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Redcap

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Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Powrie, Redcomb, Bloody Cap, Robin Redcap
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Redcap is a malevolent goblin from the folklore of the Anglo-Scottish border, known for its murderous nature and distinctive blood-red cap. It is described as a short, thickset old creature with long, prominent teeth, large fiery-red eyes, and grisly hair streaming over its shoulders. Its thin fingers end in sharp talons like those of an eagle, and it wears iron boots while carrying a pikestaff in its left hand. Its most striking feature is the red cap on its head, which it keeps crimson by soaking it in the blood of its victims.

Redcaps inhabit ruined castles and ancient fortresses, particularly places associated with tyranny, cruelty, and wicked deeds. When travellers seek shelter in these ruins, the goblin attacks them by hurling enormous stones. If it kills someone, it dips its cap in the victim’s blood. Ordinary human strength cannot overcome a Redcap, making it a particularly dangerous presence in abandoned buildings along the border.

Despite its strength and ferocity, the Redcap can be defeated through religious protection. Reciting Scripture or brandishing a crucifix causes the creature to let out a dismal scream before vanishing in flames, leaving behind one of its large teeth. This weakness makes Christian faith a powerful defence against the otherwise formidable goblin.

One famous Redcap is Robin Redcap, the supernatural familiar of William de Soulis, a Scottish nobleman associated with Hermitage Castle. According to legend, Robin Redcap helped his master commit terrible deeds and protected him against weapons. The creature was said to live inside a chest secured by three strong padlocks. In the tale of William de Soulis, the nobleman was eventually taken to Ninestane Rig, wrapped in lead, and boiled to death. Although the story differs from the historical account of de Soulis’s imprisonment and death, it helped establish the Redcap’s association with the dark legends surrounding Scotland’s ruined castles.

Not every figure called a Redcap is murderous. A tradition from Perthshire describes a more benevolent little man living in a room high inside Grantully Castle, whose appearance or sounds bring good fortune to those who encounter him. In Cornwall, the term was also applied more broadly to fairies wearing scarlet caps, including some benevolent fairy folk. These variants differ from the blood-soaked goblin of the Anglo-Scottish border, whose name is inseparable from violence and the haunted ruins it inhabits.

Sources

“Redcap.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redcap

Bogle

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Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Boggle, Bogill, Tatty Bogle, Tattie-Bogle
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Bogle is a supernatural being from the folklore of Scotland and northern England, particularly Northumberland and Cumbria. It is generally described as a ghostly or goblin-like creature that exists to confuse, frighten, and perplex human beings rather than to help them or deliberately cause serious harm. Its appearance varies between local traditions, and the name is used for several different supernatural beings, including Shellycoats, Barghests, Brags, and the Hedley Kow. In some traditions, even giants are described as bogles.

Bogles are associated with frightening people and disturbing ordinary life through mysterious or unsettling behaviour. They may be heard in the wind or among the trees, where their eerie sounds frighten children. The term has also been used more generally for ghosts and bogeymen, particularly in the Scottish Lowlands, where it remained familiar in children’s speech into the twentieth century.

One notable variety is the Tatty Bogle, also known as the Tattie-Bogle. This creature is associated with potato fields, where it hides among the crops and may attack unsuspecting people or cause blight that damages the potatoes. It is also depicted as a scarecrow, reflecting the use of the word bogle for scarecrows in parts of England and Scotland. In this form, the figure stands in the fields as a frightening presence connected with the protection of crops.

Bogles also appear in stories of supposedly haunted houses. In an account published in the Larne Weekly Reporter on 31 March 1866, strange disturbances at a house in Ballygowan, Northern Ireland, terrified local residents. Objects were thrown through windows and, on one occasion, through the roof. The disturbances reportedly ceased after several months. People blamed the incidents on the use of building materials taken from an older house believed to have belonged to the supernatural “little people.” The account illustrates how the term could be associated with mysterious disturbances attributed to unseen beings.

The Bogle is not a single creature with a fixed appearance or set of powers, but a broad name for frightening supernatural beings in northern British folklore. Whether imagined as a ghost, a goblin, a field-haunting scarecrow, or an unseen presence disturbing a house, the Bogle embodies the unsettling and unpredictable side of the supernatural world.

Sources

“Bogle.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogle

El Tata Duende

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Tradition: Belizean Mythology
Alternative Names: Tata Duende, Duenditos
Category: Goblin

The Myth

El Tata Duende, whose name means “Grandfather Demon,” is a sinister goblin-like being in the folklore of Belize, particularly among the Maya inhabitants of the region. He is associated with the forests and is feared for luring children away from safety and stealing them. According to local stories, children are warned never to play marbles at night, as doing so may attract the creature. Once he captures a child, he is said to take their thumbs, leaving behind a disturbing reminder of their encounter with the forest spirit.

El Tata Duende belongs to a wider tradition of duendes, goblin-like beings found in the folklore of Iberia, Latin America, and the Philippines. These creatures are often associated with forests and may be benevolent or malicious depending on the tradition. Duenditos, the smaller and generally less threatening relatives of El Tata Duende, are sometimes said to help lost travelers find their way home. In some Mexican tales, they inhabit the walls of houses and attempt to trim the toenails of untidy children, sometimes accidentally clipping off an entire toe. El Tata Duende, by contrast, is a more dangerous figure whose mischief can have serious consequences.

Despite his frightening reputation, El Tata Duende is also known for his love of music and horses. He is said to play the guitar and ride horses throughout the night, leaving their manes braided after his nocturnal adventures. The commotion caused by his rides can trouble local inhabitants, particularly those whose horses he takes for his nighttime journeys.

According to folklore, El Tata Duende can be tricked because he is neither invincible nor particularly clever. Children may escape him by bending their thumbs behind their palms and showing him their hands. Mistaking them for smaller members of his own kind, he may let them go. Another reported method of driving him away involves leaving a guitar, a bottle of rum, and a mirror near a stable. The creature is expected to play the instrument and drink the rum before looking into the mirror and frightening himself away permanently. These tales portray El Tata Duende as both a dangerous predator and a foolish trickster whose weaknesses can be exploited by those who know how to outwit him.

Sources

“Belize Folklore: Finados.” Chaa Creek Belize Travel Blog, November 2016. https://belize-travel-blog.chaacreek.com/2016/11/belize-folklore-finados/#duenditos-and-el-tata-duende

Tenjō Kudari

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 天井下り, Tenjō-kudari
Category: Goblin

The Myth

Tenjō Kudari is a yōkai depicted in Toriyama Sekien’s illustrated collection Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki. It appears as a terrifying, dishevelled creature with wild, unkempt hair, breaking through a ceiling and dropping down into the room below. Unlike beautiful supernatural women found in other Japanese legends, this apparition is explicitly described as unattractive and frightening.

Sekien’s accompanying commentary compares Tenjō Kudari with Ibaraki Dōji, a demon who once appeared by breaking through a gable while disguised as the aunt of the warrior Watanabe no Tsuna. In contrast, Tenjō Kudari descends directly through the ceiling rather than appearing in the form of a beautiful woman.

Sekien also connects the creature with the expression tenjō o miseru, meaning “to show someone the ceiling.” This was a popular saying in his time, used to describe causing someone trouble or putting them through a frightening or unpleasant experience. The yōkai’s dramatic appearance turns this expression into a literal image: a terrifying creature descends from above to confront the unsuspecting person below.

Sources

“Tenjo Kudari.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010652657.html

Zlydzens

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Tradition: Belarusian Mythology, Ukrainian Mythology
Alternative Names: Злыдні (Belarusian), Злидні (Ukrainian)
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Zlydzens are small, hunchbacked and troublesome creatures in Belarusian and Ukrainian mythology, associated with gremlins and misfortune. They are often said to live beneath the masonry stove in a house, hiding in their shelter until the inhabitants leave. They are described as nasty little beings resembling a mixture of cats and dogs, sometimes wearing oversized boots and hats with earflaps. Despite their small size, they bring disorder and damage wherever they go.

Zlydzens are notorious for their destructive mischief. When the owner of a house is away, they emerge from hiding and create chaos, damaging household utensils, spilling milk from pitchers, and sending pans flying around the room. Their activities can be so disruptive that their cries are heard throughout the village. They rarely act alone, preferring to cause trouble in groups because they are considered too cowardly to carry out their mischief individually.

In Belarusian folklore, Zlydzens are sometimes attracted to the homes of people who seek to become rich quickly or whose greed makes them vulnerable to misfortune. Their presence brings damage and disorder rather than prosperity, making them fitting symbols of the troubles that accompany greed. Constantly eager to ruin things and disturb domestic life, these creatures turn the household into a scene of confusion whenever they have the opportunity.

Sources

“Zlydzens.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zlydzens

Mamer Goblin

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Tradition: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternative Names: The Twelve Goblins of Mamer
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The goblins of Mamer are supernatural beings said to haunt the churchyard of Mamer, Luxembourg. They appear in a legend involving a gravedigger who was known as a drunkard and thief. On Christmas Eve, while digging a grave in the churchyard, he encountered a boy walking along the path and singing. Enraged by the boy’s singing, the gravedigger attacked and beat him. When he later reached for his brandy bottle, he noticed a small man dressed in white sitting four graves away, his tongue hanging out.

Terrified, the gravedigger tried to flee, but the little man held him back. When the gravedigger struggled against him, the spirit struck a metal object with a small hammer, producing a ringing sound. A light then appeared in the sacristy, and twelve more goblins emerged. They seized the gravedigger and forced him into an open grave, where they surrounded him. The first goblin complained that he was cold, and the others brought him fire on a shovel, which he drank. The gravedigger was ordered to drink as well, but when he refused, the goblins forced the burning substance into his mouth.

The punishment grew more brutal as the goblins twisted the gravedigger’s legs over his back and forced his head between them. They eventually threw him out of the grave and back into the churchyard, where he lay unconscious. The following day, he became ill, and the boils covering his body convinced him that the encounter had not been a dream. The legend presents the goblins as frightening supernatural enforcers who punish the gravedigger after his cruel behavior on Christmas Eve.

This account was recorded by Nikolaus Gredt in Treasure of Legends of the Luxembourg Country, published in 1883.

Sources

“Kobolde auf dem Mamer Kirchhof.” SAGEN.at – Luxemburger Sagen. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Kobolde_Mamer.html

Kurakpao

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Tradition: Philippine Mythology
Alternative Names: None recorded
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Kurakpao is a strange and filthy creature in the folklore of the Bicol people of Luzon Island in the Philippines. It is described as an ugly, untidy being with thick, dishevelled hair and large, piercing eyes. Its unsettling appearance makes it a frightening figure in local tradition.

The Kurakpao is said to have a rat-like body and a head shaped like that of a huge tick. This bizarre combination of features contributes to its reputation as a grotesque creature. According to Bicolano folk belief, it is ready to batter anyone it encounters, making it a dangerous presence despite its unusual appearance.

Sources

“Kurakpao.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/kurakpao/en

Chullachaqui

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Tradition: Peruvian Mythology
Alternative Names: Chulla Chaqui
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Chullachaqui is a goblin-like forest spirit associated with the jungles and mountains around Tarapoto in Peru. Its name derives from the Quechua words chulla, meaning “uneven,” and chaqui, meaning “foot,” referring to its most distinctive feature: its mismatched feet. Standing approximately 1.60 metres tall, it is described as a being with a mixture of human and faun-like characteristics. Although it can change its appearance, its left foot retains its unusual shape, which may resemble the foot of a goat, a chicken, or even a chubby baby’s foot, while its right foot appears normal.

Despite sometimes being described as friendly, the Chullachaqui is a dangerous trickster that uses its shapeshifting abilities to deceive people. It can assume the appearance of someone its intended victim knows and trusts, then lead them away from familiar paths and deep into the jungle. Those who follow it may be taken to another dimension, where they are transformed into soldiers serving the goblin-like being, or abandoned in the wilderness far from safety. According to the legend, few of those who suffer this fate survive the ordeal.

The Chullachaqui is associated with particular times of the year, especially the San Juan festivities and the month of December. People who suspect they have encountered the creature are advised to examine its feet carefully. No matter how convincingly it imitates a familiar person, its left foot is said to retain its distinctive goat-like appearance, revealing the supernatural being beneath its disguise.

Sources

“Peruvian Legends: Mythological Creatures and Characters.” Viajes Machu Picchu. https://blog.viajesmachupicchu.travel/en/peruvian-legends-mythological-creatures-and-characters/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-4

Danters

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Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Dunters, Powries, Dunter, Powrie
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Danters are supernatural spirits in the folklore of the British Isles, particularly associated with the Old Border between England and Scotland. They are said to inhabit ancient square towers and Pictish fortifications along the border. Also known as Powries, they are described as dangerous goblin-like beings connected with the sacrificial deaths of humans and animals. The name Dunter is an original English spelling, while Powrie is another name for these border spirits.

The Danters are believed to haunt old fortifications, where they constantly make noise. Their activity is sometimes described as a faint or persistent sound resembling the beating of flails or grinding barley in stone mills. According to folklore, the sounds grow louder as a tower’s foundations approach a catastrophe. This noise is regarded as an ominous warning of impending death or misfortune, particularly when associated with ancient strongholds.

One tradition connects the Danters to the foundations of old towers, claiming that they were built upon the blood of sacrificial victims. These sacrifices were supposedly made before construction began, possibly involving Picts. The spirits are therefore associated with the violent and mysterious history of the border fortifications they inhabit. Their presence serves as a supernatural reminder of the sacrifices and suffering believed to lie beneath these ancient structures.

The Powries are not easily frightened or subdued. They are described as fearless goblins that cannot readily be panicked, intimidated, or driven away. Their reputation as stubborn and dangerous spirits distinguishes them from more easily frightened supernatural beings in British folklore.

Sources

“Dantery.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/dantery

Lunkaulemännchen

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Tradition: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternative Names: Lunkaule Manikin
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Lunkaulemännchen is the restless spirit of a wicked man who lived a sinful life, particularly through the dishonest act of moving boundary stones to alter property boundaries. Even death and burial could not put an end to his wicked nature. He is said to wander at night along the banks of the Moselle River near Grevenmacher, where he continues to commit mischief.

The creature is especially feared by late-night travelers near the village of Wellen. On a hill overlooking the village stands an old and venerable chapel, where passing travelers are advised to pray to Heaven for protection. Those who fail to seek divine protection risk a sudden encounter with the Lunkaulemännchen, which leaps onto their backs and forces them to carry it down into the valley.

As it rides its unfortunate victim downhill, the little spirit pinches, strikes, and presses against them relentlessly. It continues tormenting its victim until the exhausted traveler collapses, gasping for breath. The legend presents the Lunkaulemännchen as a punishment-bearing spirit whose nocturnal attacks reflect the wickedness of its former human life.

Sources

La Fontaine, Edmond de. Luxemburger Sagen und Legenden. Luxemburg: Jos. Beffort, 1882.