewolfGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Worldwide | Wolf-human shapeshifter | — |
| Wewe GombelThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Javanese | Ghost who kidnaps children | 1 |
| White LadyThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Worldwide | Ghost of a murdered or mistreated woman | — |
| WhowieGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Australian Aboriginal | Giant frog-headed goanna with six legs | — |
| WihwinAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Miskito | Malevolent water horse spirit | 1 |
| Wild Hunt | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Wild man | European | Hairy, bipedal, man-like creature | — |
| Wild people | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Will-o'-the-Wisp | Worldwide | Spectral fire | — |
| Winged genieAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Assyrian | Bearded male figures sporting birds | — |
| Winged lionGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| Wirry-cowSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent spirit | 1 |
| WitchHumans (suggested) | Worldwide | Person who practices magic | — |
| Witte WievenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)The dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Dutch | Female, ancestral spirit | 1 |
| Wolpertinger | German | Forest animal comprised from various animal parts (similar to a Chimera) | 1 |
| Woman in Black (supernatural) | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| WondjinaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Australia Aboriginal | Weather spirit | — |
| World Turtle | Not specified | A description has not yet been recorded. | — |
| WraithSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Water spirit or ghostly apparition | 1 |
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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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