Modern Greek folklore

Carol by Nikephoros Lytras

Greek folklore is the folk tradition that has developed among the Greek people in and outside Greece over the centuries. Similarly to other European folklore, it includes pre-Christian pagan folklore and elements of ancient Greek mythology and folklore which developed from the Indo-European religion and the local Pelasgian mythology, along with Christian myths and legends that developed during the Hellenistic, Roman and Medieval periods. It also shares elements with the folklore of Balkan countries such as Albanian folklore and Serbian mythology (and other southern Slavic mythology) as well as Anatolian folklore.

Greek folklore consists of demotic music, legends, traditions and customs. Greek folktales include Myrsina, Anthousa, Xanthousa, Chrysomalousa, How the dragon was tricked and others, while legends include those of the Nereids, the Kalikantzaros, the Lycanthrope and the Vrykolakas, which is similar to the Vampire of slavic folklore.