Baba Daryah is a mythical jinn creature described as having no hands, a thin black body and mutilated lips. He usually appears in darkness and is enormous and powerful, kidnapping sailors and tampering with vessels. People feared his treachery and ability to disappear suddenly, and he was often portrayed as a supernatural force ruling the sea and its coasts. It is known by similar names in the heritage traditions of East Africa and India, where comparable figures appear in Indian and Persian sea-demon mythology, such as Panchajana, as well as in Greek mythology associated with the sea god Proteus. These stories reached the Gulf through trade and maritime voyages, with the name and character adapted to suit the local environment.