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
42 creatures at 44 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 (12)
- Dutch, Flemish (12)
- Early Russian written sources (1)
- Eastern Ukrainians (1)
- England (3)
- England, British, Bretons (15)
- 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)
- Ireland (5)
- Kashubians (1)
- Macedonians, Balkarians (1)
- Northern Ukrainians (1)
- Norwegians (12)
- 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) (12)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (42)
- Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians (1)
- Slovakians, Slovaks (1)
- Slovenians, Slovenes (1)
- Sorbians (Luzhitsa Serbs) (1)
- Swedes (12)
- Terek Cossacks (1)
- Transylvanian Saksons (12)
- Western Ukrainians (1)
Browse the dictionary
42 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| AskefrueSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Female tree spirit. | 15 |
| BodachSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent spirit | 1 |
| BogleSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent spirit | 1 |
| BoobrieGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Roaring water bird | 1 |
| BrownieSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English and Scottish | Benevolent household spirit | 3 |
| CailleachDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Scottish | Divine creator and weather deity hag | 1 |
| CaoineagSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Death spirit (a particular type of Banshee/Bean Sídhe) | 1 |
| Cat SidheSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Fairy cat | 1 |
| CeasgSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Benevolent Scottish mermaids | 1 |
| Church grimSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Guardian spirit | 15 |
| Cirein cròinAnimals (suggested) | Scottish | Sea serpent | 1 |
| Cu SithAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Gigantic fairy dog | 1 |
| DrowSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Cavern spirit | 1 |
| DwarfSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Little people nature spirits | 15 |
| Each UisgeAnimals (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent water horse | 1 |
| ElfSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Nature and fertility spirit | 15 |
| FachenGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Irish and Scottish | Monster with half a body | 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 |
| FiredrakeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Dragon | 15 |
| Ghillie Dhu | Scottish | Tree guardian | 1 |
| Gigelorum | Scottish | Smallest animal | 1 |
| GlaistigGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Human-goat hybrid | 1 |
| GulonGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Gluttonous dog-cat-fox hybrid | 15 |
| KelpieAnimals (suggested) | Irish and Scottish | Malevolent water horse | 2 |
| KillmoulisSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English and Scottish | Ugly, mischievous mill spirit | 3 |
| KofewaltSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | House spirit | 15 |
| LavellanAnimals (suggested) | Scottish | Gigantic water rat | 1 |
| LindwormGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Germanic | Dragon | 15 |
| Loch Ness MonsterGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Serpentine sea monster | 1 |
| Mare | Germanic and Slavic folklore | Malicious entity which causes or appears in bad dreams | 42 |
| MerrowGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Irish and Scottish | Human-fish hybrid | 2 |
| NeckSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic mythology | Female water spirit | 15 |
| NixSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Germanic | Female water spirit | 15 |
| NuckelaveeGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent human-horse-fish hybrid | 1 |
| PechSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Strong little people | 1 |
| SelkieGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish | Human-seal shapeshifter | 4 |
| ShellycoatSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English, Scottish and German, as schellenrocc | Water spirit | 4 |
| SluaghThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | Irish and Scottish | Restless ghost | 2 |
| TangieSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Shapeshifting water spirit | 1 |
| Wirry-cowSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Scottish | Malevolent spirit | 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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