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
15 creatures at 1 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.
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15 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| AjatarSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Finnish | Dragon/snake female spirit, is said to spread diseases | 1 |
| AkkaDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Finnish | Female spirits or minor goddesses. | 1 |
| Antero VipunenGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Finnish | Subterranean giant. | 1 |
| EtiäinenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Spirit being of a living person | 1 |
| HaltijaSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | spirit that protects a specific place | 1 |
| Hiisi | Finnish | nature guardian | 1 |
| Iku-TursoGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | Finnish | Sea monster | 1 |
| MenninkäinenSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Little people and nature spirits | 1 |
| NäkkiSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Water spirit | 1 |
| OtsoAnimals (suggested)Spirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Bear spirit | 1 |
| Paasselkä devilsSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Spectral fire | 1 |
| PiruSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | Finnish | Minor demon | 1 |
| Surma | Finnish | Hellhound | 1 |
| TapioDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Finnish | Forest deity | 1 |
| UkkoDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Finnish | Finnish sky deity | 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.
0009-0006-1672-4451
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