All entries
2,683 entries so far, best known first. 2,203 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
🇮🇪 IrelandPúca
A shape-shifting spirit of Celtic folklore that brings fortune or mischiefBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreChangeling
A substitute left by supernatural beings in place of a stolen human child or adultBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreVodyanoyводяной
A water spirit of Slavic folklore that dwells in rivers and lakesBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreFirebird
A glowing bird of Slavic folklore that brings both fortune and peril to those who seek itFigure · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇸 IcelandNábrók
A pair of pants made from human skin, said to generate endless wealth in Icelandic folklore.Charm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBrowniebrùnaidh
A nocturnal household spirit from Scottish folklore that performs chores in exchange for offerings.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomPuck
A mischievous domestic sprite of English folklore known for practical jokes and household choresBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreSolomonariȘolomonar
A Romanian weather wizard who rides a dragon and controls the storms.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇫🇷 France and 2 moreMelusineMélusine
A water spirit of French and Luxembourgish lore, known for her serpent form and the castles she built.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 3 moreTatzelwurm
A cat-headed lizard of the Alps, said to guard mines and drink cow milk.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 moreLindwormlindorm
A serpentine dragon of Northern and Central European folklore, often depicted as limbless or winged.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇦🇱 Albania and 3 moreKulshedra
A multi-headed serpent demon in Albanian folklore that controls storms and droughts.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇴 RomaniaZână
A Romanian woodland spirit linked to Diana that guides travelers and blesses children.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇸 SerbiaCikavacцикавац
A winged creature from Serbian folklore that fetches honey and milk for its ownerBeing · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇸🇪 Sweden and 1 moreSkogsrå
A forest spirit in Swedish folklore who appears as a beautiful woman but hides a hollow back and animal feet.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaPeaches of Immortality仙桃
Legendary Chinese fruits said to grant eternal life to deities and mortalsSubstance · Luck and prosperity · Change and initiation Legendary
🇮🇹 ItalyMonacielloMunaciello
A Neapolitan sprite linked to the city's underground waterways and hidden wealth.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDokkaebi도깨비
A one-legged supernatural being from Korean folklore, often linked to household objects and magical items.Being · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHito-gitsune人狐
A spirit of a small marten that possesses people in western JapanBelief · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAmabieアマビエ
A prophetic sea creature from Japan that wards off disease with its imageFigure · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomBluecap
A blue flame spirit of English mines that guides miners and warns of dangerBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanNobusuma野衾
A Japanese yōkai said to be a flying squirrel or bat that attacks travelers at night.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇲🇽 MexicoAlicante
A mythical Mexican snake that steals milk and hypnotizes its victimsBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇷🇴 RomaniaSântoaderi
Supernatural beings in Romanian folklore known for causing illness through music and danceBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇪🇸 SpainXana
A water spirit of Asturian myth who offers treasures or madness to those who hear her song.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomCeffyl Dŵr
A Welsh water spirit that takes the form of a horse to test or harm travellers.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanMintuciミントゥチ
A water spirit of Ainu tales: bringer of the catch and the hunt, and of drownings.Being · Luck and prosperity · Protection Legendary
🇸🇪 SwedenSjörå
A Swedish lake spirit that rewards kindness and drowns the disrespectfulBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇸🇪 SwedenYsätters-Kajsa
A wind-troll from Swedish folklore who danced with the gales of NärkeFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaNine-tailed turtle九尾龜
A legendary Chinese creature linked to divination and folkloreBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreNis PukNiß Puk
A legendary household spirit from Northern Germany and Denmark that helps or torments its owner.Being · Luck and prosperity · Protection Legendary
🇩🇪 GermanyWitte Wiwer
Subterranean spirits of Low German folklore known for music and child exchangeBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇭🇺 HungaryLidérc
A shape-shifting spirit from Hungarian folklore that brings wealth or illness.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇫🇷 FranceFarfadet
Small helpful spirits of French folklore that perform chores for foodBeing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇬🇧 United KingdomJoan the Wad
A Cornish pixie queen linked to fire and fortuneFigure · Luck and prosperity · Protection Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBabi ngepet
A Javanese myth about a person who turns into a boar to steal wealthBeing · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 4 moreRaskovnikразковник
A mythical Slavic herb believed to unlock any lock or reveal hidden treasure.Substance · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreBake-danuki化け狸
A shape-shifting raccoon dog spirit from Japanese folklore known for pranks and illusions.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇦🇱 AlbaniaBardha
An Albanian mythological figure of good luck and fateFigure · Luck and prosperity Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Púca: Wirt Sikes, Public domain, source
- Xana: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Lindworm: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Sjörå: Bernard Evans Ward, Public domain, source
- Tatzelwurm: Abrasax, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Tutelary deity: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Kulshedra: Bidgee, CC BY 3.0, source
- Changeling: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
- Skogsrå: Gunnar Creutz (Achird), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Farfadet: User:Mattes, Public domain, source
- Peaches of Immortality: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Babi ngepet: Tropenmuseum, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vodyanoy: Ivan Bilibin, Public domain, source
- Bake-danuki: Poposhka at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Puck: Joseph Noel Paton, Public domain, source
- Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Amabie: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Firebird: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
- Melusine: GilPe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nábrók: Bernard McManus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Raskovnik: No machine-readable author provided. Keisotyo assumed (based on copyri, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nis Puk: R2D3LA, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nobusuma: Utagawa Kuniyoshi ( 歌川国芳 , Japanese, *1798, †1861), Public domain, source