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
49 creatures at 43 tradition locations · 0 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
- Bosnia Muslims (1)
- Bosnians (1)
- Bulgarians, Balkarians (1)
- Byelarusians, Belarusians (1)
- Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians) (1)
- Czech, Czechs (1)
- Danes, Danish (13)
- Dutch, Flemish (12)
- Early Russian written sources (1)
- Eastern Ukrainians (1)
- England (36)
- England, British, Bretons (49)
- Faroe Islands (13)
- Frisians (12)
- 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 (13)
- Germans: Northeast (Brandenburg, Meklenburg, Rügen, Pommern, Silesia, Posen) (12)
- Germans: South (Upper German dialects): Alsace (Elsass), Baden-Württemberg, Bawaria, Swabia, Switzerland, Bohemia, Sudeten, Austria (12)
- Germans – Southwest: Alsace (Elsass), Baden-Württemberg, Swabia, Switzerland (12)
- Icelanders (13)
- Kashubians (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (1)
- Northern Ukrainians (1)
- Norwegians (13)
- Poles (1)
- Russian Pomors ("seasiders"): Lower Pechora (1)
- Russian Pomors ('seasiders'): Terski Coast (Murmansk province) (1)
- Russian Pomors (“seasiders): Arkhangelsk province without its southern part (Shengur district and Konosha dstrict), Karelia White Sea coast (1)
- 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) (1)
- Russians: Novgorod and Pskov provinces (1)
- Russians: Olonets province/SE Karelia, Shengur district of Arkhangelsk province (1)
- 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) (1)
- Russians: Vologda province (incl. Belozersk, Kirillov and Cherepovets districts of form. Novgorod Province) (1)
- Rusyns, Hutsuls (1)
- Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia) (13)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (15)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (1)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (1)
- Swedes (13)
- Terek Cossacks (1)
- Transylvanian Saksons (12)
- Western Ukrainians (1)
Browse the dictionary
49 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| AskefrueSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Female tree spirit. | 15 |
| AsraiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Water spirit. | 2 |
| AtomySpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Surprisingly small creature. | 2 |
| Black AnnisGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Blue-faced hag | 2 |
| Black DogSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | British | Canine death spirit | 1 |
| Black Lady of Bradley WoodsThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | English | Female ghost which reportedly haunts the woods near the village of Bradley, Lincolnshire, England | 2 |
| BluecapSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Mine-dwelling fairy | 2 |
| BogeymanSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent spirit | 2 |
| BoggartSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent household spirit | 2 |
| BragSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent water horse | 2 |
| British big catAnimals (suggested) | English | mysterious black panther | 2 |
| BrownieSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English and Scottish | Benevolent household spirit | 3 |
| BugbearSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Bearlike goblin | 2 |
| Church grimSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Guardian spirit | 15 |
| CofgodDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | English | Cove god | 2 |
| DuergarSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent little people | 2 |
| DwarfSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Little people nature spirits | 15 |
| ElfSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Nature and fertility spirit | 15 |
| EttinGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Two-headed giant | 2 |
| FafnirSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic mythology | Dwarf who was cursed and turned into a dragon. He was later slain by Sigurd in the Saga of Nibelung. | 15 |
| Familiar | English | Animal servant | 2 |
| FiredrakeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Dragon | 15 |
| GogGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Giant protector of London | 2 |
| GrimSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English and Scandinavian | Tutelary spirits of churches | 8 |
| GrindylowSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent water spirit | 2 |
| GulonGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Gluttonous dog-cat-fox hybrid | 15 |
| HobSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | house spirit | 2 |
| HobbididanceSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | malevolent spirit | 2 |
| Jack-In-IronsGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Malevolent giant | 2 |
| KillmoulisSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English and Scottish | Ugly, mischievous mill spirit | 3 |
| KnuckerGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Water dragon | 2 |
| KofewaltSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | House spirit | 15 |
| Lambton WormGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Giant worm | 2 |
| LindwormGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Dragon | 15 |
| Lubber fiendSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | House spirit | 2 |
| MagogGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English folklore | Giant protector of London | 2 |
| Mare | Germanic and Slavic folklore | Malicious entity which causes or appears in bad dreams | 42 |
| MerlinHumans (suggested) | English | Elderly wizard | 2 |
| NeckSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic mythology | Female water spirit | 15 |
| NixSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Female water spirit | 15 |
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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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