Water spirit

See also: Water deity

Water Spirits occur in many cultures and mythologies:

In West African and African Diaspora religious traditions:

• Mami Wata is a transcultural pantheon of water spirits and deities of the African diaspora. For the many names associated with Mami Wata spirits and goddess, see Names of Mami Wata.
• A jengu (plural miengu) is a water spirit and deity in the traditional beliefs of the Sawa ethnic groups of Cameroon.

In Celtic mythology:

• An Each uisge is a particularly dangerous "water horse" supposed to be found in Scotland; its Irish counterpart is the Aughisky.
• A Kelpie is a less dangerous sort of water horse. There are many similar creatures by other names in the mythology including:
  • the nuggle (Orkney)
  • the shoopiltee, the njogel, or the tangi (Shetland)
  • the cabbyl-ushtey (Isle of Man)
  • the Ceffyl Dŵr (Wales)
  • the capall uisge or the glashtin (Ireland)
• Morgens, Morgans or Mari-Morgans are Welsh and Breton water spirits that drown men.

In Germanic mythology:

• The Neck (English) or the Nix/Nixe/Nyx (German) are shapeshifting water spirits who usually appear in human form.
• The Undine or Ondine is a female water elemental (first appearing the alchemical works of Paracelsus).

In Greek mythology:

• Naiads were nymphs who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and brooks
  • Crinaeae (Κρηναῖαι) were a type of nymph associated with fountains
  • Limnades or Leimenides (Λιμνάδες / Λειμενίδες) were a type of naiad living in freshwater lakes.
  • Pegaeae (Πηγαῖαι) were a type of naiad that lived in springs.
• Nereids were sea nymphs.
• Sirens were bird-headed women living in the sea near a rocky island coastline.

In Japanese folklore:

• Kappa (河童, "river-child"), alternately called Kawatarō (川太郎, "river-boy") or Kawako (川子, "river-child"), are a type of water sprite.
• A Hyōsube (ひょうすべ) is a hair-covered version of a Kappa.

In Oceania mythology:

• Adaro (mythology) were malevolent merman-like sea spirits found in the mythology of the Solomon Islands.

In Roman mythology:

• Camenae were goddesses of springs, wells and fountains, or water nymphs of Venus (mythology).

In Slavic mythology:

• A Vodyanoy (also wodnik, vodník, vodnik, vodenjak) is a male water spirit akin to the Germanic Neck.
• A Rusalka (plural: rusalki) was a female ghost, water nymph, succubus or mermaid-like demon that dwelled in a waterway.
• For potoplenyk, rusalka, vila/wila/wili/veela, and vodianyk, see also Slavic fairies.