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Muki

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Tradition: Peruvian Mythology, Bolivian Mythology
Alternative Names: Muqui, Mooqui, Chinchiliku, Anchanchu, Janchanchu, Jusshi
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Muki is a goblin-like creature from the mining traditions of the Central Andes, particularly Peru and Bolivia, with related beliefs found in Ecuador and Colombia. Its name is associated in Quechua with both asphyxia and a goblin that inhabits caves. The Muki lives underground, especially within mines, where miners encounter it amid the darkness and dangers of their work. Despite regional differences in its name and appearance, stories of the Muki are widespread throughout Peru, from the southern highlands of Puno to the northern region of Cajamarca.

The Muki is usually described as a dwarf-like being no taller than two feet, with a stocky body and a head that appears to sit directly on its torso without a neck. In traditions from Cerro de Pasco, it has pale skin, a reddish, hairy face, long bright-blond hair, and a long white beard. Its deep, husky voice contrasts with its small stature, while its eyes reflect light like polished metal. Some accounts give it two small, shining horns that it uses to break rocks or indicate mineral veins. It may also have pointed ears and unusually large feet, causing it to walk with a waddling gait.

The Muki’s clothing often resembles that of a miner. It may wear a helmet, work clothes, and studded boots, carrying a lantern or flashlight. Other descriptions portray it in green clothing, a fine vicuña cape, or a miner’s waterproof outfit. Its appearance changes with the times: older accounts describe it wearing a vicuña poncho and carrying a gas lantern, while more recent depictions give it modern mining equipment and a battery-powered flashlight. Some traditions say it can transform into animals or take the form of a blond, light-skinned man to deceive miners. Different mining communities recognize their own local varieties of Muki, associated with particular mines and districts across the Andes.

Although the Muki can frighten or attack people, it is not always hostile. It sometimes warns favored miners of danger by whistling loudly and can influence the mineral veins underground, making them appear or disappear, or changing the hardness of the ore. It may even help with mining work or enter into agreements with individual miners. The Muki generally favors discreet, honest people who keep their promises and do not reveal their dealings with it. In return for its assistance, it may ask for coca leaves, alcohol, or companionship. Such agreements are dangerous, however, because miners may fail to fulfill their promises, provoking the Muki to take their lives.

Other stories portray the Muki as a threat to children, particularly those who have not been baptized. In some southern Peruvian traditions, unbaptized children may themselves become Mukis, while other accounts describe the creatures kidnapping children and keeping them until they transform into goblins. These beliefs reflect the blending of older Andean ideas about underground spirits with Christian concepts of baptism and spiritual protection. The Muki is associated with the Ukhu Pacha, the Andean world below, and helps explain the mysterious events, dangers, and uncertainties encountered in the mines. It may live alone or in groups, but is generally said to prefer solitude in an underground world where time does not pass and the creatures do not age.

Sources

“Muki (mythology).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muki_(mythology)

Trasgu

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Tradition: Spanish Mythology, Portuguese Mythology
Alternative Names: Trasgo, Trasno, Cornín, Xuan Dos Camíos, Gorretín Coloráu
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Trasgu, also known as the Trasgo, Trasno, or Trasno, is a mischievous goblin found in the folklore of northern Spain, particularly Asturias, Galicia, and Cantabria, as well as northern Portugal. Its origins are associated with Celtic mythology, and similar beings appear in other European traditions. The Trasgu is especially well known in Asturian mythology, where it is regarded as a domestic spirit that enters houses at night and causes trouble for their inhabitants.

In Asturias, the Trasgu is usually depicted as a tiny man with dark skin, a limp in his right leg, red clothing, and a pointed red hat. A distinctive feature is a hole in his left hand. Other descriptions give him horns, a tail, sheep-like ears, and unusually long legs. He may wear a long black-and-gray cloak or a tight, dark-brown outfit. Depending on the region, he is also known as Cornín or Xuan Dos Camíos in western Asturias, and as Gorretín Coloráu, meaning “little red hat,” in eastern Asturias.

The Trasgu enters homes during the night, making strange noises and moving objects from their usual places. When mischievous, he may break kitchen vessels, frighten livestock, rummage through chests of clothing, and spill water. Despite these disturbances, his pranks generally cause no lasting material damage, and the household’s possessions are often found as they were before. When treated well, however, the Trasgu may become helpful and perform domestic chores while the inhabitants sleep.

In Cantabrian folklore, the Trasgu takes a somewhat different form. He is described as a small goblin with a black face and green eyes who lives in forests. He delights in mocking people and playing tricks, particularly on girls occupied with activities such as shepherding. Because he must hide from humans, his clothing is made from leaves and moss. In Portuguese folklore, the Trasgu or Trasno is especially familiar in the Trás-os-Montes region. Traditions of similar mischievous beings also spread beyond Portugal, inspiring related legends in places such as Brazil.

Sources

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

Hobgoblin

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Tradition: English Mythology
Alternative Names: Hob, Hobgoblin
Category: Goblin

The Myth

A hobgoblin is a supernatural household spirit in English folklore, traditionally appearing as a small, hairy man. Like the closely related brownies, hobgoblins are often found in human dwellings, where they perform domestic chores while the family sleeps. Their tasks may include dusting, ironing, threshing corn, and other small household jobs. In return, they generally require little more than an offering of food.

Although hobgoblins were once regarded as helpful spirits, their reputation increasingly became associated with mischief following the spread of Christianity. Unlike the generally peaceful brownies, hobgoblins enjoy practical jokes and may play tricks on the people they serve. They can also be frightening or dangerous when angered. Some possess the ability to change shape, appearing as different animals or even as smoke. Offering them clothing can cause them to leave a household forever, although stories differ on whether they take offence at the gift or consider themselves too proud to continue working in new clothes.

One of the most famous figures associated with hobgoblins is Robin Goodfellow, a mischievous spirit identified by William Shakespeare as a hobgoblin in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Another example is Billy Blind, a clever hobgoblin or brownie who appears in several traditional ballads, where he helps people in difficult situations by providing useful information and advice.

Other local traditions describe hobgoblins whose activities range from harmless pranks to more troublesome interference. Blue Burches, associated with a shoemaker’s household in Somerset, usually appeared as an old man wearing loose blue breeches but could transform into a white horse, a black pig, or a wisp of blue smoke. Although the family tolerated his antics, clergymen eventually banished him. Robin Roundcap, a hearth spirit said to haunt Spaldington Hall in Yorkshire, helped with threshing corn and other domestic work but sometimes mixed wheat and chaff together, overturned milk pails, and extinguished fires. According to the legend, three clergymen confined him in a well through their prayers, giving the well the name Robin Roundcap’s Well.

Sources

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

Odminok

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Tradition: Ukrainian Mythology
Alternative Names: Vidminnyk, Odmina, Odminok
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Odminok is a changeling in Ukrainian folklore. Its name refers to a supernatural child believed to replace a human baby, taking the place of a child stolen by another otherworldly being. The tradition is associated with beliefs about the dangers surrounding childbirth and the vulnerability of infants to supernatural interference.

According to Ukrainian folk belief, the Odminok may be left behind when a supernatural creature steals a human child and substitutes one of its own. The changeling is often described as an unusually strange or unnatural-looking child, and its presence may be interpreted as evidence that the original baby has been taken. Related traditions in neighbouring Slavic regions also describe changelings as supernatural substitutes for human children, although their names and characteristics vary between communities.

Beliefs about changelings often include attempts to identify or drive away the substituted child. In some regional traditions, unusual behaviour, physical differences, or a failure to develop as expected could be interpreted as signs of supernatural replacement. Such beliefs reflected historical anxieties about infant illness, disability, and unexplained changes in a child’s behaviour. The Odminok belongs to this wider complex of European folklore in which supernatural beings were thought to interfere with families by stealing children and leaving strange substitutes behind.

Sources

“Odmina.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/odmina/en

Trenti

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Tradition: Cantabrian Mythology, Spanish Mythology
Alternative Names: Trenti
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Trenti is a small, imp-like goblin from Cantabrian mythology in northern Spain. Although annoying and mischievous, it is not considered malicious. It lives deep in the forest, where its appearance blends into the surrounding vegetation, making it extremely difficult to spot. Its body resembles mushrooms, leaves, and moss, while its most distinctive features are a completely black face and bright green eyes.

Trentis generally avoid direct contact with humans, preferring to remain hidden among bushes and woodland plants. However, they enjoy startling unsuspecting walkers by suddenly jumping out of the undergrowth. Their favourite prank is to pull at women’s skirts before disappearing back into the vegetation. These antics make the Trenti a troublesome but relatively harmless figure of the Cantabrian forests, embodying the playful and unpredictable side of the natural world.

Sources

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

Tokoloshe

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Tradition: Nguni Mythology, South African Mythology
Alternative Names: Tikoloshe, Tikolosh, Tonkolosh, Tonkolosi, Tokolotshe, Thokolosi, Hili
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Tokoloshe is a dwarf-like supernatural being in Nguni mythology, particularly associated with Zulu traditions and other cultures of southern Africa. It is generally described as a mischievous and malevolent spirit capable of becoming invisible by drinking water or swallowing a stone. Although it may sometimes be invoked to frighten children, the Tokoloshe is feared for its ability to cause illness, torment individuals, and even bring about death. It is also associated with witchcraft, as people believed to harbour hostile intentions may summon the creature to attack their enemies.

According to traditional accounts, a person seeking revenge may approach a malevolent witch doctor and request the creation of a Tokoloshe. In one version of the legend, the witch doctor obtains a dead body and prepares it through ritual procedures, piercing its eye sockets and brain with a heated iron rod to prevent it from thinking independently. Special powder is then applied to shrink the body, transforming it into a vessel for the spirit. The Tokoloshe is released against its intended victim, whom it terrorises over a period of weeks, months, or even years. The person who commissions the creature must promise the soul of a loved one, although the Tokoloshe itself chooses whose soul it will claim.

The Tokoloshe is particularly associated with unexplained deaths during the night. In traditional accounts, it was blamed when people sleeping on the floors of their homes died mysteriously. One explanation connects these beliefs to the dangers of indoor fires used for warmth in southern Africa’s cold highland winters. Fires burning in poorly ventilated homes could produce carbon monoxide, which can accumulate dangerously near sleeping people. Those sleeping on raised beds might be less exposed, and this contributed to the belief that the Tokoloshe could be kept away by elevating one’s sleeping place. Placing bricks beneath the legs of a bed became a well-known protective measure.

Protection against the Tokoloshe may also involve spiritual intervention. Traditional healers known as sangomas and certain Christian pastors are believed to possess the power to banish the spirit. The creature remains an influential figure in southern African popular culture, where stories about it can express genuine spiritual fears as well as provide a satirical way to criticise superstition and its influence on social behaviour.

Sources

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

Akaname

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Aka-name, 垢嘗, Filth Licker, Mudlicker
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Akaname is a small, goblin-like yōkai from Japanese folklore that inhabits dirty bathrooms and toilets. Its name literally translates as “dirt licker,” referring to its habit of licking grime from neglected bathing areas. It is typically depicted as an ugly creature with a bald or short-haired head, a long sticky tongue, and either one or five fingers on each hand and foot. Some illustrations portray it with a single eye, while others give it two.

The Akaname appears at night in dirty or abandoned bathrooms, particularly in old houses where cleaning and maintenance have been neglected. It uses its long tongue to lick away accumulated dirt, grease, hair, and other filth from the floors and walls. Although it may help remove grime, its presence is generally considered frightening and unpleasant. The creature’s association with unclean spaces reflects the importance of keeping domestic bathing areas clean in Japanese culture.

Like cockroaches, rats, and other creatures associated with neglected places, Akaname prefers dark, secluded environments where it can remain hidden from people. Stories about the yōkai serve as a warning about the consequences of poor household hygiene, encouraging people to keep their bathrooms and toilets clean. Its grotesque appearance and disgusting habits transform an ordinary domestic chore into a supernatural reminder not to neglect the home.

Sources

“Akanamje.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/akanamje

“Akaneburi.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010653511.html

Basty

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Tradition: Turkish Mythology
Alternative Names: Bastı, Basdı, Al-Basty, Kara-Basty, Qul-Basty, Sary-Basty
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Basty, also known as Bastı or Basdı, is an evil spirit or goblin in Turkic folklore. In Anatolian traditions, several types of Basty are distinguished, each associated with different frightening characteristics and supernatural dangers. These beings include Al-Basty, Kara-Basty, Qul-Basty, and Sary-Basty, whose appearances and behaviour vary between accounts.

Al-Basty is described as a tall, naked female creature with white skin and an evil nature. Kara-Basty is associated with nightmares and is characterized as a nightmare demon. Qul-Basty has a different pattern of activity: it sleeps in its grave during the day and travels at night. It is portrayed as hairy and foul-smelling, giving it a disturbing physical presence.

Sary-Basty appears as a woman dressed in yellow and is associated with causing epilepsy. Together, these different forms of Basty represent a range of malevolent supernatural beings in Turkic folklore, linked to nightmares, nocturnal activity, and illness.

Sources

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

Bauchan

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Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Bòcan, Buckawn, Bogan
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Bauchan is a domestic hobgoblin from Scottish folklore, particularly associated with the Highlands. It is an unpredictable supernatural being whose temperament combines mischief and occasional danger with a surprising willingness to help humans when necessary. Although it can be belligerent and combative, the Bauchan is not invariably hostile and may become a useful companion in everyday work.

One of the best-known accounts of the Bauchan appears in John Francis Campbell’s Popular Tales of the West Highlands. The story concerns Callum Mor MacIntosh, a farmer in Lochaber whose farm is haunted by one of these creatures. The Bauchan frequently behaves aggressively toward Callum, yet it also assists him with various agricultural tasks. Their relationship is marked by this contradiction: the creature can be troublesome and confrontational while simultaneously proving valuable through its practical help.

When Callum emigrates to New York City, the Bauchan accompanies him across the Atlantic. Rather than abandoning its former companion, it helps him clear his new plot of land. This continuation of their relationship shows that the Bauchan’s connection to a person need not be restricted to a particular house or location. The creature is also a shapeshifter and can transform itself into a goat, adding to its unpredictable and uncanny nature.

Sources

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

Brag

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Tradition: English Mythology
Alternative Names: Picktree Brag
Category: Goblin, Horse

The Myth

The Brag is a mischievous shapeshifting goblin from the folklore of Northumbria, particularly Northumberland and County Durham in northern England. It is best known for assuming the form of a horse or donkey, using its appearance to trick unsuspecting people into climbing onto its back. Once a person is riding it, the Brag suddenly bucks, throwing its victim into a pond or bush before fleeing with laughter.

The Brag’s shapeshifting abilities allow it to appear in stranger forms as well. One famous example is the Picktree Brag, which was said to take the shape of a calf wearing a white handkerchief around its neck, a naked headless man, and even four men holding a white sheet. These bizarre transformations make the creature difficult to identify and add to its reputation as an unpredictable supernatural prankster.

Not every Brag reveals itself through a visible form. A Brag associated with Humbleknowe was never seen, but was known for making hideous noises during the night. Whether appearing as an animal, a frightening apparition, or an unseen presence, the Brag delights in confusing and startling people rather than confronting them directly.

Sources

“Brag (folklore).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brag_(folklore)