Kyūbi (九尾の狐, Kyūbi no Kitsune: literally "Nine-tailed Fox") is a mythological beast whose myths originated from China and spread to other parts of East Asia. Ancient Chinese texts state that it is a malevolent specter of mischief and trickery with a maddening craving for human flesh. Yet later generations of folklore may instead state that it is a divine guardian for various deities. This fox spirit remains morally ambiguous in East Asian folklore, generally accepted as a magical being that can change its allegiances at any time. Two examples of these foxes are Daji and Tamamo.