Treasure guardians in folklore
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The treasure guardian is a recurring motif in folklore of a being that guards a treasure. Typically, the hero must overcome the guardian in order to obtain the treasure. In some cases the treasure guardians are non-human beings, although one subtype, known as "treasure ghosts", were deceased humans who had been murdered and buried with the treasure to protect it.[1][2][3] Animals are often shown as treasure guardians—an index of folklore chronicles stories of snakes, crows, ravens, cocks, swans, and night-birds as treasure guardians.[4] In some stories, the treasure is guarded by "the Devil himself".[1][2]: 44–45
- Jinn, an Islamic legendary creature sometimes depicted as a treasure guardian
- Gnome, a European legendary creature sometimes depicted as a treasure guardian
- Leprechaun, a treasure guardian from Irish folklore
- Dragon, a creature often portrayed as hoarding a treasure
- Salamander, a legendary creature often described as a lizard in shape (even looking like a common salamander), but usually with an affinity for fire
- Spriggan, Cornish guardian of fairy treasure, said to be the ghosts of giants that can swell to enormous sizes.