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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 22:52:47 GMT -5
Dragons Dragon is a creature, Fits for a KingDragons, (from Latin Draco - just like Draco Malfoy) are probably the best known magical creatures in literature. usually dragons and terrifying, they are often the most challenging foe a hero can face. Literary critics John Clute and John Grant note this rule of ancient epics; " To kill a dragon is often to become a king." as result the dragon is the symbol of many real and fictional kings, including the legendary king Arthur, whose last name , Pendragon, means: " head of the dragon" or " chief dragon". his golen helmet bore a dragon design.
however, as some heroes discover, dragons are often misundrestood. Though they can be frightening they also can be benevolent.
UUgliness is only skin deep
Many people fear dragons simply because of their appearance. this description from about AD 600 was taken very seriously:
the dragon is the largest of all serpents and of all living things upon earth. it has a small face and narrow below-holes through which is draws its breath and thrusts out its tongue. being dragged from caves in rushes into the air, and the air is thrown into commotion on account of it. and it has its strength not in its teeth but in its tail, and it is dangerous for its storke, rather than for its jaws. it is harmless in the way of poison, but poison is not neccessary for it to cause death, because it kills whatever it has entangled in its folds. and from it the elephant is not safe because of its size. it grows in Ethiopia and in India, in the very burning of perennial heat.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 22:54:16 GMT -5
History and origin of Dragon
A dragon is typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile , with magical or spiritual qualities. Mythological creatures possessing some or most of the characteristics typically associated with dragons are common throughout the world's cultures. Western representations typically have wings and are capable of breathing fire, whereas Eastern ones typically do not.The various figures now called dragons probably have no single origin, but were spontaneously envisioned in several different cultures around the world, based loosely on the appearance of a snake and possibly fossilized dinosaur and Tertiary mammal megafauna remains.
They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing long, typically scaly, bodies; dragons are often (but not always) portrayed with wings and a fiery breath.
Although dragons (or dragon-like creatures) occur commonly in legends around the world, different cultures have perceived them differently. Chinese dragons (Simplified Chinese 龙; Traditional Chinese : 龍; Pinyin : lَng), and Eastern dragons generally, are usually seen as benevolent, whereas European dragons are usually malevolent (there are of course exceptions to these rules). Malevolent dragons also occur in Persian mythology (see Azhi Dahaka ) and other cultures.
Dragons are often held to have major spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many oriental cultures dragons were, and in some cultures still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature and the universe . They are associated with wisdom -often said to be wiser than humans-and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernatural power. In some cultures, they are said to be capable of human speech.
Some believe that the dragon may have had a real-life counterpart from which the legends around the world arose - typically dinosaurs are mentioned as a possibility - but there is no physical evidence to support this claim, only sightings collected by cryptozoologists . In a common variation of this hypothesis, giant lizards such as Megalania are substituted for the living dinosaurs . Another less common claim is that dragons are based upon some sort of flying machines possessed by some ancient, unknown culture. Both of these hypotheses are widely considered to be pseudoscience .
Somewhat more plausibly, dinosaur fossils were once thought of as "dragon bones" - a discovery in 300 BC in Wucheng , Sichuan , China , was labeled as such by Chang Qu It is unlikely, however, that these finds alone prompted the legends of flying monsters but may have served to reinforce them.
Herodotus , often called the "father of history", visited Judea c.450 BC and wrote that he heard of caged dragons in nearby Arabia, near Petra, Jordan . Curious, he travelled to the area and found two living, winged dragons that had been caught and held in an iron cage. He described them as ferocious beasts that would wipe out all of humanity if released.
According to Marco Polo 's journals, Polo was walking through Anatolia into Persia and came upon real live flying dragons that attacked his party caravan in the desert and he reported that they were very frightening beasts that almost killed him in an attack. Polo did not write his journals down - they were dictated to his cellmate in prison, and there is much dispute over whether this writer may have invented the dragon to embellish the tale, Polo was also the first western man to descibe Chinese "dragon bones" with early writing on them. These bones were presumably either fossils (as described by Chang Qu) or the bones of other animals.
It has also been suggested by proponents of catastrophism that comets or meteor showers gave rise to legends about fiery serpents in the sky.
Of greater possibility is that the dragon is a composite creature. Biologists, working with Macaque monkeys have found that these creatures possess the beginnings of a spoken language , in that they have certain calls that apply for specific things. Three very important calls, that apply to major potential predators of the Macaque monkey notify others of the presence of a leopard , a snake or an eagle . Not only did these predators inspire fear in the case of the monkey, they also inspired very different behaviours. One explanation as to why the archetype of the dragon seems to be widely present in many cultures, is that it seems to contain elements of all three predators. With legs, claws, the ability to creep and ambush their enemies and with a cat-like cunning, Dragons do in these respects reflect the Leopard. Equally, with their ability to fly, and their guarding of the Dragon’s nest, lair or rookery, usually in remote, rocky places, Dragons reflect the behaviour too of Eagles. Dragons’ treasures are usually of gold, silver and jewelry, but they guard their eggs and brood too. In these ways Dragons are eagle-like. But Dragons are most clearly serpentine. In fact our modern word “Dragon” comes from the Greek, through Latin, where Drako meant Snake.
In Greek myth there are many snake or dragon legends, usually in which a serpent or dragon guards some treasure. A serpent dwelt, coiled up in the shield of Pallas Athene , guardian of Athens , and the first Pelasgian kinds of Athens were half human, half snake. The dragon Ladon , guarded the Golden Apples of the Sun of the Hesperides , daughters of Atlas , who held the sky upon his shoulders. Another Serpentine Dragon guarded the Golden Fleece of Aetes , king of Colchis , protecting it from theft by Jason and the Argonauts . Similarly Pythia and Python , a pair of serpents guarded the temple of Gaia , and the Oracular priestess by the same name, before the Delphic Oracle was seized by Apollo and the two serpents draped around his winged caduceus , the symbol of medicine, healing and of pharmacies to this day. Zeus, in becoming king of the Gods on Mount Olympus, first had to conquer the Titans and their last defense, the serpent Typhon . The Greek stories of Zeus and Typhon, and Hercules and Ladon seem derived from Canaanite myth where Baal overcame Lawtan , and Israelite Yahweh overcame Leviathan . These stories too go back still further in history 1,500 BCE, to the Hittite or Hurrian hero Kumarbi who had to overcome the dragon Ilyukanas of the Sea. In Babylonian myth Marduk , of the same period, conquers Tiamat , the “mother of all life” portrayed as a serpentine dragon of the sea. But Marduk was only the last of a line of dragon-slaying kings of the Gods. Earlier, before Babylon was more than a tiny village, Enlil , Lord Air, of the temple of E-kur (The House of the Mountain) of the ancient Sumerian city of Nippur , became king of the Gods by slaying Tiamat by shooting the arrows of his winds down her throat, cutting up her body and making from her ribs the vault of the heavens. The weeping eyes of this salt-water goddess became the source of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, two of the four springs of the Garden of Eden .
In Australian Aboriginal mythology, the Rainbow Serpent was a culture hero to the indigenous people in many parts of the country. Known by different names in different places, from the Waugal of the South Western Nyungar , to the Ganba of the North Central Deserts or the Wanambee of South Australia, the rainbow serpent, associated with the creation of waterholes and river courses, was to be feared and respected. Modern biologists have in fact shown that amongst the extinct giant Megafauna of Australia was a 45ft (15metre) python, Wonambi naracoortensis, which appears to have been a water-dwelling ambush predator, and may have been in part an explanation for these Australian stories.
Apart from the Australian Aboriginal tales, most dragons are associated with grain farming cultures and this fact offers another possible explanation for the existence of, and ambivalent relationships between humans and dragons. Grain farming was in pre-modern times a precarious occupation, for not only did one need to store sufficient grains to plant as seed next year, but also the harvest, which occurred in only one season, needed to be stored in such a fashion, as to give people access to sufficient carbohydrates to keep them alive for 12 months. This was overcome in traditional villages through a communal granary , but in the absence of cats, such grain storage was at risk of being attacked by rodents . A mouse or rat plague would have been the worst outcome for pre-modern people, and in the absence of cats, such infestations were deterred by putting a pair of snakes into the granary, with the Drako guarding the “golden horde” of the grain, the wealth of the whole community, from rodents and other pilferers. Early farming people, no less than earlier hunter-gatherers are dependent upon nature, the seasons and harvests for their livelihood. Serpents came to be seen as symbolic for this natural connection, powerful non-human beings, symbolic of the natural world as a whole, a world on which the whole human community depended.
From being a needed part of the community, guarding its treasured grain, with the coming of cats, humankind's ambivalent feelings towards serpents reasserted itself, and dragons were pushed away into our cultural imaginations, with St George rescuing the maiden from being sacrificed to the dragon.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 22:57:19 GMT -5
European Dragon
The dragon of the modern period is typically depicted as a huge fire-breathing, scaly and horned dinosaur-like creature, with leathery wings, with four legs and a long muscular tail. It is sometimes shown with feathered wings, crests, fiery manes, and various exotic colorations. Iconically it has at last combined the Chinese dragon with the western one. Asian dragons are long serpent like creatures which possess the scales of a carp, horns of a deer, feet of an eagle, the body of a snake, a feathery mane, large eyes, and can be holding a pearl to control lightning. They usually have no wings. Imperial dragons that were sewn on to silk had five claws (for a king), or four for a prince, or three for courtiers of a lower ranking. The dragons were bringers of rain and lived in and governed bodies of water (e.g lakes, rivers, oceans, or seas). Asian dragons were benevolent, but bossy.
Many modern stories represent dragons as extremely intelligent creatures who can talk, associated with (and sometimes in control of) powerful magic. Dragon's blood often has magical properties: for example it let Siegfried understand the language of the Forest Bird. The typical dragon protects a cavern filled with gold and treasure and is often associated with a great hero who tries to slay it, but dragons can be written into a story in as many ways as a human character. This includes the monster being used as a wise being whom heroes could approach for help and advice.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 22:59:43 GMT -5
Roman Dragons
It is theorized that western dragons have descended from Roman dragons. Roman dragons evolved from serpentine Greek ones, combined with the dragons of Persia, in the mix that characterized the hybrid Greek/Eastern Hellenistic culture. From Babylon, the "Dragon of Marduk" in molded glazed terracotta bricks that was part of the 6th century Gate of Ishtar has come to rest at The Detroit Institute of Arts. The later Babylonian dragon worshiped by the court of the Persian Cyrus the Great, in the Hebrew narrative in Bel and the Dragon probably dates to the late 2nd century BCE. John's Book of Revelation — Greek literature, not Roman — describes Satan as "a great dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns". Much of John's literary inspiration is late Hebrew and Greek, but John's dragon, like his Satan, are both more likely to have come originally through Persia. Perhaps our distinctions between dragons of western origin and Chinese dragons (q.v.) are arbitrary. A later Roman dragon was certainly of Iranian origin: in the Roman Empire, where each military cohort had a particular identifying signum, (military standard), after the Dacian Wars and Parthian War of Trajan in the east, the Draco military standard entered the Legion with the Cohors Sarmatarum and Cohors Dacorum (Sarmatian and Dacian cohort) — a large dragon fixed to the end of a lance, with large gaping jaws of silver and with the rest of the body formed of colored silk. With the jaws facing into the wind, the silken body inflated and rippled, resembling a windsock. This signum is described in Vegetius Epitoma Rei Militaris, 379 CE (book ii, ch XIII. 'De centuriis atque vexillis peditum'):
Primum signum totius legionis est aquila, quam aquilifer portat. Dracones etiam per singulas cohortes a draconariis feruntur ad proelium
(The first sign of the entire legion is the eagle, which the eagle-bearer carries. In addition, dragons are carried into battle by each cohort, by the 'dragoneers' )
and in Ammianus Marcellinus, xvi. 10, 7 (Harry Thurston Peck, Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, 1898: 'Signum'). It is hard to resist giving this Romanized Parthian dragon a distant Chinese origin.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:12:04 GMT -5
Romanian Dragons
Romanian Longhorn
native to: Romania (possibly the province of Transylvania in particular)
habitat: mountains (?)
appearance: dark green scales, long glittering golden horn
Balaur
In Romanian folkore a balaur is a creature similar to a dragon , although distinct: dragons as such also exist in Romanian folklore. A balaur is quite large, has fins, feet, and multiple serpent heads (usually three, sometimes seven, or even twelve).
As a traditional character which is found in most Romanian fairy tales, it represents Evil and must be defeated by F?t-Frumos in order to release the Princess (see also Zmeu ).
Balaur seems to derive from PIE *bel-, 'strong', or PIE *bhel-, 'to swell'. It is considered to be a pre-Roman word from the Romanian substratum .
Zmeu
The Zmeu (plural: zmei, feminine: zmeoaicã/zmeoaice) is a fantastic creature of Romanian folklore and Romanian mythology . Sometimes compared to other fantastic creatures, such as the balaur or the "vârcolac ", the zmeu is nevertheless distinct, because it usually has clear anthropomorphic traits: it is humanoid and has legs, arms, the ability to create and use artefacts such as the weapons, or the desire to marry young girls. In some stories, Zmeu appears in the sky and spits fire . In other stories, it has a magical precious stone on its head that shines like the sun. It likes beautiful young girls, whom it kidnaps, usually on the purpose of marrying them. It is almost always defeated by a daring prince or knight-errant .
The "zmeu" figures prominently in many Romanian folk tales as the manifestation of "pagan evil" and the destructive forces of greed and selfishness. Often times, the zmeu steals something of great value, which only F?t-Frumos (the Romanian "Prince Charming "; literally: "handsome youth") can retrieve through his great, selfless bravery. For example, in the ballad of the knight Greuceanu , the zmeu steals the sun and the moon from the sky, thereby enshrouding all humanity in darkness. In the story of "Prâslea the Brave and the Golden Apples", the zmeu robs the king of the precious "golden apples "; a parallel can be drawn to the Eleventh Labour of Hercules , in which Hercules must retrieve the Golden Apples of the Hesperides . Usually, the zmeu resides on the "other side of the world," and sometimes Fãt-Frumos has to descend into his dark kingdom, implying that the zmeu lives underground, perhaps in the Underworld .
The zmeu has a plethora of magical, destructive powers at his disposal. He can fly, transform himself into various creatures , and has tremendous supernatural strength. Ultimately, the abilities of the zmeu are of no avail, as Fãt-Frumos defeats him through martial skill and daring.
Some English translations refer to the "zmeu" as the ogre or giant from western European mythologies, and there is some truth to such analogies. Like the ogre, the zmeu likes to kidnap a maiden to be his wife in his otherwordly realm. After Fãt-Frumos slays the zmeu, he takes the maiden as his bride-to-be. Similarly, like the giant in the popular British stories of "Jack and the Beanstalk ", the zmeu returns home to his fortress from his raids into human lands sensing that a human (Fãt-Frumos) is lying in ambush somewhere nearby.
As an interesting side-note on the zmeu's ability to fly, in Romanian as in German, Russian, Norwegian and Swedish, the word for dragon also refers to the kites that children fly.
Most scholars agree that Zmeu's name and appearance is derived from the Slavic Zmey . However, the linguist Dr. Sorin Paliga challenges the notion that the Romanian word Zmeu is of Slavic origin, and hypothesizes that the pan-Slavic forms were an early Slavic loan from the Dacian language . The relation with Romanian "zmeurã" (raspberry ) has been deemed to be possible, but rather unlikely, by Alexandru Cior?nescu .
Wizard's Dragon Research Center
Romania :
Located high in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, is the Wizard's Dragon Research Center (pictured above). Wizards from around the world come here to study Dragons in their native habitat. Please note the observation platform in the top of the large square tower at the front of the building. As well as this primary observation post, there are several smaller remote outposts where researchers can observe the dragons at close range.
The Romanian Longhorn and the Ukrainian Ironbelly are the only native dragons to this region, however, several other breeds have been introduce. These are primarily nuisance and rogue dragons, rare and endanger species, and dragons illegally hatched from eggs that have been released into the wild for the protection of the dragons as well as wizards and muggles.
For centuries, the location of the research center has been kept secret, it's location known only by the researchers, their immediate familes, and high goverment officials. However, after years of extensive research by our dedicated staff, we can now give you, the public, your first look at this magnificant facility.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:19:32 GMT -5
British Dragons
Dragons play a big part in the legends of British. For instance, they foretold one of the most important moments in British history. acording to an official chornicle, the year AD 793 began with "dreadful fore-warnings over the land of the Northumbrians, terrifying the people most woefully. Whirlwinds and immense sheets of light rushed through the air, and fiery dragons flew across the sky. these termendous tokens were soon followed by a great famine; and not long after, invading heathnes made lamentable havoc in the church of God in Holy-island [Lindisfarne)". those "invading heathnes" were Norsemen from Scandinavia. true to what had been fretold, their ships were decorated to look like dragons. they continued to dominate Britain for hundreds of years.
not superisingly, the saint later adopted as the patron of England, St George, is famous for slying a dragon - symbolically defeating the foreigns. in The Faerie Queen, a famous poem written during the region of Queen Elizabeth I, poet Edmund Spenser describes the dragon faced by the "red - cross khnight" :
his body was monstrous, horrible, and vast,
Swollen with warth and poison and with bloody gore;
And over all with brazen scales was armed,
Like plated coat of steel, that nothing
might pierce it;
Nor could his body be harmed with dint of
sword, nor push of pointed spear.
His wings were like to sails in which the
hollow wind
Is gathered full, and work speedy way.
His huge long tail, wound up in hundred
folds,
speared across his long back.
Spotted with scales of red and black.
It sweeps all the land behind him,
And at the end two stringers;
Both deadly sharp - sharper than steel, by far.
His deep devouring jaws
Gaped wide, like the grisly mouth of hell,
And in either jaw were three rows of iron teeth
In which, still trickling blood and raw guts,
Recently devoured bodies did appear.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:25:56 GMT -5
Scandinavian & Germanic dragons
Lindworm
lindworm very large winged or wingless serpent with two or no legs, the lindworm is really closer to a wyvern . They were believed to eat cattle and symbolized pestilence. On the other hand, seeing one was considered good luck.
A lindworm (called linnorm in Scandinavia and Lindwurm in Germany ; the name consists of two Germanic roots meaning roughly "ensnaring serpent") is a large serpent-like dragon from European mythology and folklore . Legends report either two or no legs. In Nordic and German heraldry , the lindworm is the same as a wyvern , even though the folkloric lindworm lack wings. Lindworms were supposedly very large and ate cattle and bodies, sometimes invading churchyards and eating the dead from cemeteries.
The creature is also called a Lindworm snake. However, it could also be known as the "whiteworm," and the sighting of one was thought to be an exceptional sign of good luck. The shed skin of a lindworm was believed to greatly increase a person's knowledge about nature and medicine.
It is believed that evil lindworms symbolized war, pestilence and similar threats to ancient Europeans.
Lindworms Tn Tales
The dragon Fafnir from the Völsunga saga is known plainly as "a lindworm" in the Nibelungenlied . A famous Austrian lindworm was said to harass the city of Klagenfurt .
In Norway and Denmark , lindorm commonly refers to a sea serpent , while in modern Dutch , lintworm refers to a kind of tubeworm .
Saxo Grammaticus begins his story about Ragnar Lodbrok, a semi-legendary king of Denmark and Sweden , by telling of how a certain Thora Borgarhjort receives a cute baby lindworm, curled up inside of a casket , as a gift from her father the Earl . As the lindworm grows, it eventually encircles the hall of the Earl and takes Thora hostage, demanding to be supplied with no less than one ox a day, until she is freed by a young man in fur-pants named Ragnar, who thus obtains the honorary title of Lodbrok ("fur pants") and becomes Thora's husband.
In the tale of "Prince Lindworm" (also "King Lindworm"), from Scandinavian folklore , a hideous lindworm is born, as one of twins, to a queen, who, in an effort to overcome her childless situation, has followed the advice of an old crone, who tells her to eat two onions. She did not peel the first onion, causing the first twin to be a lindworm. The second twin boy is perfect in every way. When he grows up and sets off to find a bride, the lindworm insists that a bride be found for him before his younger brother can marry. Since his bride must love him willingly and none of the chosen maidens do, he eats each new bride they bring him, this creates a slight problem for the kingdom until a shepherd's daughter who spoke to the same crone is brought to marry him. She comes wearing every dress she owns. The lindworm tells her to take off her dress, but she insists he shed a skin for each dress she removes. Eventually he is out of skin and underneath is a handsome prince. Some versions of the story omit the lindworm's twin, and the gender of the soothsayer varies.
Lindworms and Marco Polo
Marco Polo reported that in the "province of Carajan" (in South East Asia ) there existed:
... snakes and great serpents of such vast size as to strike fear into those who see them, and so hideous that the very account of them must excite the wonder of those to hear it. ... You may be assured that some of them are ten paces in length; some are more and some less. And in bulk they are equal to a great cask, for the bigger ones are about ten palms in girth. They have two forelegs near the head, but for foot nothing but a claw like the claw of a hawk or that of a lion. The head is very big, and the eyes are bigger than a great loaf of bread. The mouth is large enough to swallow a man whole, and is garnished with great [pointed] teeth. And in short they are so fierce-looking and so hideously ugly, that every man and beast must stand in fear and trembling of them. There are also smaller ones, such as of eight paces long, and of five, and of one pace only. (The Travels of Marco Polo , Ch. XLIX)
While sounding similar to lindworms, most scholars believe that Marco Polo was referring to crocodiles with his "serpents."
Late belief in lindworms in Sweden
The belief in the reality of lindworms persisted well into the 19th century in some parts. The Swedish folklorist Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius collected in the mid 19th century stories of legendary creatures in Sweden. He met several people in Smهland , Sweden that said they had encountered giant snakes, sometimes equipped with a long mane. He gathered around 50 eyewitness reports, and in 1884 he set up a big reward for a captured specimen, dead or alive. Hyltén-Cavallius was ridiculed by Swedish scholars, and since nobody ever managed to claim the reward, it resulted in a cryptozoological defeat. Rumours about lindworms as actual animals in Smهland rapidly died out (Sjِgren, 1980).
Dragons in Germanic mythology
The most famous dragons in Norse mythology and Germanic mythology, are:
* Níðhöggr who gnawed at the roots of Yggdrasil;
* The dragon encountered by Beowulf;
* Fafnir, who was killed by Siegfried. Fafnir turned into a dragon because of his greed.
* Lindworms are monstrous serpents of Germanic myth and lore, often interchangeable with dragons.
Many European stories of dragons have them guarding a treasure hoard. Both Fafnir and Beowulf's dragon guarded earthen mounds full of ancient treasure. The treasure was cursed and brought ill to those who later possessed it.
Dragons in the emblem books popular from late medieval times through the 17th century often represent the dragon as an emblem of greed. (Some quotes are needed) The prevalence of dragons in European heraldry demonstrates that there is more to the dragon than greed.
Though the Latin is draco, draconis, it has been supposed by some scholars, including John Tanke of the University of Michigan, that the word dragon comes from the Old Norse draugr, which literally means a spirit who guards the burial mound of a king. How this image of a vengeful guardian spirit is related to a fire-breathing serpent is unclear. Many others assume the word dragon comes from the ancient Greek verb derkesthai, meaning "to see", referring to the dragon's legendarily keen eyesight. In any case, the image of a dragon as a serpent-like creature was already standard at least by the 8th century when Beowulf was written down. Although today we associate dragons almost universally with fire, in medieval legend the creatures were often associated with water, guarding springs or living near or under water.
Other European legends about dragons include "Saint George and the Dragon", in which a brave knight defeats a dragon holding a princess captive. This legend may be a Christianized version of the myth of Perseus, or of the mounted Phrygian god Sabazios vanquishing the chthonic serpent, but its origins are obscure.
The tale of George and the Dragon has been modified for modern works, with Saint George portrayed as an effete wally who faints at the sight of the dragon in a play [2] and a poem by U. A. Fanthorpe based on Paolo Uccello's painting, which hangs in the British National Gallery. In the poem, Saint George is a thug, the Maiden considers the relative sexual merits of the dragon and saint, and the Dragon is the only sane character. Certainly, Uccello's fifteenth-century painting, in which the Maiden has the dragon on a leash, is itself not the most conventional representation of the story.
It is possible that the dragon legends of northwestern Europe are at least partly inspired by earlier stories from the Roman Empire, or from the Sarmatians and related cultures north of the Black Sea. There has also been speculation that dragon mythology might have originated from stories of large land lizards which inhabited Eurasia, or that the sight of giant fossil bones eroding from the earth may have inspired dragon myths (compare Griffin).
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:34:31 GMT -5
Slavic dragonIn Slavic mythology , European dragons have their peculiarities. A dragon is called zmey in Russian and Bulgarian , zmiy in Old Church Slavonic , zmaj/змај in Serbian , żmij in Polish (although a different word, 'smok', means dragon in Polish). Most of these words are masculine forms of the Slavic word for "snake". In Romania , there is a similar figure, derived from the Slavic dragon and named zmeu . In Polish and Belarussian culture there is a unique word smok, which comes from the Indo-Iranian word for "swallow.East SlavicIn Russia and Ukraine , a particular dragon-like creature, Zmey Gorynych, has three heads , is green, walks on two back paws, has small front paws, and spits fire. According to one bylina , Zmey Gorynych was killed by Dobrynya Nikitich .
Other Russian dragons (such as Tugarin Zmeevich ) have Turkic names, probably symbolizing the Mongols and other steppe peoples. Accordingly, St George (symbolizing Christianity ) killing the Dragon (symbolizing Satan ) is represented on the coat of arms of Moscow . Some prehistoric structures, notably the Serpent's Wall near Kiev , have been associated with dragons as symbols of foreign peoples.South SlavicIn Slovenia a dragon is called "zmaj", although an archaic word of unclear origins, "pozoj" is sometimes used as well. Dragons in Slovenia are generally negative in nature, and usually appear in relation with St. George . Other, presumably pre-christian folk tales relate stories of dragons defeated similarly as the Polish Wawel Dragon , i.e. by tricking them into devouring lime. However, the dragon is not always harmful to man. The best example of this is the Ljubljana dragon, who benevolently protects the city of Ljubljana and is pictured in the city's coat of arms. In Croatia , Bulgaria , Serbia and Montenegro a dragon is called "zmaj", "zmej" or "lamja". It is a multi-headed dragon (with 3, 7 or 9 heads) who breathes fire. Also in Serbia it is also called "adaja" or "ala", the latter corresponding to Bulgarian "hala" (see Azhi Dahaka and Zilant ). Most probably from Bulgarian, the word for 'dragon' ("zmeu", with E and not with A as in Serbo-Croatian and Slovenian) was borrowed among the Romanians.West SlavicThe Wends formerly believed in Zirnitra as the black dragon. The name Zirnitra means magically empowered. Some modern interpreters view this Wendish dragon as a god of magic or sorcery, but this is controversial.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:38:04 GMT -5
Ukrainian Ironbelly
native to: Ukraine (possibly the Transcarpathian Region that borders Romania and Hungary
habitat: mountains (?) - possibly Northern Carpathians
appearance: metallic grey, long talons
size: largest breed of dragon, up to six tons
eyes: deep red
The Transcarpathian Region of the southwestern Ukraine seems a likely candidate for the primary habitat of the Ironbelly for various reasons. It borders Hungary and Romania , both of which support dragon species of their own, so the region where the three countries touch is worthy of consideration as a dragon habitat for that reason alone. Since the Black Sea borders the Ukraine to the south, and particularly mentions that Ironbellies have been known to hunt in that area, this region is again indicated.
The Northern Carpathian Mountains running through the Transcarpathian Region of the Ukraine continue into the Southern Carpathians, also known as the Transylvanian Alps. In addition to being a mountainous area, and thus a common sort of dragon habitat, the Carpathians are sparsely inhabited by Muggles (Columbia ), which would help explain how the wizarding world has managed to hush up the existence of the Ironbelly, given that much of the rest of the Ukraine is very thoroughly in use by Muggles as farmland.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 25, 2006 23:58:26 GMT -5
Chinese DragonChinese Fireball (Liondragon) or Lóngnative to: China
habitat: mountains (?)
appearance: scarlet with a fringe of golden spikes around its face
eyes: protruding
flame: mushroom-shaped
food: pigs, humans
eggs: vivid crimson speckled with gold
Lóng
The Chinese dragon or Lóng in Mandarin Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 龍; Simplified Chinese: 龙; pinyin: Lóng; Cantonese Yale: Lùhng; Japanese: ryū or tatsu 龍/竜; Korean: yong 용; Thai: mungkorn มังกรจีน; Vietnamese: rồng) is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental dragon in the West. Usually depicted as a long, snake-like creature with numerous claws, it has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art . It is also the embodiment of the concept of yang and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in general. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity.
The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China . However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan is extremely rare. Firstly, the dragon was the sign of the Emperor of China , and was on the national flag of the late Qing dynasty . These monarchist connotations run counter to recent Chinese ideologies. Secondly, the dragon has aggressive, warlike connotations which the Chinese government wish to avoid. It is for the latter reason that the giant panda is far more often used within China as a national emblem than the dragon.Despite this, the dragon still commands much respect in the Chinese culture . Classical depictionsThere are "Nine Classical Types" of dragons as depicted in Chinese art and literature, nine being an auscpicious number in Chinese culture. These are:
- Tianlong , The Celestial Dragon
Shenlong , the Spiritual Dragon
- Fucanglong , the Dragon of Hidden Treasures
- Dilong , the Underground Dragon
- Yinglong , the Winged Dragon
- Jiaolong , the Horned Dragon
- Panlong , the Coiling Dragon: inhabits the waters
- Huanglong , Yellow Dragon, which emerged from the River Luo to show Fuxi the elements of writing
- Dragon King
Besides these, there are Nine Dragon Children, which feature prominently in architectural and monumental decorations:
* The first son is called bixi , which looks like a giant tortoise and is good at carrying weight. It is often found as the carved stone base of monumental tablets.
* The second son is called chiwen , which looks like a beast and likes to see very far. It is always found on the roof.
* The third son is called pulao , which looks like a small dragon, and likes to roar. Thus it is always found on bells.
* The fourth son is called bi'an , which looks like a tiger, and is powerful. It is often found on prison doors to frighten the prisoners.
* The fifth son is called taotie , which loves to eat and is found on food-related wares.
* The sixth son is called baxia , which likes to be in water, and is found on bridges.
* The seventh son is called yazi , which likes to kill, and is found on swords and knives.
* The eighth son is called suanni , which looks like a lion and likes smoke. It is usually found on incense burners.
* The youngest is called jiaotu , which looks like a conch or clam and does not like to be disturbed. It is used on the front door or the doorstep.
There are two other (inferior) dragon species, the jiao and the li, both hornless. The jiao is sometimes said to be female dragons. The word is also used to refer to crocodiles and other large reptiles. The li is said to be a yellow version of the jiao. Whereas the dragon is mostly seen as auscpicious or holy, the jiao and the li are often depicted as evil or malicious.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 26, 2006 0:01:54 GMT -5
Japanese dragon
ryū
ryū Similar to Chinese and Korean dragons, with three claws instead of four. They are benevolent (with exceptions) and may grant wishes; rare in Japanese mythology. A Japanese dragon (ÈÕ±¾¤Î¸o nihon-no-ry¨± or ¸o ry¨± "dragon") is a legendary creature with physical attributes and disposition similar to the Chinese and Korean dragons . There are a few major differences between the Japanese Dragons and those that are said to live in other parts of the world. One major difference is that, unlike Korean and Chinese Dragons, Japanese Dragons have three claws instead of four. Japanese Dragons are said to fly less than European Dragons, but unlike European Dragons, Japanese Dragons are more or less benevolent, though there are a number of exceptions, and sometimes said to grant wishes. Japanese Dragons do not always have wings, similar to Korean and Chinese Dragons.
Some say that dragon stories may come from sightings of large fish, like the Oarfish , that were blown out of proportion. Although no skeletal remains have ever been found of dragons, this explanation still continue into folklore .
Dragons are rarely mentioned in Japanese mythology . One of the most famous is Yamata no Orochi , a terrible monster with eight heads and eight tails slain by Susanoo , who afterwards found the sacred sword Kusanagi on his fourth tail. Another important dragon is the emperor-god of the sea, Ryujin .
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 26, 2006 0:05:23 GMT -5
Korean Dragon
yo A hornless ocean dragon, sometimes equated with a sea serpent . and another korean dragon is kyo A mountain dragon.
Chinese Dragons, Korean Dragons and Japanese Dragons are Oriental Dragons.
The Korean dragon is a special type of dragon associated with Korean mythology. Like its peers, the Korean dragon is culture-specific which means it has unique properties that differentiate it from dragons in other cultures.
Other Korean dragon varieties
Whereas most dragons in Western mythology are generally related to the elements of fire and destruction, dragons (yong) in Korean mythology are mostly viewed as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture, often considered bringers of rain and clouds. Hence, many Korean dragons are said to have resided in rivers, lakes, oceans or even deep ponds within mountains.
The symbol of the dragon has been used extensively, both in Korean mythology and ancient Korean art. Politically, the dragon represents the Emperor, who himself was associated with rain and agriculture. Hence, those who used the title of King (Wang) were forbidden from wearing dragon adornments (the phoenix is the creature traditionally associated with a king).
Ancient texts sometimes mention sentient speaking dragons, capable of understanding such complex emotions such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude. One particular Korean legend speaks of the great king Munmu, who in his deathbed wished to become a "Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea."
The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: No wings, for example, in addition to a long beard.
Very occasionally a dragon might may be depicted as carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeoiju in one or more of its claws. It was said that whoever could wield the Yeoiju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will and that only four-toed dragons (those which had thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons).
A close relative to the dragon is a native Korean mythological creature known as an Imugi . There are different stories about the Imugi: Some, for example say that they are hornless creatures resembling dragons but have been cursed, and thus were unable to become dragons. Other say that an Imugi is a proto-dragon which must survive one thousand years in order to become a fully fledged dragon. In either case they are said to be large benevolent python-like creatures that live in the waters or caves. Their sighting is associated with good luck.
Korean thingyatrice: The Korean thingyatrice is known as a Kye-ryong , literally meaning chicken-dragon and does not appear as often as dragons. They are sometimes seen as chariot-pulling beasts for important legendary figures or parents of legendary heroes. One such legend involves the founding of the Kingdom of Silla, whose princess was said to have been born from a thingyatrice egg.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 26, 2006 0:12:51 GMT -5
Peruvian Vipertooth
native to: Peru
habitat: mountains (?), probably eastern Peru
appearance: smooth, copper-colored, short horns
fangs: venomous
size: small (15 feet)
food: goats, cows, especially humans
The habitat of the Peruvian Vipertooth is not discussed at length in , so this is generally a matter of deduction. Since dragons in general prefer mountainous regions and ordinarily goes out of its way to note those species that have other preferences, it is reasonable to suppose that the Vipertooth prefers mountains. Given that the Vipertooth is native to Peru and that the wizarding world has successfully concealed its existence from Muggles, in fact, the only other reasonable possibilities for the Vipertooth's native habitat are the western desert, the central mountainous region, and the eastern rainforests. The desert seems unlikely, since it runs along the seacoast and is a relatively small region. The central mountains are a possibility, but the eastern mountains and rainforests have relatively few Muggle inhabitants and are difficult for Muggles to reach (Columbia ), so eastern/northeastern Peru seems like the Vipertooth's most likely location.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 26, 2006 0:22:18 GMT -5
Chuvash dragon
Chuvash dragons differ from their Turkic counterparts (such as Zilant), as they are supposed to reflect the pre-Islamic mythology of Volga Bulgaria.
Varieties
The best known Chuvash dragon is Věre Çělen (Chuvash: Вěре Çěлен; i.e., "fire snake") who assumes human form and visits men and women at night to have sexual intercourse with them and to produce progeny. Like the Russian Gorynych, the creature has multiple heads and leaves a fiery wake at flight. These dragons are said to be born from illegitimate babies killed by their mothers.
Arçuri (Chuvash: Арçури), a wood demon, often turns into a snake, but more often he looks like Şüräle. The Iranian dragon, Ajdaha (Аçтаха), is also mentioned from time to time, probably due to Iranian influence to Volga Bulgaria.
Legends
According to one legend, when the Bulgars came to found the town of Bilär, they discovered a big snake living in the area. When they decided to kill it, the snake begged for peace and asked Allah to give her wings. Once she got wings, the snake flew away from Bilär.
Another great snake, or dragon, was said to live in a pagan tower temple at Alabuğa. Although the Bulgars adopted Islam as early as the tenth century, the snake allegedly survived until the time of Tamerlane's invasion.
Ibn Fadlan, who visited Volga Bulgaria in the 10th century, referred to numerous snakes, especially on trees. Once he saw a big fallen tree, which was longer than a hundred ells. Ibn Fadlan wrote that he'd seen a big snake at the trunk that had been almost as large as the tree itself. The Bulgars allayed his fears, assuring him that the snake was not dangerous.
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Post by Red Dragon on Jul 26, 2006 0:28:18 GMT -5
Siberian dragon
Yilbegan
This is another Asian Dragon names Yilbegan. this dragon Related to European Turkic and Slavic dargons.Yilbegän ([jilbe`gæn];; Yelbegän, Kazan Tatar language Cilbegän) is a multi-headed wigned anthropophag monster in the mythology of Turkic peoples of Siberia , as well as Siberian Tatars . Yilbegän was considered to live both overland and in the sea.
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