This list of
legendary creature
A legendary creature is a type of extraordinary or supernatural being that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), and may be featured in historical accounts before modernity, but has not been scientifically shown to exist.
In t ...
s from
mythology
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
,
folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
and
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
s is sorted by their classification or affiliation. Creatures from modern
fantasy fiction
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
and
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...
s are not included.
Animals, creatures associated with
Aquatic and marine mammals
Arthropods
Bats
*
Balayang (
Australian Aboriginal
Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands.
Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...
) – Bat-god and brother to Bunjil
*
Camazotz
In the Late Post-Classic Maya mythology of the Popol Vuh, Camazotz ( from Mayan ) (alternate spellings Cama-Zotz, Sotz, Zotz) is a bat spirit at the service of the lords of the underworld. Camazotz means "death bat" in the Kʼicheʼ language. In ...
(
Mayan) – Bat spirit and servant of the lords of the underworld
*
Leutogi (
Polynesian) – Samoan princess rescued by bats
*
Minyades
The Minyades () were three Orchomenian ( Arcadian) princesses in Greek mythology. These sisters were protagonists of a myth about the perils of neglecting the worship of Dionysus.
Names and family
The names of the Minyades were Alcathoe (or ...
(
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Three sisters who refused to take part in the worship of Dionysus, and turned into bats by Hermes
*
Tjinimin (
Australian Aboriginal
Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands.
Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...
) – Ancestor of the Australian people
*
Vetala
A vetala () is a class of beings in Hindu mythology. They are usually defined as a knowledgeable (fortune telling) paranormal entity said to be dwelling at charnel grounds. Reanimated corpses are used as vehicles by these spirits for movement. A ...
(
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
) – Vampiric entity that takes over cadavers
Birds
Avian Humanoids
*
Alkonost (
Slavic) – Female with body of a bird
*
Gamayun (
Slavic) – Prophetic bird with woman's head
* Gumyōchō (
Yōkai
are a class of supernatural entities and Spirit (supernatural entity) , spirits in Japanese folklore. The kanji representation of the word comprises two characters that both mean "suspicious, doubtful", and while the Japanese name is simply ...
) – Twin-headed human-bird
*
Harpy
In Greek and Roman mythology, a harpy (plural harpies, , ; ) is a half-human and half-bird mythical creature, often believed to be a personification of storm winds. They feature in Homeric poems.
Descriptions
Harpies were generally depict ...
(
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Ugly winged bird woman, steals food
**
Aello
In Greek mythology, Aello (; , ''Aellō'' means "storm" or "storm-swift" in ancient Greek) was one of the Harpy sisters who would abduct people and torture them on their way to Tartarus.
Other names
Aello was also referred to as:
*Aellopus (; ...
– Name meaning "storm"
**
Ocypete
Ocypete (Ancient Greek: Ὠκυπέτη means 'swift wing') was one of the three Harpies in Greek mythology. She was also known as Ocypode (Ὠκυπόδη means "swift foot") or Ocythoe (Ὠκυθόη means "swift runner"). The Harpies were the da ...
– Name meaning "swift wing"
**
Celaeno
In Greek mythology, Celaeno (; ''Kelaino'', lit. 'the dark one', also Celeno or Kelaino, sometimes Calaeno) referred to several different figures.
* Celaeno, one of the Pleiades. She was said to be mother of Lycus and Nycteus, of King Eurypyl ...
– Name meaning "the dark one"
**
Podarge – Name meaning "fleet-footed"
*
Horus
Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...
(
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
) –
Tutelary deity
A tutelary (; also tutelar) is a deity or a Nature spirit, spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept ...
and god of the sky and kingship
*
Inmyeonjo (
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean
**Korean dialects
**See also: North–South differences in t ...
) – Bird with a human face
*
Itsumade (
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
) – Monstrous bird with a human face
*
Kalavinka (
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
) – Fantastical immortal creature with a human head and a bird's torso and long flowing tail
*
Karura (
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
) – Divine creature with human torso and bird-like head
*
Kinnara
A kinnara (Sanskrit: Kiṃnara) is a creature from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are described as part human and part bird, and have a strong association with music and love. Believed to come from the Himalayas, they often watch ove ...
(
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
) – Half-bird musicians
*
Lamassu
''Lama'', ''Lamma'', or ''Lamassu'' (Cuneiform: , ; Sumerian language, Sumerian: lammař; later in Akkadian language, Akkadian: ''lamassu''; sometimes called a ''lamassuse'') is an Mesopotamia, Assyrian protective deity.
Initially depicted as ...
(
Mesopotamian
Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary o ...
) – Goddess with a human head, the body of a bull or a lion, and bird wings
*
Siren (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Bird-women known for their compelling singing
**
Achelois – Name meaning "she who drives away pain", surname for the daughters of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
**
Aglaonoe – Daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
**
Agalaope – Name meaning "with lambent voice", daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
**
Leucosia – Name meaning "white", daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and either
Melpomene
Melpomene (; ) is the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. She is described as the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (and therefore of power and memory) along with the other Muses, and she is often portrayed with a tragic theatrical mask.
Etymolog ...
or
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
**
Ligeia – Name meaning "clear-toned", daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and either
Melpomene
Melpomene (; ) is the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. She is described as the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (and therefore of power and memory) along with the other Muses, and she is often portrayed with a tragic theatrical mask.
Etymolog ...
or
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
**
Parthenope Parthenope ( ; ) may refer to:
* Parthenope (siren), one of the sirens in Greek mythology
People
* Parthenope (mythology), Parthenope, in Greek mythology, the daughter of Ancaeus (son of Poseidon), Ancaeus
* Frances Parthenope Verney, Parthenope ...
– Name meaning "maiden-voiced", Daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; , "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean", which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance
Terpsichore is usually d ...
**
Pisinoe – Daughter of
Achelous
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...
and either
Melpomene
Melpomene (; ) is the Muse of tragedy in Greek mythology. She is described as the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (and therefore of power and memory) along with the other Muses, and she is often portrayed with a tragic theatrical mask.
Etymolog ...
or
Sterope
Sterope (; Ancient Greek: Στερόπη, , from , ''steropē'', lightning) was the name of several individuals in Greek mythology:
* Sterope (or Asterope), one of the Pleiades and the wife of Oenomaus (or his mother by Ares).
* Sterope, a Pleu ...
**
Thelxinoë – Name meaning "mind charming"
*
Swan maiden
The "swan maiden" () is a tale classified as Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index, ATU 400, "The Swan Maiden" or "The Man on a Quest for His Lost Wife," in which a man makes a pact with, or marries, a supernatural female being who later departs. The ...
(Multi-cultural) – Shapeshifts from human to swan
*
Tengu
''Tengu'' ( ; , , ) are a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief. They are considered a type of ''yōkai'' (supernatural beings) or Shinto ''kami'' (gods or spirits). The ''Tengu'' were originally thought to take the forms of bird of ...
(
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
) – Has human and bird characteristics, name means "dog"
Chickens
*
Alectryon (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Rooster charged with announcing the arrival of
Helios
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Helios (; ; Homeric Greek: ) is the god who personification, personifies the Sun. His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyperion ("the one above") an ...
*
Basan (
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
) – Fire-breathing chicken
*
Cockatrice
A cockatrice is a mythical beast, essentially a two-legged dragon, wyvern, or snake, serpent-like creature with a rooster's head. Described by Laurence Breiner as "an ornament in the drama and poetry of the Elizabethans", it was featured promine ...
– Chicken-headed dragon or serpent, visually similar to the
Basilisk
In European bestiary, bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a Serpent symbolism, serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the ''Natural History (Pliny), Naturalis Histo ...
*
Gallic rooster
The Gallic rooster (, ) is a national symbol of France as a nation, as opposed to Marianne representing France as a state and its values: the Republic.
A rooster, in a different pose, is also used as the symbol of the Wallonia and the French Co ...
– Symbolic rooster used as an allegory for France
*
Gullinkambi – Rooster who lives in Valhalla in Norse mythology
*
Rooster of Barcelos
The Rooster of Barcelos () is a common symbol of Portugal.
Folk tale
The folk tale of the rooster of Barcelos, tells the story of a dead rooster's miraculous intervention in proving the innocence of a man who had been falsely convicted and sen ...
– A mythological rooster from Portugal
*
Sarimanok
The Sarimanok (Pronunciation: sá·ri·ma·nók), also known as papanok in its feminine form, is a legendary bird of the Maranao people, who originate from Mindanao, an island in the Philippines, and part of Philippine mythology. It comes fro ...
(
Philippine
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
) – Legendary chicken of the Maranao people who originate from Mindanao
*
Víðópnir – Rooster that sits atop Yggdrasil in Norse mythology
Corvids
*
Badb
In Irish mythology, the Badb (Old Irish, ), or in modern Irish Badhbh (, )—also meaning "crow"—is a war goddess who takes the form of a crow, and is thus sometimes known as Badb Catha ("battle crow").http://www.dil.ie/5114 ''badb'', Author ...
(
Irish) – War goddess who takes the form of a crow
*
Corone (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Woman turned into a crow to flee Poseidon
*
Huginn and Muninn
In Norse mythology, Huginn and Muninn ( or ; roughly "mind and will" – ''see '') are a pair of common raven, ravens that serve under the god Odin and fly all over the world, Midgard, and bring information to the god Odin. Huginn and Muninn are ...
(
Norse) – Two ravens that serve as messengers
*
Kutkh
Kutkh (also ''Kutkha'', ''Kootkha'', ''Kutq,'' ''Kutcha'' and other variants, ) is a Raven in mythology, Raven spirit traditionally revered in various forms by various indigenous peoples of the Russian Far East. Kutkh appears in many legends: as ...
(
Indigenous Russian) – Raven spirit involved in the creation myth
*
Nachtkrapp
The (German, ; ) is a South German and Austrian bugbear creature, cautionary tales about which are used to scare children into going to bed. Similar legends exist in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia.
Description
Several version ...
(
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
) – Raven who kidnaps children out at night
*
Rainbow crow (
Lenape (supposed)) – Crow who brought fire to earth
*
Raum (
Demonology
Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or occultism. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may be n ...
) – Demon crow and a great earl of Hell
*
Three-legged crow
The three-legged (or tripedal) crow is a mythological creature in various mythologies and arts of East Asia. It is believed to inhabit and represent the Sun.
Evidence of the earliest bird-Sun motif or totemic articles were excavated around 5000 ...
(East Asian) – Crow with three legs representing the sun
**
Yatagarasu
is a mythical crowThe Book of Ancient Matters, The Book of Ancient Matters, Gakken, pp. 130, 138, 139. and guiding Kami, god in Shinto mythology. He is generally known for his three-legged figure, and his picture has been handed down since an ...
(
Shinto
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...
) – Three-legged crow
*
Tulugaak (
Inuit
Inuit (singular: Inuk) are a group of culturally and historically similar Indigenous peoples traditionally inhabiting the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Russia, including Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwe ...
) – Raven god and creator of light
*
Waang (
Australian Aboriginal
Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands.
Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...
) – Trickster crow and culture hero
Eagles
*
Aethon (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Eagle tormentor of
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
*
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...
(
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Guards treasure and priceless possessions
*
Hippogriff
The hippogriff ( Italian: ) or hippogryph is a legendary creature with the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse.
It was invented at the beginning of the 16th century by Ludovico Ariosto in his '' Orlando Furioso''. Within the poem, ...
(French, English) – Winged horse with the head and upper body of an eagle
* Hurakan (Caddoan?/ Native American) – Type of thunderbird that lives beneath the Gulf of Mexico. Etymological origin of “hurricane”
*
Hræsvelgr (
Norse) – Jötunn who takes the form of an eagle
*
Poukai (
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
) – Monstrous predatory bird, likely based on an extinct species
*
Shahbaz (
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
) – Eagle god who helped the Iranian peoples and guided the Faravahar to the Iranian lands
*
Triple-headed eagle (multi-cultural) –
*
Wuchowsen - (
Abenaki
The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...
) One of the four wind spirits in Abenaki lore. Depicted as a giant eagle who lives atop a mountain.
*
Ziz (
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
) – Giant griffin
*
Zu (
Mesopotamian
Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary o ...
) – Divine monster depicted as a lion-headed eagle
Owls
*
Chickcharney (Bahamas) – Magical owl with powers over fate, sometimes encountered by travellers in pine forests.
*
Nyctimene (
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of Roman civilization
*Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
) – Princess transformed into an owl by Minerva.
*
Owlman (English) – Owl-like humanoid compared to America's Mothman
*
Sirin (
Slavic) – Birds with women’s heads who lured men to their deaths
*
Strix (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – Owl that ate human flesh
Carnivorans
Bears
*
Bjarndyrakongur (Icelandic) – King of bears. Stems from Polar Bear sightings in Iceland being extremely rare, but not unheard of. Has a shining horn on its head topped with a ball and red patches on cheeks
*
Bugbear
A bugbear is a legendary creature or type of hobgoblin comparable to the boogeyman (or bugaboo or babau or cucuy), and other creatures of folklore, all of which were historically used in some cultures to frighten disobedient children.
Etymology ...
(
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
) – Child-eating hobgoblin
*
Callisto
CALLISTO (''Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss-back Operations'') is a reusable VTVL Prototype, demonstrator propelled by a small 40 kN Japanese LOX-LH2 rocket engine. It is being developed jointly by the CNES, French ...
(
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) – A nymph who was turned into a bear by Hera
*
Stiff Legged Bear (
Native American) – Gigantic, hairless bear monster in tribal folklore, predominantly Iroquoians and Algonquians, possibly inspired by mammoths
Canines
Felines
=Lions
=
Hyenas
*
Werehyena
*
Kishi (Angolan) – Cannibalistic two-faced demon, half-human half-hyena
Musteloids and non-hyena herpestoids
Procyonids
*
Azeban – trickster raccoon spirit in Abenaki mythology
Fish
Marsupials
*
Drop bear
*
Bunyip (Australian Aboriginal)
Molluscs
*
Akkorokamui – octopus monster (Ainu, Japan)
*
Amikuk (
Yup'ik
The Yupʼik or Yupiaq (sg & pl) and Yupiit or Yupiat (pl), also Central Alaskan Yupʼik, Central Yupʼik, Alaskan Yupʼik ( own name ''Yupʼik'' sg ''Yupiik'' dual ''Yupiit'' pl; Russian: Юпики центральной Аляски), are an ...
) - Shapeshifting four armed 'octopus' that can swim through land as easily as water.
*
Carbuncle (
Chilote) – one of its many descriptions is a luminescent bivalve
*
Lou Carcolh – A giant, man-eating snail with fur and tentacles (France)
*
Kraken – squid monster (Worldwide)
*
Shen – A clam-dragon that creates mirages and fata morgana at sea (China)
Primates
Rabbits and hares
Reptiles, Limbed
Reptiles, serpents and worms
Rodents
Ungulates
Antelopes and deer
Bovines
Camelids
*
Allocamelus – A donkey-headed camel.
*
Heavenly Llama
Caprids
Equines
Pachyderms
Pigs and boars
*
Calydonian Boar
The Calydonian boar hunt is one of the great heroic adventures in Greek legend. It occurred in the generation prior to that of the Trojan War, and stands alongside the other great heroic adventure of that generation, the voyage of the Argonauts, ...
*
Erymanthian Boar
*
Zhu Bajie
Zhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three disciples of Tang Sanzang, along with Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, and a major character of the 16th century novel ''Journey to the West''. ''Zhu'' means "swine" and ''Bajie'' means "eight pr ...
Xenarthrans
*
Mapinguari
Mapinguari or mapinguary are mythical monstrous jungle-dwelling spirits from Brazilian folklore. They are said to protect the Amazon rainforest and its animals. According to folklore, when humans grow too old they can transform into man-eating M ...
Megafauna
Giants
Artificial creatures
This listing includes creatures that are man-made, mechanical or of alchemical origins.
Body parts, creatures associated with
Blood
Bone
*
Bloody Bones
*
Gashadokuro
*
Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is a popular personification of death in Western culture in the form of a hooded skeletal figure wearing a black robe and carrying a scythe.[Skeleton
A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of most animals. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is a rigid outer shell that holds up an organism's shape; the endoskeleton, a rigid internal fra ...]
Eye
One-eyed
Face
*
Asura
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...
*
Deva
Deva may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Deva, List of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition monsters, an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition monster
* Deva, in the 2023 Indian film ''Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefir ...
/
Devi
''Devī'' (; ) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is Deva (Hinduism), ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.
The concept ...
*
Noppera-bō
The or 野箆坊, or faceless ghost, is a Japanese yōkai that looks like a human but has no face. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a '' mujina'', an old Japanese word for a badger or raccoon dog. Although the ''mujina'' can assume ...
Hair
*
Futakuchi-onna
*
Harionago
*
Mavka
*
Medusa
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; ), also called Gorgo () or the Gorgon, was one of the three Gorgons. Medusa is generally described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair; her appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her wa ...
Head
Limbs
Mouth
*
Futakuchi-onna
*
Skin
*
Selkie
Selkies are mythological creatures that can shapeshift between seal and human forms by removing or putting on their seal skin. They feature prominently in the oral traditions and mythology of various cultures, especially those of Celtic and ...
*
Skin-walker
In Navajo culture, a skin-walker () is a type of harmful witch who has the ability to turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as an animal. The term is never used for healers.
The yee naaldlooshii, translating to "by means of it, it goes ...
*
Swan maiden
The "swan maiden" () is a tale classified as Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index, ATU 400, "The Swan Maiden" or "The Man on a Quest for His Lost Wife," in which a man makes a pact with, or marries, a supernatural female being who later departs. The ...
Tail
*
Bakeneko
*
Kitsune
The , in popular Japanese tradition, are foxes or fox spirits that possess supernatural abilities such as shapeshifting, and capable of bewitching people.
General overview
, though literally a 'fox', becomes in folklore a ' fox spirit', o ...
*
Yamata no Orochi
Yamata no Orochi (ヤマタノオロチ, also written as 八岐大蛇, 八俣遠呂智 or 八俣遠呂知) is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent that appears in Japanese mythology. Both the ''Kojiki'' and ''Nihon Shoki'' record the ...
*
Kumiho
*
Hulder
A hulder (or huldra) is a seductive forest creature found in Scandinavian folklore. Her name derives from a root meaning "covered" or "secret". In Norwegian folklore, she is known as huldra ("the rchetypalhulder", though folklore presuppose ...
*
Nguruvilu
Neck
*
Serpopard
*
Rokurokubi
*
Vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
Torso
*
Manananggal
The ''manananggal'' () is a mythical creature in the Philippines that is able to separate its upper torso from the lower part of its body. Their fangs and wings give them a vampire-like appearance.
Mythology
The word ''manananggál'' is deri ...
*
Geryon
In Greek mythology, Geryon ( ; , genitive ), also Geryone (, or ), son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe, the grandson of Medusa and the nephew of Pegasus, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far ...
Abdomen
*
Pixiu
Concepts, creatures associated with
Battle, Vengeance, Violence, and War
Birth and Rebirth
*
Phoenix
*
Ubume
are Japanese yōkai of pregnant women. They can also be written as '. Throughout folk stories and literature the identity and appearance of ubume varies. However, she is most commonly depicted as the spirit of a woman who has died during childbi ...
Death and immortality
Dream, the mind, and sleep
Evil Eye and Sight
Fertility and Human Sexuality
Fortune, Luck, and Wealth
Light
*
Angel
An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
*
Chalkydri
*
Deity
A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...
*
Lampetia
*
Will-o'-the-wisp
In folklore, a will-o'-the-wisp, will-o'-wisp, or ; ), is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes.
The phenomenon is known in the United Kingdom by a variety of names, including jack-o'- ...
*
Dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
Love and Romance
Sound
*
Banshee
A banshee ( ; Irish language, Modern Irish , from , "woman of the Tumulus#Ireland, fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or kee ...
*
Encantado
*
Fenghuang
''Fenghuang'' () are mythological birds featuring in traditions throughout the Sinosphere. ''Fenghuang'' are understood to reign over all other birds: males and females were originally termed ''feng'' and ''huang'' respectively, but a gender ...
*
Fossegrim
*
Mermaid
In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Mermaids are ...
*
Nue
The Nue (鵺, 鵼, 恠鳥, or 奴延鳥) is a legendary yōkai or mononoke from Japanese mythology.
Appearance
In the ''The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Heike'', it is described as a Japanese Chimera (mythology), Chimera having the head of a Ja ...
*
Siren
Speech
*
Gef
*
Satan
Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
Time and Technology
*
Chronos
Chronos (; ; , Modern Greek: ), also spelled Chronus, is a personification of time in Greek mythology, who is also discussed in pre-Socratic philosophy and later literature.
Chronos is frequently confused with, or perhaps consciously identified ...
*
Father Time
Father Time is a personification of time, in particular the progression of history and the approach of death. In recent centuries, he is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, sometimes with wings, dressed in a robe and carrying a scythe ...
*
Gremlin
A gremlin is a mischievous fictional creature invented at the beginning of the 20th century to originally explain malfunctions in aircraft, and later in other machinery, processes, and their operators. Depictions of these creatures vary widely. ...
Wisdom
*
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is a female character (or one of a trio of sisters of the same name) from Slavic folklore who has two contrasting roles. In some narratives, she is described as a repulsive or ferocious-looking old woman who fries and eats children, ...
*
Bai Ze
*
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...
*
Salmon of Wisdom
The Salmon of Knowledge () is a creature in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, sometimes identified with Fintan mac Bóchra, who was known as "The Wise" and was once transformed into a salmon.
Fenian Cycle
The Salmon story figures prominentl ...
*
Sphinx
A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.
In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...
*
Valravn
Demons
* ''See''
list of theological demons
This is a list of demons that appear in religion, theology, demonology, mythology, and folklore. It is not a list of names of demons, although some are listed by more than one name.
The list of demons in fiction includes those from literary fic ...
Elements, creatures associated with
Aether
Air and wind
*
Ala
*
Elemental
An elemental is a mythic supernatural being that is described in occult and alchemy, alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance, and particularly elaborated in the 16th century works of Paracelsus. According to Paracelsu ...
*
Feldgeister
''Feldgeister'' ('field spirits'; ; singular: ''Feldgeist'') or ''Korndämonen'' ('corn demons'; ; singular: ''Korndämon'') are corn spirits in German folklore. ''Feldgeister'' are often also Elemental, wind spirits,Wolfgang Golther, ''Germanisch ...
*
Zduhać
Darkness
Earth and subterranean
Fire
Light and rainbow
Metal and gold
Thunder and lightning
Water
Habitats, creatures associated with
Cave and underground
Celestial and heaven
Desert
Temperate forest and woodland
Tropical forest and jungle
Temperate grassland and garden
*
Fairy
A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...
*
Gnome
A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depict ...
Savanna
* Ennedi tiger
*
Werehyena
Lake and river
Mountain and hill
Sea
Swamp and marsh
Volcano and lava
*
Cherufe
*
Phoenix
*
Salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...
Polar, ice, and winter
Urban and house
Underworld and hell
Humanoids
:''See''
Mythic humanoids
Mythic humanoids are legendary, Folklore, folkloric, or mythological creatures that are part human, or that Anthropomorphism, resemble humans through appearance or character. Each culture has different mythical creatures that come from many diffe ...
Hybrids
:''See''
List of hybrid creatures
Astronomical objects, creatures associated with
Sun
*
Chalkydri beings from the
Second Book of Enoch
The Second Book of Enoch (abbreviated as 2 Enoch and also known as Slavonic Enoch, Slavic Enoch, or the Secrets of Enoch) is a pseudepigraphic text in the apocalyptic genre. It describes the ascent of the patriarch Enoch, ancestor of Noah, throu ...
[ Entry]
The Book of the Secrets of Enoch chapter XII
/ref>
* Kua Fu a giant in China
* Three-legged bird in China, Korea, and Japan
* Phoenix in Greek Mythology
Moon
* Jade rabbit
* Werewolf
In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshifting, shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a Shapeshifting, therianthropic Hybrid beasts in folklore, hybrid wol ...
* Werejaguar
* Alien
Constellation
World
* World Elephant
* World Tree
* World Turtle
The World Turtle, also called the Cosmic Turtle or the World-Bearing Turtle, is a mytheme of a giant turtle (or tortoise) supporting or containing Religious cosmology, the world. It occurs in Hinduism, Chinese mythology, and the mythologies of th ...
Creatures associated with plants
Shapeshifters
Creatures associated with times
Day and diurnal
Night and nocturnal
Undead
* Ghosts in Hindu Mythology: Bhoot, Baital and Pishacha
Corporeal
Miscellaneous
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legendary creatures by type
*
legendary creatures by types