Spirits

Rakshasa is a Sanskrit term for a class of powerful beings in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain literature. English translations often use demon, but the category includes many forms and moral roles and does not map neatly onto the Christian devil. Rakshasas in the surviving tradition The Ramayana makes Ravana, king of Lanka, the best-known rakshasa. […]

The pontianak is a female night spirit in Malay and Indonesian traditions, often connected with death during pregnancy or childbirth. Related names and stories include kuntilanak and langsuir, but usage differs by region. Pontianak in the surviving tradition Stories commonly describe a beautiful woman who reveals a corpse-like or predatory form. She may be associated

Tengu are Japanese mountain beings shaped by Buddhist, ascetic, literary, and local traditions. They were once strongly associated with arrogance, deception, and obstacles to Buddhist practice, but later stories also make them guardians and teachers of martial skill. Tengu in the surviving tradition Early tengu imagery drew on the birdlike Chinese tiangou and often showed

The windigo belongs to several Algonquian-speaking Indigenous traditions in North America. Spellings and accounts differ among Cree, Ojibwe, and related peoples. The figure is tied to cannibalism, destructive hunger, winter danger, and the breakdown of human obligations. The windigo in the surviving tradition Some accounts describe a person transformed through cannibalism or extreme greed; others

Jinn are beings recognized in the Quran and in later Islamic theology, literature, and folklore. They are not simply Arabic ghosts or wish-granting genies. Islamic sources describe them as morally responsible beings created from fire. Jinn in the surviving tradition The Quran states that jinn were created from a smokeless flame and addresses a community

The kelpie is a Scottish water spirit, often described as a horse that lures riders or travelers into lochs and rivers. The name and stories vary, and later writers frequently merge the kelpie with other Highland and island water beings. Kelpie in the surviving tradition A common tale shows a fine horse waiting near water.

Rusalka is a name used for female water or nature spirits in several Slavic traditions. Descriptions differ across language, region, and period, so the figure should not be presented as one universal Slavic mermaid. Rusalka in the surviving tradition East Slavic folklore often places rusalki near rivers, lakes, fields, or forests during a seasonal period

The phrase Celtic fairies groups together many traditions from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany. These traditions share some motifs, but they do not describe one uniform class of beings or one unchanged ancient religion. Celtic fairies in the surviving tradition Irish sources often use terms such as aos sí for

The nuckelavee is a feared being in Orcadian folklore, commonly described as a skinless fusion of horse and rider that comes from the sea. The best-known written account was recorded in the nineteenth century and should not be mistaken for a complete ancient record. The nuckelavee in the surviving tradition In Walter Traill Dennison’s account,

Aswang is a broad Filipino label for feared supernatural beings and people, not one creature with a fixed anatomy. Regional stories describe witches, corpse-eaters, shape-changers, and beings that prey on pregnant people or infants. Aswang in the surviving tradition Descriptions vary widely across the Philippine archipelago. Some aswang appear ordinary by day and separate or