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
36 creatures at 10 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
- Danes, Danish (1)
- England (36)
- England, British, Bretons (36)
- Faroe Islands (1)
- 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 (1)
- Icelanders (1)
- Norwegians (1)
- Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia) (1)
- Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish (3)
- Swedes (1)
Browse the dictionary
36 matching entries
| Creature | Tradition | Description | Map locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 |
| CofgodDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | English | Cove god | 2 |
| DuergarSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Malevolent little people | 2 |
| EttinGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Two-headed giant | 2 |
| Familiar | English | Animal servant | 2 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Lambton WormGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English | Giant worm | 2 |
| Lubber fiendSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | House spirit | 2 |
| MagogGiants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English folklore | Giant protector of London | 2 |
| MerlinHumans (suggested) | English | Elderly wizard | 2 |
| PuckSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | House spirit | 2 |
| Redcap | English | Evil, ugly humanoid | 2 |
| SceadugengaThe dead and disembodied souls (suggested) | English | Shapeshifting undead | 2 |
| ShellycoatSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English, Scottish and German, as schellenrocc | Water spirit | 4 |
| Shug MonkeyAnimals (suggested) | English | Dog/monkey | 2 |
| Tiddy MunSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Bog spirit | 2 |
| WargAnimals (suggested)Giants, monsters and fabulous creatures (suggested) | English and Scandinavian O.N. vargr | Giant, demonic wolf | 2 |
| Yallery-BrownSpirits and otherworld peoples (suggested) | English | Nature spirit | 2 |
| Yeth houndAnimals (suggested) | English | Headless dog | 2 |
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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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