In Russian folklore, Koschei (Russian: Коще́й, tr. Koshchey, IPA: [kɐˈɕːej]), often given the epithet “the Immortal”, or “the Deathless” (Russian: Коще́й Бессме́ртный), is an archetypal male antagonist. The most common feature of tales involving Koshchei…
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Baba Yaga
In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga (Russian: Баба Яга) is a supernatural being (or one of a trio of sisters of the same name) who appears as a deformed or ferocious-looking woman. In Russian fairytales Baba…
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The caoineag (Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [ˈkʰɯːɲak]) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore and a type of Highland banshee, her name meaning “weeper”. She is normally invisible and foretells death in her clan by lamenting…
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In Slavic folklore, the rusalka (plural rusalki) (Russian: руса́лка, romanized: rusálka; Polish: rusałka) is a female entity, often malicious toward mankind and frequently associated with water. Folklorists have proposed a variety of origins for the…
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A hulder 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 [archetypal] hulder”, though folklore presupposes…
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Kuchisake-onna
Kuchisake-onna (口裂け女, “Slit-Mouthed Woman”) is a malevolent figure in Japanese urban legends and folklore. Described as the malicious spirit, or onryō, of a woman, she partially covers her face with a mask or object, and…
Read More Kuchisake-onnaKrampus
In Central European folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as “half-goat, half-demon”, who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts.…
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Hone-onna (骨女, literally: bone woman) is a being from Japanese legends. In some versions, it is thought to be a female yōkai who kills men by extracting their lifeforce or by grabbing their hands and…
Read More Hone-onnaGrateful dead (folklore)
Grateful dead (or grateful ghost) is a folktale present in many cultures throughout the world. The most common story involves a traveler who encounters a corpse of someone who never received a proper burial, typically…
Read More Grateful dead (folklore)Funayūrei
Funayūrei (船幽霊 or 舟幽霊, literally “boat spirit”) are ghosts (yūrei) that have become vengeful ghosts (onryō) at sea. They have been passed down in the folklore of various areas of Japan. They frequently appear in…
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