This list includes 32 Mythological creatures that start with T, from “Talos” to “Tzitzimime”. These entries include monsters, spirits, hybrids, and legendary animals useful for research, teaching, writing, and game design.
Mythological creatures that start with T are non-human beings from global myths and folklore. For example, Talos appears as a giant bronze guardian in Greek legend, protecting Crete.
Below you’ll find the table with origin, description, and famous stories.
Origin: Use to see where each creature comes from, helping you compare regional themes and cultural context quickly.
Description: Gives a concise 20–40 word summary of appearance, powers, and behavior so you can assess relevance fast.
Famous stories: Lists one or two named myths, texts, or works where the creature appears, aiding further reading and citation.
Mythological creatures that start with T
| Name | Origin | Type | Famous stories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tengu | Japanese | yokai | Heian folktales; Noh theatre |
| Tanuki | Japanese | shapeshifter | Japanese folktales; comic tales |
| Taniwha | Māori | monster | Māori tribal legends; Whanganui stories |
| Thunderbird | Native American | bird | Pacific Northwest myths; Ojibwe legends |
| Troll | Norse/Scandinavian | giant | Norse sagas; Scandinavian folktales |
| Typhon | Greek | monster | Hesiod’s Theogony; battle with Zeus |
| Tiamat | Mesopotamian | dragon | Enûma Eliš; Babylonian creation myth |
| Tarasque | French | dragon | Legend of Saint Martha; Provencal tales |
| Talos | Greek | automaton | Argonautica; Crete legends |
| Taotie | Chinese | monster | Shang bronzes; mythic motifs |
| Tikbalang | Philippine | spirit | Philippine folktales; Visayan stories |
| Tiyanak | Philippine | vampire | Philippine folktales; horror folktales |
| Tiktik | Philippine | monster | Visayan aswang tales |
| Tokoloshe | Southern African | spirit | Zulu/Xhosa folktales; South African lore |
| Tatzelwurm | Alpine | hybrid | Alpine folklore; Austrian legends |
| Tsuchinoko | Japanese | cryptid | Regional Japanese legends; modern sightings |
| Tsukumogami | Japanese | yokai | Japanese folktales; Heian legends |
| Tsurara-onna | Japanese | yokai | Coastal folktales; Edo stories |
| Tsurube-otoshi | Japanese | yokai | Edo-period tales; local legends |
| Tilberi | Icelandic | familiar | Icelandic witchcraft lore; sagas |
| Tommyknocker | Cornish/American | spirit | Cornish mining lore; American miner tales |
| Teju Jagua | Guarani | hybrid | Guarani creation myths; Paraguay lore |
| Tzitzimime | Aztec | demon | Aztec myths; New Fire rites |
| Tlanchana | Mesoamerican | mermaid | Purépecha and Nahua water tales |
| Tomte | Scandinavian | house spirit | Scandinavian folktales; Christmas lore |
| Trow | Orkney/Scots | fairy | Orkney folktales; Scots ballads |
| Tarakasura | Hindu | demon | Hindu epics; Puranic tales |
| Tiangou | Chinese | celestial dog | Chinese eclipse lore; folklore tales |
| Tupilaq | Inuit | construct | Greenlandic and Inuit lore; shaman tales |
| Tsuchigumo | Japanese | yokai | Heian tales; warrior legends |
| Tianlong | Chinese | dragon | Chinese celestial myths; Buddhist texts |
| Tylwyth Teg | Welsh | fairy | Welsh folktales; Mabinogion echoes |
Descriptions
Tengu
Crow-like mountain spirits (tengu) are skilled warriors and tricksters in Japanese lore, sometimes portrayed as long-nosed goblins or bird-men. Alternate names include tengu and tengu-dō.
Tanuki
Raccoon-dog trickster famous for shapeshifting, gluttony, and magic. Tanuki (also raccoon-dog) appears in folktales and art as a mischievous, good-luck yokai with a big belly.
Taniwha
Taniwha are powerful water or guardian monsters in Māori tradition, sometimes protective and sometimes dangerous. Spelled “taniwha,” they inhabit rivers, caves, or the sea.
Thunderbird
Gigantic supernatural bird that brings thunder and lightning. Thunderbirds appear in many Indigenous North American stories as powerful protectors and sky beings.
Troll
Trolls are large, often hostile beings of Norse and Scandinavian folklore, living in mountains or under bridges. They range from dim-witted brutes to cunning cave-dwellers.
Typhon
Typhon (also Typhoeus) is a monstrous, many-headed storm giant who battled Zeus. A primeval chaos monster often described as serpentine and terrifying.
Tiamat
Tiamat is a primordial chaos dragon/goddess who represents the salt sea; slain in the Enûma Eliš and reshaped into the world. Sometimes spelled Tiamat or Ti’amat.
Tarasque
A fearsome dragon-like beast from French folklore smashed by Saint Martha. The tarasque combines turtle, lion, and serpent features; spelled Tarasque or Tarasca.
Talos
Talos is a giant bronze automaton who guarded Crete, circling the island to ward off invaders. Often called Talos, he was animated by a single vein or nail.
Taotie
Taotie is a zoomorphic mask motif on ancient Chinese bronzes, symbolizing a gluttonous monster. The taotie motif represents a voracious, often-faced beast.
Tikbalang
Tall, horse-headed trickster spirit that leads travelers astray. Tikbalang (also tikbalang) appears in Philippine folklore as mischievous, sometimes frightening forest beings.
Tiyanak
Tiyanak (also tiyanak) is a vampiric infant spirit that mimics babies to lure victims. Common in Philippine folklore as a malevolent, shape-changing creature.
Tiktik
Tiktik is a nocturnal monster associated with the aswang tradition; named for its ticking call, it preys on pregnant women and villagers in Visayan stories.
Tokoloshe
Tokoloshe (also tikoloshe, tokolosh) is a small, troublesome dwarf-spirit blamed for mischief or harm. Folklore advises raising beds to escape it at night.
Tatzelwurm
The tatzelwurm (Tatzlwurm) is a serpent-like Alpine creature with a catlike head and short forelegs. Reported in Alpine oral tradition as a mysterious mountain monster.
Tsuchinoko
Tsuchinoko is a short, fat snake-like cryptid from Japanese folklore, said to make peculiar sounds and sometimes speak. Often spelled tsuchinoko.
Tsukumogami
Tsukumogami are household objects that gain spirits after a century, becoming animated yokai. These animated tools appear in many Japanese tales and moral stories.
Tsurara-onna
Tsurara-onna (“icicle woman”) is a yokai born from icicles that becomes a beautiful woman and lures men. The name appears as Tsurara-onna in folktales.
Tsurube-otoshi
A falling-head yokai that drops from treetops at night, named tsurube-otoshi. Often depicted as a bucket-like head or ghostly weight that crushes victims.
Tilberi
A witch-made creature used to steal milk; the tilberi (also snakkur) is formed from stolen materials and serves its maker in Icelandic witchcraft tales.
Tommyknocker
Tommyknockers are small mining spirits from Cornish and American folklore, knocking to warn or mislead miners. Known in North American mining communities.
Teju Jagua
Teju Jagua is a mythical multi-headed lizard-dog in Guarani myth, guardian of caves and fruits. Often described as part-dog, part-lizard; spelled Teju Jagua.
Tzitzimime
Tzitzimime (Tzitzimimeh) are star demons feared to descend during eclipses. In Aztec belief they threatened humanity during cosmic crises.
Tlanchana
Tlanchana is a lake spirit or mermaid figure in Mesoamerican folklore, often beautiful but dangerous. The name Tlanchana appears in regional water legends.
Tomte
Tomte (also nisse) is a small household guardian spirit in Scandinavian folklore, associated with farmsteads and winter traditions, especially Yuletide.
Trow
Trows are mischievous fairfolk from Orkney and Shetland, similar to trolls or brownies. They live in hills and sometimes steal human children or goods.
Tarakasura
Tarakasura (also Taraka) is an asura/demon in Hindu myth who battles gods and heroes. Depicted as a powerful destroyer in classical stories.
Tiangou
Tiangou (“heavenly dog”) is a moon- or sun-eating celestial dog blamed for eclipses in Chinese tradition, sometimes depicted as a black dog or dragon-dog.
Tupilaq
A tupilaq is a magical effigy created by shamans to harm enemies; often made from bones and spells. Inuit lore treats it as dangerous and secretive.
Tsuchigumo
Tsuchigumo are giant spider yokai or monsters in Japanese tales, often fought by heroic samurai. The name literally means “earth spider.”
Tianlong
Tianlong (“heavenly dragon”) denotes celestial dragons guarding the heavens in Chinese and Buddhist myth. Used as a category name for divine dragons.
Tylwyth Teg
Tylwyth Teg are the Welsh fair folk—beautiful, otherworldly beings who dance and abduct humans. Name literally means “fair folk” in Welsh.