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
15 creatures at 41 tradition locations · 10 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 (1)
- Albanians, Balkarians (1)
- Ancient Greece (1)
- Bosnia Muslims (2)
- Bosnians (2)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (2)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (2)
- China (3)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (2)
- Czech, Czechs (2)
- Early Russian written sources (2)
- Eastern Ukrainians (2)
- Greece (1)
- Greeks (modern), Balkarians (1)
- Greeks of Cyprus (1)
- Japan (5)
- Japan (5)
- Japan AD 700-1700 (5)
- Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu (5)
- Kashubians (2)
- Latvians (1)
- Lithuania (1)
- Lithuanians (2)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (2)
- Northern Ryukyu Islands (with southern Kyusyu in case of absence across the rest of Japan (5)
- Northern Ukrainians (2)
- People's Republic of China (3)
- Persians (1)
- Poles (2)
- Prussians (1)
- Romania (3)
- 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)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (2)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (2)
- Slovenia (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (2)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (2)
- Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa (5)
- Terek Cossacks (2)
- Western Ukrainians (2)
Browse the dictionary
25 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZahhakGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Persian | Dragon | 1 |
| ŽaltysSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Baltic | Serpentine fertility spirit | 3 |
| ZamzummimGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Jewish | Giant | — |
| ZânăSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Romanian | Nature spirit | — |
| Zana e malitSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Albanian | Mountain fairy who bless warriors | 1 |
| Zashiki-warashiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | House spirit | 5 |
| ZburatorGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Romanian | Wolf-headed dragon | — |
| ZduhaćSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Slavic mythology | Disembodied, heroic spirit | 27 |
| Zennyo RyūōGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Japanese | Rain-making dragon | 5 |
| ZeusDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Greek | God of lightning and storms | 3 |
| Zhar-PtitsaAnimals (suggested) | Slavic | Glowing bird | 27 |
| ZhulongGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Chinese | Pig-headed dragon | 1 |
| Zhū QuèAnimals (suggested) | Chinese | Fire elemental bird | 1 |
| ŽiburinisSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Lithuanian | Forest spirit in the form of a glowing skeleton | 1 |
| ZilantAnimals (suggested) | Tatar | Flying chicken-legged reptile | — |
| ZinSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | West Africa | Water spirits | — |
| ZizAnimals (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Jewish | Giant bird | — |
| ZlatorogAnimals (suggested) | Slovenia | White golden-horned deer | — |
| ZmeuGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Romanian folklore | Giant with a habit of kidnapping young girls | — |
| ZmiyGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Not specified | Slavic dragon | — |
| Zombie | Vodou/Worldwide | Re-animated corpse | — |
| Zorigami | Japanese | Animated clock | 5 |
| ZouyuAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Chinese | Long and big Cat-like Spirit with a long, red tail | 1 |
| ZuijinSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Japanese | Tutelary spirit | 5 |
| Zunbera-bōThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Japanese | Faceless ghost | 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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