This list includes 36 Mythological creatures that start with K, from “Kabandha” to “Kumiho (variant entry)”. Many entries feature shape‑shifting, hybrid bodies, or moral roles across Asian, European, and Near Eastern traditions. Writers, game designers, teachers, and researchers use this list for quick reference and creative inspiration.
Mythological creatures that start with K are non-human beings from folklore, including spirits, monsters, and legendary animals. For example, kitsune and kumiho often appear as cunning, shape‑changing fox spirits in East Asian tales.
Below you’ll find the table with Origin, Description, and Famous stories.
Origin: Origin shows the culture or region where the creature appears, helping you place it in historical and cultural context.
Description: Description gives a concise, 20–40 word summary of appearance and behavior so you can quickly assess relevance.
Famous stories: Famous stories lists one or two key myths or works where the creature features, aiding further reading and citation.
Mythological creatures that start with K
| Name | Alternate spellings / Also called | Origin (culture / region) | Famous stories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kappa | Kawatarō, water imp | Japanese | Various Japanese folktales |
| Kitsune | Fox spirit | Japanese | Tamamo-no-Mae tales; folktales |
| Kumiho | Gumiho (alternate) | Korean | Korean folktales; “The Fox’s Goblin” tales |
| Kelpie | Water horse | Scottish | Various Scottish folktales |
| Kraken | Kraken sea monster | Scandinavian/Norse | Norse sagas; Tennyson’s “The Kraken” |
| Krampus | Horned yuletide demon | Austro‑Bavarian | Alpine folk traditions; Christmas customs |
| Kobold | House spirit | German | German miners’ tales; folklore |
| Kobalos | Kobaloi | Greek | Ancient Greek comedies; folktales |
| Kallikantzaros | Kallikantzaroi | Greek | Greek Christmas folklore |
| Keres | Death spirits | Greek | Hesiodic and Homeric literature |
| Karkadann | Karkadān | Persian/Arabic | Medieval bestiaries; al‑Qazwini texts |
| Karkinos | Karkinos the crab | Greek | Heracles’ labors (Hercules myth) |
| Kinnara | Kinnari | South Asian/Southeast Asian | Jataka tales; Ramayana episodes |
| Kulshedra | Kulshedër | Albanian | Albanian folk legends |
| Korrigan | Korrigans | Breton (Celtic) | Breton folktales; fairy tales |
| Kikimora | House spirit | Slavic (Russian) | Russian folktales; household tales |
| Kasa‑obake | Karakkasa, umbrella ghost | Japanese | Yokai tales; Hyakki Yagyō lists |
| Kamaitachi | Sickle weasel | Japanese | Japanese folktales; regional tales |
| Kodama | Tree spirit | Japanese | Shinto beliefs; folktales |
| Komainu | Guardian lion‑dogs | Japanese | Shrine lore; folk belief |
| Kuchisake‑onna | Slit‑mouthed woman | Japanese (urban legend) | Modern Japanese urban legend |
| Kishi | Muntu, two‑faced demon | Angolan | Angolan folktales |
| Kukudh | Albanian undead | Albanian | Southern Albanian folklore |
| Kabouter | Kobold cousin | Dutch/Flemish | Low Countries folktales |
| Knucker | Knucker dragon | English (Sussex) | Sussex dragon legends; “The Knucker Hole” |
| Kludde | Water dog spirit | Dutch/Flemish | Low Countries folktales |
| Keukegen | Filthy yokai | Japanese | Yokai compendia; Konjaku tales |
| Kirin | Kirin (qilin, Chinese) | Chinese/Japanese | Chinese classics; East Asian art |
| Karura | Garuda analogue | Japanese (Buddhist) | Buddhist texts; Hindu‑Buddhist myths |
| Karasu‑tengu | Crow‑tengu | Japanese | Tengu legends; warrior lore |
| Kabandha | Headless demon | Hindu | Ramayana |
| Kapre | Tree giant | Philippine | Philippine folktales; Tagalog tales |
| Kitsunebi | Fox‑fire phenomenon | Japanese | Yokai and folktales |
| Kumiho (variant entry) | Nine‑tailed fox (Korean) | Korean | Korean folktales; modern media |
| Kallikantzaros (singular) | Kallikantzaroi (pl) | Greek | Christmas season folktales |
| Kashchei? (Koschei excluded) | — | — | — |
Descriptions
Kappa
Amphibious yokai often depicted as child-sized turtles with a water-filled head dish; mischievous and sometimes deadly, known for drowning victims or helping humans if befriended.
Kitsune
Shape‑shifting fox spirits, often tricksters or guardians; gain power and tails with age, appearing as humans, familiars, or omens.
Kumiho
Nine‑tailed fox spirit that can be seductive or malevolent, often transforming into a woman to eat human livers or hearts in legend.
Kelpie
Shape‑shifting water spirit typically in horse form, luring people onto its back to drown them; linked to lochs and rivers.
Kraken
Enormous sea monster or squid-like beast said to attack ships; grew from sailors’ tales into literature and marine legend.
Krampus
Horned, goat-like companion of Saint Nicholas who punishes naughty children; part of Alpine winter rituals.
Kobold
Small domestic or mine spirits; helpful or mischievous, famed in miner folklore for causing or preventing accidents.
Kobalos
Mischievous sprite from Greek myth, known for tricking humans and stealing; etymological cousin to later goblin tales.
Kallikantzaros
Ugly goblin-like creatures who emerge during the twelve days of Christmas to cause mischief, often driven away by rituals.
Keres
Female death‑spirits who seize the dying on battlefields; looming, fated figures associated with violent death.
Karkadann
Legendary one‑horned beast resembling a unicorn or rhinoceros, feared and revered in Middle Eastern natural history and travel literature.
Karkinos
Giant crab sent to aid the hydra against Heracles; crushed in the fight and placed among the stars as Cancer.
Kinnara
Half‑human, half‑bird celestial musicians in Hindu and Buddhist myth, famed for beauty, music, and devotion.
Kulshedra
Multi‑headed serpentine dragon that causes storms and droughts; battled by heroic figures or required appeasement.
Korrigan
Small, nocturnal Breton fairies or dwarf‑like beings; tricksters associated with megaliths, wells, and tidal folklore.
Kikimora
Female household spirit who either helps with chores or causes nightmares and mischief when offended.
Kasa‑obake
Tsukumogami umbrella turned spooky: one‑eyed, one‑legged hopping ghost that surprises humans; playful rather than deadly.
Kamaitachi
Wind‑riding weasel yokai associated with sudden, painless cuts; blamed for strange, apparently surgical wounds.
Kodama
Spirits living in trees; cutting their tree brings curse or misfortune—nature guardians of forests.
Komainu
Lion‑dog guardians often depicted as statues at shrines; mythic beast protecting sacred spaces from evil.
Kuchisake‑onna
Ghostly woman with a slit mouth who asks victims if she is beautiful, attacking based on answers; modern but rooted in folklore.
Kishi
Two‑faced vampire‑like demon with a handsome human face and a hyena face behind the head; seduces women and devours men.
Kukudh
Malefic undead or plague spirit; sometimes a vampiric or pestilential entity afflicting households and livestock.
Kabouter
Small gnome or household spirit in Dutch folklore; helpful in homes and farms or petty trickster if neglected.
Knucker
Water dragon dwelling in swamps called knuckerholes; slain by local heroes in English county tales.
Kludde
Shapeshifting water demon taking dog, cat, or human form to mislead travelers and cause drownings.
Keukegen
Small, shaggy, disease‑bringing creature that brings misfortune; symbolizes hidden illness or household decay.
Kirin
Chimeric hoofed creature of auspice with dragon and deer traits; symbol of prosperity and serenity.
Karura
Human‑bird hybrid derived from the Indian garuda, often a mighty protector and enemy of serpents.
Karasu‑tengu
Crow‑like tengu with avian features; trickster warrior spirits associated with mountains and martial skills.
Kabandha
Giant rakshasa with face on its torso who fights Rama; later liberated and restored—monster‑turned‑legendary character.
Kapre
Large, cigar‑smoking tree spirit usually dwelling in large trees; sometimes guardian, sometimes a frightening presence.
Kitsunebi
Supernatural fox‑generated lights seen at night; affiliated with kitsune activity and omens.
Kumiho (variant entry)
Same as Kumiho—include for variant naming and modern tales where the creature appears.
Kallikantzaros (singular)
One of the goblin tribe emerging during the twelve days of Christmas to sow chaos in homes and hearths.
Kashchei? (Koschei excluded)
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