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
30 creatures at 44 tradition locations · 13 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
- Anatolia Turks (1)
- Astrakhan Tatars, Karagash Nogai (1)
- Azeris (Azerbaijanis) (1)
- Bashkirs (1)
- Central Yakuts (Sakha) (1)
- China (4)
- Chulym Turks (1)
- Chuvash (1)
- Crimean Tatars, Karaims (1)
- Dolgans (1)
- England (2)
- England, British, Bretons (2)
- Gagauz (1)
- Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples (1)
- Japan (22)
- Japan (23)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (22)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (22)
- Karachays, Balkar (1)
- Kara Kalpak (1)
- Kazakh (1)
- Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars (1)
- Khakas (1)
- Khwarezm Uzbek; Turkic written tradition from Kök Orda (1)
- Kirghiz (1)
- Kumyk, Terekemen (1)
- 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 (22)
- Northwestern Yakuts (Sakha): Yessey, Anabar, Olenyok and Lower Lena Basins (1)
- People's Republic of China (3)
- Salars (1)
- Shor (1)
- Siberian Tatars (1)
- South America (1)
- Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians (1)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (22)
- Stavropol Turkmen (recent migrants from Mangyshlak Peninsular) (1)
- Tofa (Karagas) (1)
- Turkmen (1)
- Tuvinians of Monglian Altai (1)
- Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans (1)
- Uyghur (1)
- Uzbek (1)
- Western Yakuts (Sakha): Olekma and Vilyuy Basins (1)
- Yugur (Sarïg Yogïr, Yellow Uyghur) (1)
Browse the dictionary
43 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| YacumamaGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | South America | Sea monster | — |
| Yacuruna | Indigenous people of the Amazon | Mythical water people, with backwards heads and feet | — |
| YadōkaiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Malevolent, nocturnal spirit | 5 |
| Yagyō-sanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Demon who rides through the night on a headless horse | 5 |
| YakshaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Buddhist, Hindu, and Jainism | Male nature spirit | — |
| Yakshi | Keralite | Vampire | — |
| YakshiniSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Buddhist, Hindu, and Jainism | Female nature spirit | — |
| Yakubyō-gamiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Disease and misfortune spirit | 5 |
| YaleAnimals (suggested) | Medieval Bestiaries | Antelope- or goat-like animal with swiveling horns | — |
| YaliAnimals (suggested) | Hinduism | Lion like creature often symbolic for protecting temples | 1 |
| Yallery-BrownSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Nature spirit | 2 |
| YamaDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | China, Korea, Japan, Buddhism, including Tibet | Wrathful god | 2 |
| Yama-bikoSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Echo spirit | 5 |
| Yama-bito | Japanese | Savage, mountain-dwelling humanoid | 5 |
| Yama-chichiAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Monkey-like mountain spirit | 5 |
| Yama-inuAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Dog-like mountain spirit | 5 |
| Yama-otokoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Mountain giant | 5 |
| Yama-uba | Japanese | Malevolent, mountain-dwelling hag | 5 |
| Yama-waroSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Hairy, one-eyed spirit | 5 |
| Yamata no OrochiAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Gigantic, eight-headed serpent | 5 |
| Yan-gant-y-tanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Breton | demon | — |
| YanariSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Spirit which causes strange noises | 5 |
| YaoguaiDivine and sacred beings (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Chinese | Animalistic demon or fallen gods | 1 |
| Yara-ma-yha-who | Australian Aboriginal | Diminutive, sucker-fingered vampire | — |
| YatagarasuAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Three-legged crow of Amaterasu | 5 |
| Yato-no-kamiAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Serpent spirits | 5 |
| Yeth houndAnimals (suggested) | English | Headless dog | 2 |
| Yeti | Himalayan | Mountain bigfoot | — |
| YilbegänGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Turkic | Either a dragon or a giant | 35 |
| YobukoSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Mountain dwelling spirit | 5 |
| YōkaiGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Supernatural monster | 5 |
| Yomotsu-shikome | Japanese | Underworld hag | 5 |
| YongGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | Korean dragon | — |
| YōseiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Fairy | 5 |
| YosuzumeAnimals (suggested) | Japanese | Mysterious bird that sings at night, sometimes indicating that the okuri-inu is near | 5 |
| You Hun Ye GuiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Chinese | Wandering ghost | 1 |
| YowieGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Australian Aboriginal | Nocturnal human-ape hybrid, also Yahoo | — |
| YpotryllGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Heraldic | Boar-camel-ox-serpent hybrid | — |
| Yuan GuiThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Chinese | Distressed ghost | 1 |
| Yuki-onnaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Female snow spirit | 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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