Ghoul

In Muslim folklore, the ghoul is a female demon of the desert that can assume the shape of an animal. It is an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on the flesh of the dead. They also lure travellers into the desert to devour them.


Giant

The giants in mythology are primordial creatures of enormous size, the personifications of the forces of nature. They usually are the enemies of humans and often battle the gods (such as the Greek Titans, the Irish Fomorians and the Norse giants of Jotunheim).
Giants frequently play a significant part in the Creation Myths. They existed long before the gods and humans came. With the appearance of gods there followed a struggle between the two, in which the giants got the worst of it. When a giant was slain by a mighty god, the god would create heaven and earth from the giants body (see: Ymir and Tiamat). Even in the bible there are references to giants. In Genesis it is said that "in those days there were giants in the earth" and of course there is the story of David and Goliath, although the latter can hardly be considered a giant, being only 3 meters (9,8 ft), when compared to the giants in mythology and folklore. There are many fairy tales in which giants appear. Those giants are usually very stupid, greedy and fond of human flesh. Often a resourceful young man (named Jack) is able to kill or defeat the giant (Jack and the Bean Stalk, Jack the Giant Killer). However, not all the giants are evil; in some tales they are kind beings, who befriend little children.


Glaistig

A water-spirit who is half a lovely woman and half a goat. The goat part she tries to hide underneath a long green robe. She invites a man to dance with her, before she feeds on his blood. Contrarily, she can also be very friendly towards children and the elderly. Sometimes she also herds the cattle for farmers.
Gnome

A race of small, misshapen, dwarf-like creatures that dwell in the earth. The name 'gnome' was given to them by the medieval scholar Paracelcus, in an attempt to describe the most important of the earth spirits. Gnomes live under the earth, where they guard treasures.
According to Paracelcus, they move as easily through the earth as humans walk upon the ground. They cannot stand the light of the sun, for even one ray would turn them to stone. Some sources claim they spend the hours during daylight as a toad. They are in some way related to goblins and dwarfs.


Goblin

Goblins are a different, more grotesque variety of gnomes. They are known to be playful, but at other time they are evil and their tricks could seriously harm people. A goblin smile curdles the blood and a laugh sours the milk and causes fruit to fall from the trees. They pester humans in small ways, such as hiding small objects, tipping over pails of milk and altering signposts. Goblins originated in France and through a cleft in the Pyrenees they spread rapidly all over Europe. They have no homes and usually live in mossy clefts in rocks and roots of ancient trees, although they never stay very long in the same place.
The name 'hobgoblin' is thought to be an abbreviation of 'Robin Goblin', the name Druids gave to the first goblins when they entered Britain.


Golem

In Jewish legend, a golem is an image or form that is given life through a magical formula. The word is used to denote anything that is not yet fully developed. In the Middle Ages is was believed that there were wise men who could instill life in effigies by the use of a magic spell. These golems then took the form of a robot, or automaton. They would carry out their master's command and could perform easy tasks, as well as protecting their creators.

Gorgons

In Greek mythology a Gorgon is a monstrous feminine creature whose appearance would turn anyone who laid eyes upon it to stone. Later there where three of them: Euryale ("far-roaming"), Sthenno ("forceful"), and Medusa ("ruler"), the only one of them who was mortal. They are the three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto.
The Gorgons are monstrous creatures covered with impenetrable scales, with hair of living snakes, hands made of brass, sharp fangs and a beard. They live in the ultimate west, near the ocean, and guard the entrance to the underworld.
A stone head or picture of a Gorgon was often placed or drawn on temples and graves to avert the dark forces of evil, but also on the shields of soldiers. Such a head (called a gorgoneion) could also be found on the older coins of Athens. Artists portrayed a Gorgon head with snake hair, and occasionally with a protruding tongue and wings.


Gremlin

Little, mischievous spirits of tools and machinery. They are responsible for the little mishaps when working with tools, such as the sudden diversion of a hammer towards your thumb when you are driving a nail. They blunt sharp objects such as saws and chisels, misplace tools, etc. Each household has its hereditary gremlin which entered the house as an occupant of a household appliance. This gremlin is responsible for letting the air out of your tires when you are late for work, holds down the lever of pop-up toasters so that the toast burns in stead of ejecting, alters the hot and cold mixture when you are taking a shower, and many other little torments.