One of the most important character of Tibetan Buddhism. Sometimes called 'the second Buddha,' he is credited for the diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth and ninth centuries.

A legendary tribe of monkey-like people of India. They are a wild people, without any voice, but uttering a horrible noise.

A legendary tribe of southern India. The men have feet one cubit long but the feet of the women are so small that they are called 'sparrow feet.'

The Madagascan mother-goddess. When the gods created humans, she gave them flesh and form, while the others gave them bones, blood, and breath.

The earth mother of the Kuba of DR Congo. She and her husband, Heaven, were created by the creator deity Mbomba.

The ancestral hero of the Lele. He is a son of Woot and Mweel.

Among the Karen of Burma, a goddess of agriculture who promotes the fertility of the crops and the rice fields.

A Russian goddess of the harvest.

The Nigerian goddess of marital fidelity.

A land-measurer near Farsum, the Netherlands, had been dishonest all his life. Each time he had to measure a piece of land he allowed himself to be bribed by one of the parties involved and would allot them more than

A fabulous sea-monster in Scottish Gaelic tradition, reputed to be the largest of all creatures and capable of devouring seven whales. In songs and legends it is variously known as cuartag mhòr a' chuain ('great whirlpool of the ocean'), mial

The creator-goddess of the Indonesian island of Nias. She created the Earth by collecting all the dirt of her body and kneading it into a small ball on her knee. She became pregnant and gave birth to a man and

The face of a lion-headed monster, created by Shiva when he was challenged by Jalandhara. It embodies the powers of the universal god. The ravenous monster intended to devour R hu but when he was deprived of his prey, Shiva

The fairy pig of the Isle of Man. It is usually described as white with red ears, and is able to change its size at will although not its shape. The fairy pig is believed to bring good luck when

The Irish name of the fairies of the sea. The name means 'family/host of the sea.'

The Manx water-horse, similar to the Scottish Gaelic each uisge yet not as dangerous or greedy. Still, it may occasionally seize cattle and tear them to pieces, stampede horse, and steal children.

In Manx folklore, a malevolent bull which lived in swamps and shallow pools. Occasionally it leaves its haunts to roam among the farm cattle. The tarroo ushtey is derived from the tarbh uisge of Scottish Gaelic tradition. See also cabyll-ushtey.

Another Irish name for the fairies. The name means 'family/host of the hill.'

Also known as K rttimukha, the face of a lion-headed monster which embodied the destructive power of the universal god. It was the only part which survived his self-consumption. The Face of Glory has become a symbol of protective wrath,