All entries

1,646 entries so far, best known first. 4,288 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RegionSouth Asia Southeast Asia East Asia Central Asia and the Caucasus Middle East North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Europe North America Latin America and the Caribbean Oceania

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreApollonius of TyanaἈπολλώνιος ὁ Τυανεύς A first-century philosopher and miracle worker whose life became a legend of divine power.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇦🇺 AustraliaYowie A hairy, bipedal creature of Australian folklore and cryptozoologyFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇬🇷 GreeceMedeaΜήδεια A sorceress and princess of Colchis who aids Jason and uses magic for revenge.Figure · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary

🇻🇪 Venezuela and 1 moreEl Silbón A Venezuelan and Colombian legend of a cursed spirit who carries his father's bones.Figure · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary 🇨🇴 Colombia and 1 moreTunda A shapeshifting entity from the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador that lures people into the forest.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇵🇹 Portugal and 5 moreCocoCoca A monster used to frighten children into obedience across the Iberian world and Latin America.Figure · Cursing and harm · Binding and oaths Living 🇮🇪 IrelandThe MorríganMórrígan An Irish goddess of war, fate, and sovereignty who appears as a crow or shape-shifter.Figure · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreBogeyman A mythical creature used across cultures to frighten children into obedienceFigure · Cursing and harm Living

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreMedusaΜέδουσα A mortal Greek monster whose gaze turns onlookers to stoneFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreShimon bar Yochaiשמעון בר יוחאי A second-century sage of the Land of Israel and a central figure in Kabbalistic tradition.Figure · Power and authority Historical 🇷🇴 Romania and 1 moreMoroi A Romanian phantom that drains the living, linked to strigoi and unbaptised infants.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 morePersonifications of death Figures from many cultures that embody the end of life and guide soulsFigure · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇬🇷 GreeceBaba Yaga (sample)Баба-яга A witch of Slavic tales who lives in a hut on legs.Figure · Change and initiation Legendary

🇫🇮 Finland and 1 moreSampo A magical mill or world pillar in Finnish and Estonian mythology that produces wealth.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Historical

🇳🇱 Netherlands and 3 morePig-faced women A European legend of a woman with the face of a pig, and the charms used to break her curseFigure · Change and initiation Historical 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreSaciSaci-pererê A one-legged prankster of Brazilian folklore who hides in dust devils and wears a magic red cap.Figure · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Living 🇺🇸 United StatesRed Ghost A legendary red camel with a skeleton rider from Arizona frontier folkloreFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanUchide no kozuchi打ち出の小槌 A legendary Japanese magic hammer that taps out desired items from thin airFigure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary

🇧🇷 BrazilThe Hairy LegPerna cabeluda A Brazilian urban legend of a detached leg that attacks people at nightFigure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical 🇻🇪 VenezuelaSayona A vengeful Venezuelan ghost who hunts men for breaking marital vowsFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇪🇬 EgyptChimeraΧίμαιρα A fire-breathing hybrid monster from Greek mythology, composed of lion, goat, and snake parts.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBigfoot A large, hairy humanoid creature of North American folklore and cryptozoologyFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreRavanaरावण (Rāvaṇa) A ten-headed demon king of Lanka and a devoted follower of Shiva in Hindu tradition.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreGolden FleeceΧρυσόμαλλον δέρας A magical ram's skin from Greek myth, symbol of kingship and a quest objectFigure · Power and authority Legendary

🇺🇦 UkraineGhost of KyivПривид Києва A wartime legend of a mythical fighter pilot who rallied Ukrainian morale.Figure · Power and authority Historical

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreRound Tablela Table ronde A legendary table with no head, symbolizing equality among King Arthur's knights.Figure · Power and authority Legendary

🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreHippogriffippogrifo A legendary hybrid creature with the front of an eagle and the back of a horse.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreTooth fairy A childhood figure who exchanges lost baby teeth for gifts or coins.Figure · Luck and prosperity Living

🇫🇷 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

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreFionn mac CumhaillFionn mac Cumaill A legendary Irish hero and leader of the Fianna warrior bandFigure · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇪🇪 Estonia and 1 moreKalevaKalev A primordial giant and ancestral figure in the mythologies of Estonia and FinlandBeing · Power and authority Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreVegetable Lamb of Tartary A legendary plant-animal from Central Asia said to grow sheep as fruitFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇨🇳 ChinaYeren野人 A Chinese cryptid apeman reported in remote mountains since ancient timesBelief · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇷🇺 RussiaGolden apple A mythical fruit that sparks quests, wars, and linguistic confusion across culturesFigure · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary

🇸🇮 Slovenia and 5 moreVesnaВесна A Slavic personification of spring and youth, known in myth and languageFigure · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreWolves in folklore, religion and mythology A global survey of how cultures view the wolf as symbol, spirit or threatBelief · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical

🇺🇸 United StatesSkunk ape A large, hairy humanoid cryptid said to live in Florida swamps and forestsFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreDietrich von Bern A legendary Germanic hero based on the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the GreatFigure · Power and authority Historical

🇫🇷 France and 3 moreDahu A French mountain legend about an asymmetrical goat used in practical jokesFigure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreMadam Koi Koi A Nigerian school ghost known for the sound of her heelsFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇺🇸 United StatesLoveland frog A legendary humanoid creature sighted in Ohio, often linked to urban folklore and local tourism.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAosaginohi青鷺火 A Japanese will-o'-the-wisp attributed to the glowing flight of herons at nightBelief · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreFairy Queen A female ruler of fairies found in folklore, literature, and witchcraft trials across Europe.Figure · Power and authority Historical

🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreBabayБабай A night spirit in Slavic folklore used to frighten children into sleepingFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇫🇷 France and 4 moreJean de l'Ours A half-bear folk hero who rescues princesses from an underworld giant.Figure · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreCacodemonκακοδαίμων (kakodaimōn) An ancient Greek evil spirit, depicted as a horned youth and used in literature and games.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇬🇷 GreeceShield of Achilles A mythical shield forged by Hephaestus, decorated with a complete picture of the world and human life.Figure · Power and authority Legendary

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreJenny Greenteeth A river-hag from English folklore used to warn children away from dangerous watersFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Sampo: Väinö Blomstedt, Public domain, source
Dahu: Philippe Semeria, CC BY 3.0, source
Pig-faced women: DubhEire, CC0, source
Skunk ape: MikesMegapixels, CC BY 3.0, source
Aosaginohi: Koikawa Harumachi ja:恋川春町 (1744-1789), Public domain, source
Bigfoot: Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin, Public domain, source
Apollonius of Tyana: Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Yowie: Seo75, CC BY 2.5, source
Medea: Frederick Sandys, Public domain, source
El Silbón: María Auxiliadora Ramírez Prato, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Coco: Francisco de Goya, CC0, source
Bogeyman: Francisco Goya, Public domain, source
Fairy: Henry Fuseli, Public domain, source
Medusa: Caravaggio, Public domain, source
Shimon bar Yochai: איתי פרץ, Attribution, source
Uchide no kozuchi: Yashima Gakutei, CC0, source
The Hairy Leg: Diógenes Montenegro, Public domain, source
Personifications of death: No machine-readable author provided. Kirtap assumed (based on copyrigh, CC BY 2.5, source
Hippogriff: LadyofHats, CC0, source
Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Golden Fleece: Underworld Painter, Public domain, source
Melusine: GilPe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Round Table: Évrard d'Espinques, Public domain, source
Chimera: Lampas Group, Public domain, source
Ghost of Kyiv: Андрій Данкович / Andriy Dankovych, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Tooth fairy: Eden, CC BY 2.0, source
Ravana: Gita Press Gorakhpur, CC0, source
Fionn mac Cumhaill: Ary Scheffer / Formerly attributed to Anne-Louis Girodet, Public domain, source
Golden apple: Guido Reni, Public domain, source
Yeren: Rolf Müller, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vesna: Viktor Vasnetsov, Public domain, source
Dietrich von Bern: Workshop of Diebolt Lauber, Hagenau 1444-1448, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wolves in folklore, religion and mythology: Unknown author, CC0, source
Loveland frog: Tim Bertelink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jean de l'Ours: Édouard François Zier (1856–1924), illustrator, Public domain, source
Babay: Kyoukaa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cacodemon: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
Shield of Achilles: Angelo Monticelli (1778-1837), Public domain, source
Jenny Greenteeth: Jayan.thanal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

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Photo credits on this page

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