Lampong (Philippines)

Lampong are shapeshifting, dwarfish beings that sometimes show themselves to hunters in forests and mountains. They appear as elderly, bearded men about two feet tall with bright, piercing eyes.

Lampong interact with humans only when they wish to protect forest animals. When guarding a particular herd, a lampong disguises itself as the largest, fattest, and rarest member of the herd to distract hunters.

If a hunter fires at it, the lampong takes the hit, but instead of dropping to the ground, it slowly leads the hunter away from the herd, letting them escape. Once the herd is safely away, the lampong changes back to its original form of an old man and calmly walks away, leaving the hunter flabbergasted.   

Read more about Asian mythical creatures in Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 2).