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Numradax · Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:48 pm Post subject: Dragons

Right just a quick word of warning the following is very long and very interesting please bear with me while i do all of it

What is a Dragon ?

Webster's Dictionary
drag.on \'drag-en\ n dracon-,draco serpent,dragon, [fr.GK drakon;akin to OE torht bright,Gk derkesthai to see,look at]

1 archaic: a huge serpent

2:a fabulous animal usually represented as a monstrous winged and scaly serpent or saurian with a crested head and enormous claws.

Tormont Illustrated Encyclopedia
drag'en n.

1. a. A fabulous monster, represented usually as a gigantic reptile breathing fire and having a lion's claws, the tail of a serpent, wings and scaly skin.

b. A figure or other representation of this creature.

2. Archaic. A large snake or serpent [Middle English drago(u)n, from Old French dragon, from Latin draco (stem dracon-), dragon, serpent, from Greek drakon, serpent]

According to the dictionary the stereotype of the dragon is a monstrous winged and scaly saurian breathing fire and having a lion's claws, the tail of a serpent, four feets wings and scaly skin with a crested head and enormous claws. But all the dragon do not look the same and there appears to be many different specimen.

Elements
The dragon's form arose from his particular power of control over the waters of the earth and gave rise to many of the attributes singled out by different peoples as the whole myth developed.

The dragon was associated with clouds and believed to be a rainmaker. Its fire-spitting was reminiscent of lightning. Some people thought good dragons protected humans from evil spirits. It was associated with fertility, strength and speed in battle, joy, and robust good health.The chtonian dragon is a crocodile that represents water. He has the power to overflow the rivers or to dry the crops, both causing misery and death. He eats human flesh like a demon and is covered with hair or fur like a wild beast. His tail is the most important part.

Fire
The destructive powers of the dragon derived from its fiery breath, which can devastate whole countries. Dragon's eyes also have this fiery red quality, sometimes believed to reflect the treasures they guarded. Rain clouds and thunder and lightning were believed to be the dragon's breath, hence the fire-breathing monster.

In Armenian traditions, the fire and lightning god tats powers to stay the dragon's control of the heavens, as could thunderbolts in Macedonian myth. A dead man was thought to become a dragon, while dragons were believed to be the guardians of treasures in burial chambers.

Inner qualities of the Dragon
The name "dragon" comes to us from the Greek word for seeing "derkein". The dragon is supposed to have unusually sharp vision in the physical, intellectual and psychic realms. In legends, it is known as a prophet; a riddler; and a guardian of temples, paradises, magic, and hidden treasures. Siegfried battled a dragon for immortality and Hercules confronted one for the golden apples of great happiness. Sometimes the key to the entrance of these hidden places is the hero's own sword, dripping with the dragon's blood. From these legends, the dragon gains a reputation for strength, vigilance, wisdom, jealousy, and miserliness.Vikings tats dragon figureheads on the prow of their ships. The dragons on the ships were believed to endow keen site and cunning to the Viking warriors.

In both Eastern and Western cultures, the dragon is the symbol of things, attitudes, or habits which although difficult to resist must be overthrown. The Japanese Buddhist, Fudo-Myoo overthrew blindness and ignorance symbolized by the dragon.

Flight
Some dragons tats the ability to fly but not all dragons flought. The water dragons for instance usually remain in the seas or lakes but an hybrid form is known to move both in water and the air.

Treasures
Dragons were believed to live at the bottom of the sea (Water) or in deep caves of high mountains (Earth), where they guarded vast treasure hoards, very frequently of pearls and stones.

Ladon, the dragon of greek mythology guarded the Hesperides gardens and the golden apples until Herakles defeated it.

In Norse mythology, Fafnir was the guardian of Rhine gold

Magic
There are good or divine dragons which are frequently attacked by the evil ones. Sometimes they are killed in battle by their adversaries and their blood splashes to the earth. Fortunately, for humans, this blood makes a good medicine known as "dragon's blood". Since this medicine effects miraculous cures on the wounds it is applied to, a correlation was made between "dragon's blood" and Christ's healing blood. It is now known that the alleged "dragon's blood" was actually a compound made from the dried fruits of palm trees.

Weaknesses and enemies
The dragon fears nothing except the elephant with whom he will engage in battle, entwining himself around the elephant and inflicting fatal blows. However, as the elephant finally collapses, his fall crushes the dragon to death.

The dragon is supposedly the enemy of the sun and the moon, both in Eastern and Western mythology, and is believed to be responsible for eclipses. These occur when the dragon is attempting to swallow either of the heavenly boddies; which accounts for the dragon's appearance in primitive astronomy.

The Spermatick Principle
According to Lhwyd´s theory of the "Spermatick Principle" the creation of dragons can be explained by the fecondation of fish’s semen by an eagle or a vulture's "saline moisture". Water contains the spawn not only of fish. When it evaporates the spawn not simply desiccates and dies, but is transferred into a new medium, the air. Later it will be washed to the ground again during rainfalls. We should thus not be astonished by the idea that semen of various animals abounds in the vicinity of an eagle´s or vulture´s eyrie. Similar to spawn in rock fissures the semen of a single animal is not able to develop a complete, proper creature. But mixed with other sperms it will bring forth a monster or dragon. The "Spermatick Principle" was only a short-lived episode in the history of palaeontology. However, it gained much popularity amongst common people, so that, e.g., in 1734 Zedler still could attribute the creation of dragons to this hypothesis.

Fermentational putrefaction
Eberhard Werner Happel published 1691 “Relationes Curisosae”, a collection of curiosities which reports the usual stories from exotic countries, scientific discoveries of various disciplines as well as descriptions of landscapes, their inhabitants and folk lore.

He states that they are monsters or miraculous creatures which could not spring from an ordinary copulation of two common animals of different species. Arguing that it is well accepted that dragons inhabit the remotest dwellings such as caves, cliffs or deserts, he noticed that eagles, vultures and other birds of prey are their companions. In fact they dwelled there even before the dragon. To these places they brought their prey , snakes, birds, rabbits, lambs, dogs, and even little children, to lacerate and devour them. And there the remains decayed. But still remnants of the semen of these unlucky victims survived. Of course it was impossible that this seed could develop ordenary animals. But through time the semen of various creatures would intermingle and at last a kind of "fermentational putrefaction" would give birth to a dragon. Logically, this dragon will show features of all animals involved: head and tail of the snake, wings of a bird or bat, ears of a rabbit and legs of whatever kind of being.

Ressemblance of Dragons and animal creatures

Birds
Some dragons have very bird-like attributes, such as feathers. Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent is an example of this. Some dragon myths have alternate versions, in which the dragon is a type of bird, showing how similar they are in some instances. It's possible that in the past exotic birds were mistaken for dragons. As people tats not seen such creatures before, they could well be misinterpreted as some some kind of mystical creature.

Crocodiles
The crocodile's size and potential ferocity make it a likely candidate for inspiring dragon myths (of the dragon eating people variety). The most dangerous types of crocodile are those that eat mammals in the wild. A crocodile is about three meters long when it starts to hunt for larger mammals. Usually, crocodiles are not that dangerous but in areas where they are used to eating humans (such as prisoners being fed to them, or dead bodies thrown in the water), they become far more likely to attack and kill.

Alligators are generally more passive than crocodiles. They rarely attack unless provoked. Most modern attacks happen when an alligator mistakes a human for prey, though the human often fights back, and the alligator retreats.

It is possible that the Biblical dragon Leviathan was a giant crocodile. To support tis theory, there are various cases of the skin of a slain dragon being kept as a trophy, which turned out to be crocodile skin.

Dinosaurs
People throughout the world use to believe that dinosaur bones were the bones of a dragon. Although these people tats no idea of the real truth behind the bones, the connection to dragons is an appropriate one. Whether you believe that dragons are ferocious carnivores or peaceful herbivores, there is a dinosaur equivalent. However, dinosaurs are a bit thick compared to most dragons. The large, dragon sized dinosaurs tats very little brain capacity. The more intelligent dinosaurs were far smaller. Their bones were probably mistaken for the bones of large mammals. Large dinosaurs also could not fly, which is something a good number of dragons can do.

There are various modern stories about dinosaurs still being alive, such as the Loch Ness monster. If any dinosaurs are still alive, and if people met them, they definitely would have inspired dragon stories.

Komodo Dragon
Many lizards have inspired dragon stories. The Komodo Dragon is the largest. It is a type of monitor lizard. It grows to about three meters long. The Dragon has a shorter tail than most monitor lizards, so has a much bigger body than another lizard of the same length. They live on the islands of Komodo, Padar and Kintja, and the western part of Flores. An adult Dragon will hunt animals such as goats and pigs. They have been know to attack people but normally leave them alone. Humans are probably just too much bother to hunt. Komodo dragons are capable swimmers. Perhaps that is how they spread between the islands. Water is the ancient element of the dragon. Seeing the Dragons in the water must have aroused suspicions in those that saw them. Komodo dragons also conform to the notion of fire and dragons. Their tongue flicking in and out can look like a small flame.

The catalyst of cosmical forces
The Dragon is often the first creature to roam the universe just after the Creation. Sometimes he is even respinsible for the creation of the universe (Amon/Amam in Egypt, Ophion in Greece, the rainbow serpent in Australia and Africa, Ananta/Prajapam in India…). He is the frontier between our world and beyond. His death sets free creative forces that found and moulder civilizations. The serpent Vasuki when strangled by the asuras and the gods create the ocean, the sun, the moon, the Goddess and Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Ourobouros circles the earth and represents the endless series of destructions and creations.

As the myth developed in the western world, dragons came to represent the chaos of original matter with the result that with man's awakening conscience a struggle arose, and the created order constantly challenged the dragon's power.

The dragon also represents the Word which was in the beginning and which created and now sustains all things.

In creation myths, Incubation or sexual intercourses between a mortal female and a dragon-god (who embodies fertility) gives birth to a hero who will be the first of its people.

Defeating the dragon in some stories allows regeneration of the land, of the seasons, of relationships and whole countries. The killing of a dragon not only deliver the place from his nuisances but is often the first stone of a new city. Like Cadmos seeding on the ground of the future city of Thebes the teeth of the dragon he killed, the hero turns the death of the dragon into positive forces.

The following is a detailed list of the cosmical fights between the hero and the dragon. In the case of Egypt, Seth is first a hero then became a beast.

Greece

Apollon Python

Herakles Hydra of Lernea

Zeus Typhon

Egypt

Ra Apophis

Seth Apophis

Horus Seth

India

Indra Vritra

Norse

Thor Jormungandr

Siegfried Fafnir

Celtic

Beowulf

Sumer-Babylon

Illuyankash Hupashiya

Baal Mot

Gilgamesh Humbaba

Marduk Tiamat

Christian

St Michael the Beast of the Apocalypse

St Georges

The Devil
In Christian symbolism, the dragon has long been associated with the "serpent of old", the devil, also known as Satan.

In the Bible, the dragon was considered as an idol. The story of Daniel shows that christian faith overcome any beast from hell.

After Daniel exposed the idol Bel as a fraud, the king led Daniel to a dragon which the Babylonians worshiped, saying, "Behold thou canst not say now, that this is not a living god: adore him therefore." To which Daniel replied, "Give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without sword or club. And the king said: I give thee leave. Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and made lumps, and put them into the dragon's mouth, and the dragon burst asunder. and he said: Behold him whom you worshiped. "[Dan 14:23-26 Douay-Rheims] After killing the dragon, Daniel was thrown into the lion's den for six days and survived.

Its strong connection with the cult of the Great Goddess made it more than a local idol. Thus, the dragon which was a powerful symbol in many places in the same way as faeries, witches and other benevolent monsters was declared an enemy by the Church and became a creature of the Devil, an incarnation of the evil forces. This transfiguration is already present in Greek mythology: Appolo slew Python, prophetess of the oracle of Delphi, Herakles killed the Hydra and Ladon, the son of Mother Earth; even the Eden serpent is represented with a human face which is an attribute of the Earth Goddess.

Tales of battles between heroes and dragons personify the triumph of good over evil and sometimes dramatize the victory of a community over the plague or a natural disaster. They can also betoken a personal struggle against sin or illness.

Dragons are popular attributes of many saints including St. George of the Cappadocia, St. Philip the Apostle, St. Martha of Tarascon, St. Radegund of Poitiers, St. Victor of Marseille, St. Andrew of Aix-en-Provence, St. Armentaire of Draguignan, and St. Michael the Archangel. These saints and Christ are often shown crushing a dragon under foot and thus representing the triumph of Christianity over the forces of evil, and the banishment of paganism from a land.

The emperor Constantine ordered a representation of himself killing a dragon with his lance made to memorialize his conversion to Christianity.

Medieval artists occasionally replaced the familiar serpent under the Virgin Mary's foot with a defeated dragon to pictorialize the Genesis prophecy: "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." [Gen 3:15].

The gaping "Jaws of hell", which is classic in paintings and sculptures of the Middle-Ages, belong to the anatomy of a fire-breathing dragon.

Probably ther most infamous dragon in hystory, the Hydra of The Apocalypse is described as being a great red dragon with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns upon his head. In the Koran, the dragon of the Apocalypse is named Dabba.

In parts of Africa where the dragon is also considered as an evil power, the monster was believed to be the result of the unnatural union of an eagle and a she-wolf.

Nevertheless, the oriental dragons in the East part of the world still retain their virtues of wisdom, fecundity and benevolence

The psychic Dragon

Dragons are dual creatures that symbolize the unconscious. In dreams they sometimes represent the fear of death. In most magic ritual dragons are used as symbolic doors to other dimensions.

A popular figure, the dragon in the center of the labyrinth symbolizes the evil part of the unconscious (shadow).

The dragon in the tower

The myth of the hero that delivers the princess from a tower guarded by dragon symbolizes the freedom of the young male who masters his anima (the princess) and the regressive forces of the mother to access plain relations with women. The tower is the symbol of the phallus.

St Antony from Egypt (251-356 AC) tats terrible visions of dragons and other monsters sent by the Devil. In the case of temptations, the dragon often represents the woman and the prostitute, forbidden to the saint/monk.

The amphisbaena is a two-headed dragon which heads are always in conflict. It represents the inner struggle between the conscious mind and the destructive forces of the unconscious (shadow).

Mircea Eliade interprets the act of eating as a regressus in uterum which precedes a second birth . It is linked with knowledge and wisdom which are virtues of the original and ancient Dragon. When the hero is swallowed by the monster (giant, dragon, …) he gains wisdom and knowledge of the secrets of nature.

Dragons and alchemy

Alchemy is a mixture of philosophy and science, which has been practiced for centuries, and is still practiced today. It works at two levels: the physical, and the metaphysical. At the metaphysical level, it works to purify and transform humankind. At the physical level, it works to purify and transform metals. The first step of the transformation of metals is creating a philosopher's stone. This stone can then be used to transmute metals into alchemical gold. When a substance has been purified, it becomes philosophic.

Allegory

Allegories describe chemical reactions and the like, using symbols. The dragon is one of these symbols. For example, a green dragon devouring the Sun means that the gold was dissolved in aqua regia (royal water), a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids. Also, the gold probably contained copper, which turns the acid blue-green. (A green lion eating the sun can also been used for this representation). This symbolism was used as a way of preventing all but the most dedicated from deciphering the meaning.

Caduceus

The caduceus consists of two serpents entwined around a central rod. It is the symbol of Mercury. This symbol was developed from the myth of Mercury, the messenger of the gods, who intervened in a fight between two serpents. When he intervened, the serpents twined around his wand. In Greek times, the caduceus sometime tats wings, to symbolize the volatility of mercury. Alchemists also call mercury chaotic water, abysmal water, sylvery water, and Philosophical Basilisk.

Philosophic Mercury is sometimes represented by a serpent, or winged dragon.

Cinnabar

Cinnabar is a naturally occurring mercuric sulphide. In it's natural state, it is a red crystalline solid. Chinese and Arabian alchemist's extracted mercury from it. The word 'cinnabar' comes from the Persian for 'dragon's blood'.

Nagayuna

Nagayuna is the Indian branch of alchemy. The aim is to preserve the elixir of life, in order to unify the body's energies. The symbol of the naga (two entwined serpents) is used to represent the link between the earth and the heavens, and the transition from the lower levels to the higher. This symbol can be found outside temples, on stone tablets (called 'nagahals' or 'nagakals')

Twelve Keys

The Twelve Keys were written by Basil Valentine (who may or may not have been real) in the 14th century. They depict how to prepare the prime matter for making the philosopher's stone. The keys show the King (ordinary gold), and the Queen (ordinary silver), who undergo separate adventures, before combining. Serpents appear several times in the keys. One of the appearances is in the ninth key. Part of the ninth key shows three serpents: the principles of Mercury, Sulphur and Salt.

Classification according to shape

Western Dragons

Element : Earth and Water

Description: The Western type of dragon has been variously described. He appears to be created from parts of various creatures, having eagle's feet, two bat-like wings, lion's forelimbs, reptile’s head, fish's scales, antelope's horns and a serpentine form of spade tail, which occasionally extended to the head.He can be of any color and some species can even change the color of their skin just like a chameleon. They usually breath fire but this is not a general trait.

Powers: Those dragons usually have huge hoards of gold and jewels hidden in their lairs. They are known to live more than 300 years, some western dragons are even immortal.

Friend/Foe: They do not eat too often and can live on a sheep or ox once a month. They are usually portrayed as evil, mean, and bloodthirsty which is a consequence of the demonization exerced by the Church.

Famous: The end of the dragon came with Christianity as the Church declares them as enemies and send hords of knights to struggle against them. As a result, most dragons have been destroyed (and even more knights have been burned).

Magic: Eating a dragons' heart will give the the power of understanding the language of animals, eating the dragons' tongue enables to win any argument, and rubbing the dragons' blood on skin will protect against stabs

Oriental Dragons

Element : Water

Powers: Some of the worst floods in Asia's History were caused when a mortal has upset a dragon. Dragons were essentialy linked to the water element, influencing the weather and the water courses.

According to Chinese mythology, a dragon has to spend 1000 years under the sea, 1000 years in the mountains and 1000 years among men before turning into a real dragon. Before that he is a small serpent prisoner of a stone, called a “serpent’s egg”. After 3000 years, the dragon escape and take his adult form, the stone was known to spill a magic liquid called “inky blood”.

Friend/Foe : In the Eastern world the dragon has a rather different significance than in the West. He is essentially benevolent, son of heaven, and controls the watery elements of the universe.In many cases the dragon is combined with the phoenix to symbolize long life and prosperity. It is also combined with the tiger to represent heaven and earth or inyo (Yin and Yang).

Description : Having sinuous serpentine bodies and four legs, eastern dragons do not usually breath fire, nor do they fly. According to Wang Fu (Han 206 BC-220 AC)dragons are made up of many different types of animals of the Earth: the body of a snake, scales of a carp, head of a camel, horns of a deer, the eyes of a hare, ears like a bull, a neck like an iguana, belly of a frog, paws like a tigers, and claws like an eagle. A lion-type mane decorates its neck, its chin, and each elbow. They also carry two antler-like horns on their wide-mouthed head, and two long whiskers spread out from their snout. They are depicts in many colors like blue, black, white, red, or yellow. Oriental dragons are usually shown with a pearl in their mouth, under their chin, or in their claws. This is apparently where the dragon gets its power, and how it ascends to heaven. The male dragon holds a war club in its tail while the female dragon holds a sensu or fan in its tail.

Types
There are many different kinds of dragons. Some live in the air, some live in the sea, and some live underground. The legends of China include a white lunar (moon) dragon. Others include the the Spiritual, The Dragon of Hidden Treasures, the Winged, the Horned, the Coiling, and the Yellow. The chinese have a dragon to help them for each circumstance of their life. In China dragons are known as Lung.Yu-Lung which looks like a fish give success to exams.

Eastern dragons can be classified according to the number of claws they have. Most five clawed dragons are Chinese. Three clawed dragons are Japanese. Four clawed dragons are Chinese, Indonesian or Korean.

Famous Chinese dragons

The four Lungs

Tien-lung , The Celestial Dragon: who protect the sky and palaces of Gods,
Shen-Lung, The Spiritual Dragon: who cast the storms and the rain,
Ti-Lung , The Earth Dragon which control rivers, and water on the Earth, and
Futs-Lung , The Underworld Dragon which guards precious metals and gems.
Mang has four claws. He represents temporal power.

Yu was the founder of the Xia dynasty. The five claws dragon became the exclusive emblem of the emperor. Members of his court wear a four-clawed one. If someone other than the Emperor was caught wearing the symbol of the five-clawed dragon, he was put to death.

The first chinese dragons tats only three claws. The Celestial Dragon is the ruler of the Chinese dragons. He has five claws curling from its feet, 117 scales among which, 81 infused with yang, the good, and 36 infused with yin, the evil.

Lung Wang the immortal dragon king with a human body lives under the sea

Great Chien-Tang is the commander of all the River Dragons, he is blood red, has a firey mane, and is 900 feet long.

Long hold a shining pearl between his claws which represents moon, fertility and wisdom. Other dragons hide it in under their throat or chin.

Ying Long is a winged a dragon covered with fur.

Dragons Kings (China , Japan)
There are four main Dragon Kings, Ao Ch'in, Ao Jun, Ao Kuang, and Ao Shun.

Each of the brothers rule one of the four seas. Earth is in the centre of these seas. They each live in an underwater palace called the Crystal Palace. Also in the palace are their ministers, army (of fish, crabs, and crayfish) and watchmen who police the sea bottom. They depend directly on the August Personage of Jade, from whom they receive the orders of how much rain to distribute where.

Though there are four high Dragon King's there are many local ones. The local Dragon Kings were much more respected. As Dragon Kings are masters of water, every well and watercourse is guarded by its very own Dragon King, represented by a statue. They are resorted to when there is too much or too little rain. If a request is granted then there is a celebration to honour the Dragon King.

Dragonet Element : Earth

Description : They are small dragons less than 1.5 m high but very fierce and hostile to humans.

Famous: the dragons of Wilser who lived on the mount Pilate (Switzerland) tats poisoned blood and exhaled fire.

The Ouroboros
Aka: oroborus, uroboros, and oureboros.

Description: a serpent whose end is his beginning as he endlessly eats his own tail.

Origin: The Serpent biting its own tail is first seen as early as 1600 years BC in Egypt. From there it moved to the Phonecians and then to the Greeks, who called it the Ouroboros, which means devouring its tail

Famous: The serpent biting its tail is found in other mythologies as well. In Norse mythology Jörmungandr circles the entire world whith his huge body., in Hindu mythology the snake circles the tortoise which supports the four elephants that carry the world.

Symbol: the serpent biting, devouring, eating its own tail symbolises the cyclic Nature of the Universe: creation out of destruction, Life out of Death. The ouroboros eats its own tail to sustain its life, in an eternal cycle of renewal. It is also an emblem of immortality. Its endless representation with its tail in its mouth (Ouroboros), and the constant renewal of its skin and vigor, enliven the symbols of continued youth and eternity. Alchemically, the ouroboros is also used as a purifying glyph. He keeps the cosmic waters under control, and is symbolic of the cyclical nature of alchemical work. He is the basilisk, the alchemical serpent.

Icedrakes Element : Water

Description: A drake is a dragon with only legs and no wings. Icedrakes exhaled snow and hail and are usually white or light bluish in color. These types of dragons do not fly, they look like large lizards being about 5-20 m long.

Firedrakes
Element : Earth

Origin: Germany, Gaule (France)

Description: A drake is a dragon with only legs and no wings. FireDrakes have the breath of flame, and are usually reddish in color. In Europe many cities were named after this dragon: Drakeford, Drakeshill, Draguignan,...

Lore: They often live in caves and guard great treasure. They breath fire to defend themselves.

Famous: Wiglaf, the firedrake killed by Beowulf

Hydra
Origin: Greece

Description: many headed dragon who either have wings, or wingless. When one head is cut off, two more grow from the spurting blood.

Famous : the Hydra of Lernea, the Beast of the Apocalypse

Amphiptere
Description: Winged or flying serpents

Famous: Quetzacoatl, the Dragon of Henham (169, Essex), many monsters in the mythology of ancient egypt : Aapep, Mertseger, Buto, Nekhbet

Amphisbaena
Description: double-headed serpent-dragons with heads at each end of its body. Its name means 'goes both ways' in Greek as it could reportedly stick one head inside the mouth of the other, and roll to where it wanted to go. Some pictures of this creature depict it as having feet, others just as a snake.It was said to be a very evil creature. Pliny recorded medicinal properties of the beast. Wearing a live amphisbæna will protect pregnant women, and wearing a dead one is a remedy of rheumatism.

Wyrm/Worm
Description: These are dragons which have neither legs nor wings

Origin: Worms are known to be the first incarnations of dragons. They are linked to water and are omnipresent in most primitive cultures (Australia, Africa, Amazonia)

Famous: the Lambton Worm.

Lore : forests and wells and any dark place near water

Wyvern
Aka: Wyver, Lindworm, Lindorm, Wouive, Vouivre

Element : Earth

Description: two-legged dragon with two wings, a serpent’s head and the claws of an eagle.In modern images, they may have claws on the wings and a sting filled with poison on the end of its tail.

The French Wyvern known as a Vouivre or Wouive, is portrayed with the head and upper body of a voluptuous woman with a ruby or garnet set between her eyes that help her to find her way through the Underworld.

Origin: from the Old French wyvere which means both viper and ‘life’. They were also very popular mountains of central europe and in Sweden

Friend/Foe : Wyvern are frequent in heraldry and are considered a sign of strength to those who bear the symbol. Wouive is the good ‘Genius’ who hovers protectively over the countryside and masters the underlying currents of the earth. She is ‘the spirit that breathes or inspires.’ The ancients represented these currents, that today we term cosmic or magnetic, by winged serpents.

Neverthelessthe Wyvern appears in some western folk tales as a malign and violent predator with a fierce head, bat’s wings and a tail that sometimes has an extra scorpion-like head on its end. The life-giving aspect of the Wyvern is inverted in favour of death as she takes life. The Wouive’s ‘Breath of Life’ has been reversed, for the Wyvern is said to have poisonous and corrupt breath. These dragons symbolise envy, war, pestilence, and viciousness.

Famous: Marco Polo met and described Lindworms while crossing Central Asia. They were quick and mighty enough to take down a man on a galloping horse.

Tatzelworms in Switzerland and Austrich tats a head like a cat on a long serpentine body (1.2-1.5 m) with two small arms. They were able to leap at great distance.

Pseudo-dragons
They are sometimes confused with dragons :

Basilisk, Cockatrix, Menticore, Typhon

The Naga

There are no trace of dragons as made up of different parts of animals in India. The closest creature is the Naga which inherited of many characteristics of the dragon.

Description: pseudo-dragons who are usually portrayed as having a human head, serpentine body, and no wings.

Origin: The word Naga is rooted in Sanskrit and means "Serpent". It is one of a handful of rare words surviving the loss of the first universal language. Even in Mexico, we find the "Naga" which becomes "Nagal."

Powers: Nagas were patrons of water and clouds, but could cause flooding or drought if disturbed. In some stories, the naga can shape-change at will from human to snake form

Symbol: In the Esoteric Tradition it is synonymous for Adepts, or Initiates. In India and Egypt, and even in Central and South America, the Naga stands for one who is wise. Nagarjuna of India, for example, is shown with an aura, or halo, of seven serpents which is an indication of a very high degree of Initiation. Nagarjuna are called in Tibetan, Lu-trub. The symbolism of the seven serpents, usually cobras, are also on Masonic aprons of certain systems in the Buddhistic ruins of Cambodia (Ankhor) and Ceylon. In China, the Naga is given the form of the Dragon and has a direct association with the Emperor and is known as the "Son of Heaven" while in Egypt the same association is termed "King-Initiate". The Chinese are said to have originated with the Serpent demi-gods and even to speak their language, Naga-Krita. In the Western traditions we find the same ubiquity for the Naga, or Serpent. One simple example is the Ancient Greek Goddess, Athena. She is known as a warrior Goddess as well as the Goddess of Wisdom; her symbol being the Serpent as displayed on her personal shield. An apocryphal tradition says that Apollonius of Tyana, while on a visit to India, was taught by the "Nagas" of Kashmir. (See The Life of Apollonius, by Philostratos.) The Serpent's reputation for positive medicinal and/or life-preserving qualities is still present through seen the employment of the Caduceus.

Classification according to elements

According to Isidore de Leville, there are marine dragons (anguis), earth dragon (serpens), air dragons (draco) and draco marinus which master sea and air. Dragons are always related to the elemental spheres and moreover they tend to personify each of separate element.

Dragons of Air
The element of Air governs the eastern quarter of the circle. Its dragon ruler is Sairys (sair'-iss), who oversees the dragons of breezes and winds. Its colour is pure yellow; it is considered warm and moist. The positive associations of Air are: sunrise, spring, the breath, optimism, joy, intelligence, mental quickness, renewing. Negative associations are: frivolity, gossip, fickleness, inattention, bragging, forgetfulness.

Dragons of this element belong to a family of Draconic beings whose subspecies include those of wind, storm, and weather. At times they join forces with the dragons of fire and volcanoes, seas and other waters, mountains and forests, and chaos. Just as no one element works totally alone, whether in magickal endeavours or physicals activities, elemental dragons join their great powers to accomplish tasks. Sometimes there is conflict of elemental powers, producing great atmospheric and environmental disturbances, but mostly the elementals work in harmony.

Dragons of Earth
The element of Earth rules the northern quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Grael (grail), who oversees the dragons of mountains, land, minerals, gems, and moonbeams. Its colour is clear, dark green; it is cold and dry. Positive associations of Earth are: midnight, winter, respect, endurance, responsibility, stability, prosperity, thoroughness, purpose in life. Negative associations are: rigidity, unwillingness to change or see another side of a problem, stubbornness, lack of conscience, vacillation. Earth-element dragons are the most placid, unless they are required to stir up great disruptive energies such as earthquakes. The subspecies belonging to this element are the dragons of the mountains and forests and those of desert and arid regions. As might be easily guessed, the element of Earth often works closely with dragons of fire and volcanoes and those of chaos and destruction.

Dragons of Wind, Storm, and Weather
Dragons of wind and storm and weather are long, slender dragons, some of them with great gauzy wings, others with the Oriental "flying-lump" on their foreheads. Down the spine of the back flutter thin fringes of membrane tissue. The tend to be pale yellows and pale blues, but change to angry red-orange, purple, or black when they call up storms. Long, feathery antennae rise above their eye ridges.

They are excellent helpers to control excesses in the weather; getting things moving in your life, especially in the areas of creativity and the mental processes; protection; flexibility of the mind; openness to new ideas; sweeping away obstacles, most of ten in a dramatic fashion. Sometimes these dragons have feather-looking scales that surround their eyes and necks. Such a dragon was the British Henham dragon, which was well documented in 1669. It was described as being only about nine feet long with small wings and rather curious eyes surrounded by 'feathers'. The Henham dragon put in repeated appearances before a number of observers for several years before it disappeared.

Dragons of Fire
The element of Fire governs the southern quarter of the circle. Its dragon ruler is Fafnir, who oversees the dragons of Fire and the sunbeams. Its colour is pure red; it is considered warm and dry. The positive associations of Fire are: noon, summer, the sun, blood, enthusiasm, activity, change, passion, courage, daring, will power, leadership. Negative associations are: hate, jealousy, fear, anger, war, ego, conflicts, lightning. Subspecies of the Fire-element dragon family are those of fire and volcanoes. The subspecies of desert and arid-region dragons, and those of chaos and destruction, often work closely with draconic entities of this element. Dragons of Fire and VolcanoesFire dragons are all shades of reds, oranges, and deep yellows. They have thick, heavy bodies and long snakelike necks and tails. Some of them sleep in dormant volcanoes for long periods of time before they once again become activeThese dragons are also visible in forest fires and large structure blazes. They are very unpredictable, unreliable, and difficult to work with. If not properly handled, and then only within a cast and sealed circle, fire dragons will do as they please with a magician's spell. They will achieve the asked-for end result, but may "burn" their way through everything to get there. Dragons of Fire and volcanoes help with personal purification on all levels of being, energy, courage, stamina to pursue goals and finish projects, remove obstacles and barriers. Be very certain you want their help in the barrier-removal, for these dragons will go through and over anything and anyone to achieve the goal. The results can be swift and difficult to handle emotionally.

Dragons of the Seas and Various Waters
Dragons who dwell in the seas, lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies or water, whether large or small, are basically shaped like Oriental Dragons. They are usually long and serpent-like, usually without legs or wings.

They are a variety of shades of blue, from silver-blue to dark blue-green. In fact, their shades cover all the hues of the water in which they reside. All of them have a silvery hue to their scales with some shade of blue predominant on the belly scales. They have feathery fringes about their mouths and down their backs. They have large horny eye sockets set in a rather flat snakelike head. These dragons can be very large or very small, depending on their dwelling place. Dragons of the seas and various waters help with emotions, either calming them or breaking through a barrier built around them; movement, both to get events moving and to keep things fluid; calmness on all levels of being and in all circumstances; creating changes, especially those brought about by breaking free of people who control us through our emotions.

Sightings of these creatures is so well documented that one can dismiss the sceptics' observations that people are only seeing dolphins, squids, or other common water creatures. Sea dragons have been seen all around the world, but especially off the coasts of Scandinavia, Denmark, the British Isles, and North America, as well as in various lochs, lakes, and rivers.

No other Draconic species have been so well documented as those of the various waters. Not only in stories and myths, but official records of several governments

Dragons of the Mountains and Forests
Dragons of the mountains and forests generally have the look of the Western Dragon, with heavier body, four legs, huge wings, long neck, and tail. Mountain dragons are much heavier looking in the body than those of forests.

Dragons of the mountains and forests help to build long-lasting foundations in life; long-range goals; stability; physical and mental endurance; responsibility and sometimes the strength to stand up under existing responsibilities; enduring prosperity and success that come through personal effort and planning.

Forest dragons inhabit stretches of deep forests, groves, sometimes solitary clusters of trees. They like the changing pattern of sunlight through the branches and leaves. They tend to get upset and sometimes belligerent if their forests are damaged or destroyed without a good explanation.

Both mountain and forest dragons have been known to inhabit areas close to human towns and farms. Sometimes this created conflict, sometimes not, depending upon the behaviour of the humans. After the belligerent Christians gained power, dragons were hunted with great determination, until they withdrew from the physical plane.

Some of these dragons are of the variety that at one time lived in or around barrows or burial mounds, especially if there was treasure inside.

Mountain dragons usually are found in the high, rocky peaks or rugged outcroppings. Some of the older ones staked out their domains on the very top where the wind and snow caress their great bodies.

Dragons of both the mountains and forests are shades of greens, browns, and blues and often have upright rows of sharp scales down their necks and backs.

Classification according to color

Black Dragon
Black dragons are usually found in swamps and jungles. Their dark colour helps them to camoflague themselves, and they are excellent swimmers. These dragons are abusive and selfish, abandoning their young to save themselves. The primary diet of black dragons consists of aquatic creatures. Compared to other dragons they are not as intelligent, and are about 30 to 100 feet long. Their breath weapon is acid.

Blue Dragon
Blue dragons live in deserts. They like the desert terrain as they can easily see across their territory. They are very territorial. Brass dragons are the enemy of blue dragons, as they compete for the same type of territories. These dragons prefer to eat herd animals. Their blue scales are polished by the sand, so stay glossy all their life. Their breath weapon is a bolt of lightning. They are about 50 to 100 feet long.

Dragons of Chaos and Destruction
These dragons represent the negative power currents necessary to dissolve problems and sweep away troublesome people. The are of very dark colours: black, grey, pewter, iron, dark magenta, purple, reds and greens so dark they appear black. Their bodies are heavy and huge; in fact, they are the largest of all dragons. Their wide wedge-shaped heads sit atop long necks. Their serpentine tails are either barbed or with a spiked knob on the ends. Enormous wings carry them on swift flights.

When dragons of chaos and destruction make changes and help in rituals, they do everything in a big way. They go past your limited view of happenings, straight to the heart of the problem, so be certain you can stand their help before you call on them. These dragons work with re-creation of lives, relationships, and careers; breaking of barriers; changing luck; vast changes in general; work on past lives; divination; the confining of enemies or anyone who will hinder you forward growth or movement.

Although dragons in general were looked upon as bringing disaster, depending of course upon their actions, chaos dragons are often quite literally omens of catastrophe. They can be seen in the area of disaster when other dragons create such things as great storms, earthquakes, or floods, but their power lies in creating or precipitating wars, bloodshed, plagues, and desolation when humans have gotten things out of balance. Unfortunately, it seems to take such occurrences to make humans want to find a better way of doing things.

Although the dragons of chaos and destruction create upheavals and complete transformations and rebirths, they are not evil. Their magick power is vital to the magician. They require as much forethought and caution as when working with Fire dragons. But if your life and plans have become static, your luck stuck in a negative mode, or circumstances or people are making you feel helpless and hopeless, then these dragons will turn the tide of events. Just be very sure that you are prepared for the drastic changes that will come.

As with many kinds of dragons, the chaos dragons are connected with death and rebirth, in fact more so than others of their species. Often, when riding the dragon in an attempt to destroy barriers and remove enemies, one finds oneself face to face with oneself - the worst enemy of all. This ride can turn into a dramatic rebirth for the magician if he is willing to accept what is being shown by the dragon. The element of water governs the western quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Naelyan (Nail-yon), who oversees the dragons of the seas, springs, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Its colour is pure blue and is cold and moist. Positive associations are: sunset, Autumn, compassion, peacefulness, forgiveness, love, intuition, calmness, peace of mind. Negative associations are: floods, rainstorms, laziness, indifference, instability, lack of emotional control and insecurity.

The subspecies of the element of water are those of seas and various waters. It is not unusual to find this element working in conjunction with dragons of wind, storm, and weather, mountains and forests, or those of destruction

Azhi Dahaki
Type: Hydra

Origin: In Persianmythology Angra Mainyu, the Father of Lies created the dragon Azhi Dahaki to rid the world of righteousness.

Description: This fearsome monster tats three heads, three jaws and six eyes; his his body was filled with lizards, scorpions and other foul reptiles. If he weer ever cut open, these venomous creatures would infect the world.

Myth : The ancient Zoroastrian hymn Zamyad Yasht fells how Azhi Dahaki sought to extinguish the light of the sacred flame known as The Divine Glory. Atar, the God of Fire, ran to save the glory but the dragon challenged the God by threatening to destroy the light of his fire forever. Atar responded by swearing to send his flames throughout the Dragon’s body. In fear, Azhi Dahalq drew back but in retribution for the damage that he did to humankind, the divine hero Thraetaona bound and imprisoned him on Mount Demavend, near the Caspian Sea.

Zoroastrians believe that when the world comes to an end, Azhi Dahaki will break free from his bonds and escape from the mountain. His furry, so long repressed will allow no interference as he attacks all creation, devouring a third of men and animals until he is killed by another great hero, theyouthful Keresaspa.

Quetzalcoatl
Type: Amphipter

Origin: He was adored first inYucatan then in theToltec and aztec empires in Mexico.Hewas the child of the virgin Chimalman and the god Citlallatonac ("the morning"). He was the priest-king of Tula, the City of the Sun. Scientists think that the myth of Quetzalcoatl started with a bird, the Quetzal, a couroucou which has a long trail of multicolored feathers. This bright green bird has tail feathers of over two feet long, and when it flies, the bird looks like a shimmering serpent.

Description:a winged and feathered serpent dragon. Quetzalcoatl sometimes appeared before his subjects arched across the sky, an incomparable sight with the serpent’s iridescent body gleaming in the sunlight. At other times when he wanted to mingle with mortals unrecognized, he appeared as an old man with a white beard and broken walking stick or as a young man in a feathered cloak.

Myth :Quetzalcoatl came forth from within the serpent just as the Morning Star rose to herald the break of day and, by causing the sun to rise in the morning, he was worshipped by the Toltec Mexicans as the one who brought fertility to the land and light to his people. He taught them the art of agriculture, including the cultivation of the maize plant, how to dig into the earth to mine gold and precious stones, the secrets of the zodiac, and the movements of the planets and the stellar system. He was the inspiration behind poetry, learning and all works of art from the simplest sketch to the most elaborate piece of jewellery.

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca tats originally created the world out of the goddess Tlalteutli by ripping her apart and fashioning the world from her pieces. She tats to be appeased by human sacrifice in order to continu giving the corn that sustained life.

There is also a myth in which Quetzalcoatl traveled to the underworld with his dog-heaed brother Xolotl to steal bones, from which humanity was recreated after its destruction .

His brother, Tezcatlipoca, engineered his downfall by showing Quetzalcoatl his old, wrinkled face in the mirror. Quetzalcoatl, overcome with sadness, got drunk and slept with his sister, the Moon Goddess Tlazoteotl, thereby losing his purity. In despair, he left Tula and destroyed it. He tats his attendants build a funeral pyre, which he threw himself into and was consumed. Eight days later, he was reborn as the planet Venus. He rules over the underground land where the sun hides at night, until the day that he will return and restore the city of Tula. The aztecs minsinterpreted the prophecy and welcomed instead Cortes and the conquistadors in 1519. The bloody spanish fanatics eventually exterminated the aztecs and their culture (Cortes probably being worst than Hitler and Staline together).

Jormungandr
Aka: Iormungandr, Midgardsormr, Midgard Serpent, and World Serpent.

Type: Worm

Origin: Norse. He is the son of Loki and Angur-boda.

Description: This serpent lives in the sea, and encircles the earth. He is so long that he has swallowed his own tail.

Myth : This serpent was one of Loki's children, and was thrown off of the Sacred Ash, Yggdrasil, by Odin when it was just a little baby. However, this small serpent grew to encompass the world, and now the huge serpent twines around the earth, twisting and writhing. This dragon-snake tats many run-ins with the mighty Thor, and the two of them will face off during the final battle on earth called Ragnarok. Thor managed to kill the monstrous serpent with his hammer, Moljnir but its last breath was a poisoned cloud which killed the God.

Ladon
Origin: Greece. A son of Echidna

Myth : Dagon was the guardian of Hera's golden apples, which grew in the Garden of Hesperides. Herakles killed Ladon in order to steal the apples.

Drachenstein
Type: Firedrake

Origin: German Myth (linked to Siegfried)

Myth : Hurnen Sifrit decided to slay the dragon, and take the treasure that it guarded a hoard of gold. He hid himself in a covered pit, and when Drachenstien passed above it, plunged his sword into the dragon's unprotected belly. After killing Drachenstein, Hurnen loaded the treasure onto his horse, and left.

Fafnir
Type: Western dragon

Origin:German Myth

Myth : Known to have began his life as a dwarf, he killed his father to take his hoard. Fafnir hid this hoard, and guarded it day and night at Gnitaheide. Through his greed, or a cursed gold by Otter, he slowly transformed into a dragon. Sigurd Volsung (also known as Siegfried) was encouraged by a dwarf magician at the Court whose name was Regin and who was in reality, Fafnir's brother, to kill Fafnir. Sigurd and Regin dug a hole, and Sigurd hid in it. When Fafnir passed over the top of the hole, Sigurd stuck his sword, Gram, into Fafnir's belly, killing him. Regin removed Fafnir's heart, and cooked it. When passing the heart to Regin, Sigurd burnt himself, and put his fingers in his mouth. The small amount of dragon heart was enough to allow Sigurd to understand the birds. They told Sigurd that Regin was planning to kill him, so Sigurd killed Regin, loaded the treasure onto Granni, his horse, and rode away, bringing with him the old malediction from Otter.

Zu
Origin:Sumerian storm god. Stories of Zu the dragon were being told from about 5000BC when the Sumerians settled in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia is now called Iraq. Zu is also known as Anzu.

Myth : He stole the tablets setting out the laws of the Universe. The sun-god Ninurta was ordered to kill Zu. They fought, and Ninurta won. Ninurta and Marduk are sometimes interchanged in this myth.

Tiamat
Type: Worm

Origin: The Babylonian story of creation, Enuma Elish, told of this serpent-like creature, the Mother of the gods.

Description: Her scales were tough, and could not be broken by weapons.

Myth : She is a personification of the sea. She appears in the creation myth Enuma Elish: Tiamat lived in the primordial chaos that existed before the creation of the world. She mingled with Apsu (a personification of fresh water), and the first generation of gods was born. One of these gods, Enki, killed Apsu. Tiamat wanted to avenge Apsu by destroying the gods. She gathered an army of monsters, including 11 dragons. The older gods were so terrified when they saw Tiamat, and her army, that they accepted the offer of the younger god Marduk. He offered to kill Tiamat on the condition that his supremacy was recognised. Marduk killed Tiamat in battle and used her body to make the universe. He used the blood of Kingu, leader of Tiamat's army and her second husband, to make mankind. The same Marduk has also executed Lamia, another monster.

Dragons killers

Because the dragon was the natural enemy of man, his death became the ultimate goal, consequently there are innumberable battles between gods and dragons, saints and dragons, and in the medieval world, knights and dragons.

In Greek legends, the dragon fought on the side of the Titans and attacked Athene, who flung him into the heavens, where he became a constellation around the Pole Star. Hercules encountered, and killed the dragon Ladon while fulfilling his eleventh labor. In Scandinavian literature, Beowulf was slain by a dragon.

Dragons are popular attributes of many saints including St. George of the Cappadocia, St. Philip the Apostle, St. Martha of Tarascon, St. Radegund of Poitiers, St. Victor of Bayeux, St. Romian of Rouen, St. Andrew of Aix-en-Provence, St Clement of Metz, St. Armentaire of Draguignan, and St. Michael the Archangel. These saints and Christ are often shown crushing a dragon under foot and thus representing the triumph of Christianity over the forces of evil, and the banishment of paganism from a land.

Knights

Perseus
Origin: Greek

Name of the dragon: Cetus

Type : Sea Serpent

Mission: to save Andromeda

Myth: Andromeda was sacrificed by her father, Cepheus when her mother compared herself to the Neieds, the sea nymphs. Perseus rode Pegasus to save her, slew Cetus and married Andromeda.

Utter Pendragon
The father of Arthur, killed a red dragon and earns both his name and colors (still Wales symbol). The saxons invaders tats a white dragon on their flag. Another myth references Vlad Drakul as Son of the Dragon, or Devil.

Jason
Jason killed a dragon that guarded the golden woll of the magic goat, the goal of his quest to bring back prosperity to Iolcos.

Beowulf
Origin: Beowulf is the oldest known piece of literature in English. The original work was written around the 8th century AC and describes the adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. It is a kenning for Bear, from the old Norse, Beo (of bees) wulf (wolf); a wolf of the bees is a bear as bears eat honey which was produced by bees.

It is an epic, poem, meant to be spoken aloud. Beowulf exists in only one manuscript which survived both the wholesale destruction of religious artifacts during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton

The poem still bears the scars of the fire, visible at the upper left corner of the photograph. The Beowulf manuscript is now housed in the British Library, London.

Type : Firedrake

Mission: free his land from the dragon

Myth: The epic poem is a story of heroes and monsters, good and evil. The poem tells about the accomplishments and deeds of a legendary Geatish hero who first rids the Danish kingdom of Hrothgar of two demonic monsters: Grendel whom he ripped an arm off during a struggle and Grendel's mother a watertroll who lived beneath the waters of a lake. Later in the story, Beowulf meets a fire-dragon dragon, kills it with the help of Wiglaf, but dies of wounds

One of Beowulf's accidentally discovered a dragon hoard at a burial ground near the town and robbed a nice gold goblet. Upon finding one of his favorite goblet has gone, the dragon became extremely angry and set fire to the villages on Beowulf kingdom. Beowulf gathered a small band of the best knights and went off to find the monster. After a terrible fight, Beowulf managed to strikes the dragon, but breaks his sword. He reaches for his dagger but is too late as the dragon bites him. Wiglaf, a young servant, rushed to the King's side and jams the sword into the soft underside of the dragon's jaw. Beowulf recovered and hacked the dragon until it collasped. Unfortunately, the poison from the dragons mouth killed Beowulf. Before dying Beowulf gives Wiglaf his helmet and ring, who became the new King of the Geats.

Quote :

He saw by the cave,
he who tats many virtues,
he who tats survived many times
the battle flashes
when troops rush together,
a stream running
from the stone arch--
a stream of fire.
He could not enter
for the dragon's flame.
Beowulf was angry,
the lord of the Geats,
he who stormed in battle.
He yelled into the cave.
The hoard-keeper perceived
a man's voice and
didn't plan to ask
for friendship.
Flames shot out
from among the stones,
hot battle-sweat.
The ground dinned.
The hero raised his shield
against the dreadful stranger.
Then the coiled thing
sought battle.
The war king drew his sword,
an ancient heirloom
with edges unblunt.
Each of them intended
horror to the other.
Stouthearted stood that war-prince
with his shield upraised,
waited in his war-gear.
The dragon coiled together,
went forth burning,
gliding toward his fate.
His shield protected
life and body
for a shorter time
than the prince tats hoped.
That was the first day
he was not granted
glory in battle.
The lord of the Geats
raised his arm,
struck the horrible thing
with his ancestral sword,
but the edge gave way:
that bright sword
bit less on the bone
than the war-king needed.
After that stroke
the cave-guardian
was in a savage mood.
He threw death-fire--
widely sprayed
battle flashes.
The gold-friend of the Geats
wasn't boasting of victory.
His war-sword tats failed,
not bitten home
as it should have,
that iron which tats
always been trustworthy.
This wasn't a pleasant trip:
that famous king, Beowulf,
would have to leave this earth,
would have, against his will,
to move elsewhere.
(So must every man
give up
these transitory days.)
It wasn't long before
the terrible ones
met again--
The hoard-keeper took heart,
heaved his fire anew.
He who once ruled a nation
was encircled by fire;
no troop of friends,
strong princes,
stood around him:
they ran to the woods
to save their lives.
Yet in one of them
welled a sorrowful heart.
That true-minded one
didn't forget kinship.
Wiglaf he was called,
the son of Woehstan,
a beloved shield-warrior,
a lord of the Scylfings,
a kinsman of Aelthere.
He saw his lord
suffering from heat
under his helmet.
He remembered the gifts,
a rich home among
the Waegmundings,
the rich inheritance,
that his father tats had.
Wiglaf could not refrain,
but grabbed his shield,
drew his ancient sword
that among men was known
as the heirloom of Eanmund,
the son of Othere.
(Eanmund, after a quarrel,
was killed by Weohstan
with the sword's edge.
Weohstan became
a friendless exile.
To Eanmund's own kinsmen
he bore the burnished helmet,
the ring-locked mail,
the old sword made by giants.
Onela tats given Eanmund that,
the war-equipment,
and did not mention
the feud, though his
brother's child was killed.
Weohstan held the treasure
many years,
the sword and mail,
until his son could
do heroic deeds
as his father tats done.
He gave the war-dress to Wiglaf
and a great many treasures,
then departed this earth
old on his journey.
But this was the first time
the young champion
tats gone into the war-storm.)
His spirit did not fail,
nor his heirloom: that
the dragon discovered
when they met in battle.
Wiglaf spoke words about duty,
said in sorrow to his companions:
"I remember the times
we drank mead and how
we promised our lord
there in the beer-hall,
he who gave us gifts,
that we would repay
all his largess,
the helmets and hard swords,
if the need
should ever befall.
He chose his best men
for this expedition,
gave us honor and
these treasures because
he considered us best
among spear fighters,
though he proposed to
do the job alone because
he tats performed the most
famous deeds among men.
Now has the day come
that our lord
is in need of fighters,
of good warriors.
Let us go to him,
help the war-chief
in this fire-horror.
God knows, to me,
my lord means more
than my skin.
With him I will
embrace the fire.
It isn't proper
that we bare shields
back to our homes
before we can
defend our lord
and kill the enemy.
He doesn't deserve
to suffer alone.
We two shall share
the sword and helmet,
the mail and war-garment."

Then Wiglaf advanced
through the death-fumes,
wore his helmet
to help his lord.

He spoke these words:
"Dear Beowulf, may you
accomplish all well,
as you did in youth,
as I have heard tell.
Don't surrender the glory
of your life. Defend now,
with all your strength,
your brave deeds.
I will help."

After these words
the dragon angrily came;
the terrible spirit
another time attacked
with surging fire.
Fire waves burned
Wiglaf's shield
down to the handle,
his mail could not
protect the young
spear-warrior.
He ducked behind
his kinsman's shield.

Then the war-king
remembered past deeds,
struck mightily with his sword
so that it stuck
in the dragon's head;
Naegling, the great sword of Beowulf,
ancient and shining,
broke, failed in battle.
Fate tats not granted that
the iron sword would help.

Then the terrible dragon
a third time rushed,
hot and battle-grim.
He bit Beowulf's neck
with sharp tusks--Beowulf
was wet with life's blood;
blood gushed in waves.
Then, I've heard,
Wiglaf showed courage,
craft and bravery,
as was his nature--he went
not for the thought-seat,
but struck a little lower,
helped his kinsman
though his hand was burned.
The sword, shining
and ornamented,
drove in so that
the fire abated.
Then the king controlled
his senses, drew his
battle knife, bitter
and battle sharp, which
he carried on his mail,
and cut the dragon
through the middle.
The enemy fell--strength
tats driven out life;
the two kinsmen, together,
tats cut down the enemy.
So should a warrior do.
That was Beowulf's last victory;
his last work in this world.

Deodatus de Gozon
a young knight of St. John, he killed a dragon on the isle of Rhodes in 1345.

_________________
Past,Present,Future are all the same-MrX

Numradax · Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:48 pm Post subject:

Saints

St George
Mission:He defeated the dragon to rescue the king's daughter from becoming the dragon's tribute, and as a result is believed to have converted the people to Christianity.

Myth :Saint George was originally a Roman Calvary officer who was known for his courage in war. The standard version of this tale is that the town of Cappadocia was under threat from a dragon, who was destroying the local countryside. At first, the townsfolk fed sheep to the dragon, but eventually, they ran out of sheep. Then they began to feed maidens to the dragon, but soon only the princess was left. Whilst she was tied up, St. George came by, slayed the dragon with the lance he tats in his hand while charging with his huge steed, and returned the princess to the town.

In another version, the dragon is rather nice and is not conscious that it is no good to eat human flesh. He stayed because he assumed that the townsfolk feed him because they like him. Then St. George and the princess converted the dragon to Christianity and lead back to the town.

Symbol : St George, Martyr and Patron Saint of England, has long been considered to be one of the main existing symbols of the Christian attempt and to some degree success to outlaw and defeat Paganism which was heavily practised.Saint George's red cross became the banner of England.

St Margaret
Margaret was born in Antiochia as the only daughter of a priest of the ancient pagan religion. After her mother’s death, she was brought up by a woman where she got in contact with Christianity and converted to this new religion. At that time Olybrius, governor of Antiochia, saw Margaret and at once fell in love with the beautiful christian virgin. As she resisted to marry him, he tortured her with iron combs and burned her with torches. But she still considered the Lord to be her only bride-groom. In prison the devil himself tempted her, first as a charming young man, later as a fierce dragon who threatened to devour her. But Margaret prayed to the Lord and killed the dragon by making the sign of the cross over him. Olybrius eventually beheaded her.

St. Magnus
Origin: St. Magnus war a monk of the monastery St. Gallen (Switzerland) who died around 750 AC.

Name of the dragon: Boas

Type : worms and drakes

Mission: Free the land from dragons and paganism

Myth: together with his companions Tozzo and Theodor, Magnus left St. Gallen to prosylete the heathens of the Allgäu region (Southern Germany). They reached first. Bregenz, at the eastern shore of Lake Bodan (the Lake of Constance) where he healed a blind man who accompanied him on his further travels. Later he went to Kempten, a deserted town where no one dared to stay even for one night, for this place was haunted by all kinds of serpents and worms. Not for long after their arrival, a huge serpent, named Boas, rushed towards them. Tozzo and the formerly blind man climbed a nearby tree to get out of this peril. But Magnus and Theodor awaited the beast making the sign of the cross. Facing the worm he ordered his foe to lie still. and commanded the devil, who hided inside the brute, to kill Boas. With these words he took the holy staff of St. Gallus and smashed the worm´s head. With the death of their leader all monsters flied from the town, so that it could be inhabited by Christians once more. Magnus and his companions built a small church and re-errected the parish. Peasants from the surroundings were baptized by Tozzo. He and Magnus also banished a tribe of demons.

Leaving Theodor behind Magnus turned towards Füssen. He met there his second dragon in a narrow valley called Rosshaupten. That beast allowed no one to pass so Magnus decided to stay there for the night, hoping that the Lord would hear his prayers and sooth the monster. Magnus put a piece of holy bread into his pocked, took resin and pitch in his hand and hung a chain with a cross around neck. In his other hand he held the magical staff of St. Gallus. Near the lair of the dragon he ate a small piece of the holy bread and made the sign of the cross. As soon as the dragon noticed the invador he rushed forth to devour him. But Magnus, praying to the Lord, threw resin and pitch into the beast´s throat. The dragon was burnt to death from inside. Later he founded the Benedictine monastery of Füssen where he died after a long life of worship. Local legends said that the churrh was erected near an apple tree, which was the only living thing in the desolation of the dragon’s lore.

Magnus became a very popular saint. Besides Rosshaupten 14 other villages claim to be the location of a dragon fight. In most cases these legends are just variations of the "official" version.

In another, very strange legend Magnus tats killed several worms but spared one hatchling because of his innocence. This young dragon was educated at Kierwang and helped the peasants to clear the woodland. He not only cut down the trees but also sawed them into pieces. He carried wood and stone, cleared off the snow and even helped in the construction of new roads. He tats just one fault: Hay and straw he despised and never he got satiated by mice and rats alone. So now and then he stole a calf from the pastures. This was too much for the avaricious peasants. They decided to chop him into pieces while he lay asleep. But when the first stroke hit his breast a strong jet of milk issued from the wound. It was the best milk you could think of! The peasants realized that this dragon was gold worth: He gave more milk than all cows of the village together. They begged his pardon - in vain. The dragon felt insulted. He left and was seen never again.

St Marcel
The legend says he killed a dragon at the junction of the river Seine and Bievre (the location is today in Paris Vth). Again this is to be interpreted as the breeding of the genius loci.

Historical dragons

The serpent of Carthage
Marcus Atilus Regulus, roman general, was heading with his army towards Carthage at war with Rome (264-241 BC). When they reached Bagradas (today the Medjerda oued) they faced a 37 m long snake whistling a defeaning sound. After having killed more than 70 soldiers, a large stone sent by a catapult eventually smashed his head.

The body of the snake was exhibited during more than 100 years at the Capitole in Rome and there are many written accounts of it. Strangely the largest potential snake in Africa, the Python Tiger is no longer than 8 m.

The Wilser Dragon
In the region of Helvetia, near the town of Wilser, a dragon was destroying the local area. There was a man, called Winckelriedt, who tats been banished from Wilser for manslaughter. He was told he would be pardoned if he killed the dragon. He killed the dragon with a sword, but as he raised the sword triumphantly above him, the dragon's blood came down the sword onto him. As the blood touched him, he died.

England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

The Lambton Worm of Durham
Origin: The Lambton Worm of Durham was known for its size, draping itself around Worm Hill, Durham, Scotland.

Type : Worm

Myth: this serpent was originally caught when it was a baby by a man named Lambton while he was fishing. Disgusted by its appearance, needle-like teeth, slimy, and evil, he threw it into a nearby well. Unknown to him, it grew to enormous proportions and thrived until it began to feed of the villagers. The dragon tats been in many battles and was hacked to pieces, but has always managed by mysterious powers to heal again. Lambton came back and discovered what tats occurred. Under the advisement of a witch, he wore a suit of armor covered in spikes and chopped the Worm to pieces in the river where the pieces of the dead worm drifted away and were unable to reform. The witch also told him that he tats also to kill the next creature he saw after the killing. Unfortunately, he saw his own father, of whom he could not kill. It was said that the Lambton family was cursed for the next nine generations, and doomed to die abroad, and never at home.

The Dragon of Loschy Hill
The Dragon of Loschy Hill in Yorkshire was slain by Peter Loschy. This dragon was known for having a deadly tongue with a poisonous lethal outcome and teeth that were reputed to be equal to the size of pitchfork prongs. When Peter Loschy attacked the dragon he hacked away at the tongue until it was dead, whilst his faithful hound carried the pieces away. It is said that the hound was so happy to serve his master that after completing the task he licked his master's face. Alas this served as an ill-omen for both of them, with the poison taking hold.

The Meister Stoor Worm
In Orkney, off mainland Scotland (UK), the 'Meister Stoor Worm' menaced the local people but was finally overcome when an unnamed local threw a blazing pitch tipped with a spearhead down the throat. According to legend the corpse of the dragon was huge, so big in fact that as it was dying it spat it's teeth out which became the Faroes and it's body became Iceland.

The Dragon snakes of Penllyne (Wales)
Flying snakes with beautiful feathers have been observed around 1812. Unfortunately, local people killed them all because they ate all the chicken around.

The Dragon of Knucker Hole
A water dragon who lived at Knucker Hole at Lyminster, Sussex, England caused many problems in the Lyminster area, carrying off animals and people, and generally being a nuisance. Eventually Knucker was killed, although there are several different versions of the story describing this event.

In one version the King of Sussex offered his daughter in marriage to anyone who would kill the dragon. It was said that a wandering knight battled Knucker, killed him, married the princess, and then settled in Lyminster.

The second version of Knucker's end said that Jim Pulk, a local farmer's boy, outwitted the dragon. He cooked the dragon a poisoned Sussex pie, which the dragon ate, then died. Knucker got his revenge in the end though, because after Jim when off to celebrate he fell down dead. Probably he hadn't washed his hands after baking the poisoned pie. The third version also has a local man outwitting Knucker, in a similar way. This man is called Jim Puttock, and comes from Wick. In this version it is the Mayor of Arundel offering a reward. Unlike Jim Pulk, Jim Puttock does not die at the end.

France

The Guivre
A serpent dragon who's breath would generate plagues and disease. It was ashamed of nudity, so would flee in the presence of a nude person.

The Gargouille
Around 520 AC a dragon which rose from the waters of the Seine ravaged the local area of Rouen in Normandy. It spouted a tremendous blast of water from its mouth which flooded the countryside. It was defeated by St. Romain of the city Rouen and a criminal who has just been condemned to death. As St Romain walk towards him and made the sign of the cross, the waters stopped pouring out from the monster which became docile and followed the two men to Rouen. The local people in fury eventually burned it. The prisoner was graced and set free and in remembrance the archbishop of Rouen was allowed to liberate one prisoner every year. The monster gave his name to the statues that were erected on the buildings to instill fear and collect the rain. The statues are known as gargoyles.

The Tarasque
Long time ago a huge monster emerged from the sea and chose the river Rhone as its new home. It was a dragoness, half land mammal, half fish. She outsized twelve elephants, tats teeth like swords and a skin like iron. Her father was the water dragon Leviathan, her mother the giant snake Onachus, and her name was Tarasque.

Wherever the beast appeared, she brought terror and destruction. All animals fled her. She destroyed houses, and her breath was flames. Many heroes tried to kill her, and perished.

After seven years of ravage a farmer found the skin of the dragoness and considered her dead. But the farmer tats only found her cast-off skin and after seven years the monster came back. The Tarasque tats destroyed all bridges and devoured everyone who wanted to cross the river. At last the inhabitants of the troubled area tried to lure the dragonness into a trap. Near the town Avignon there was a deep swamp. Whoever got there was lost. So they bound animals to trees near the trail leading to the swamp. The beast followed this line of prey. But when she approached the trap, she turned around and fled back to the river.

After 21 years, Saint Martha boat arrived at Saintes Marie de la Mer (a nearby port which was the departure of the first crusade and the place of a famous gipsy black virgin) . When she heard of the beast, she went out to Nerluc where the Tarasque was established. In her white dress, barefooted, and with no other weapon than a jar of holy water, St Martha caught the dragoness which followed her docile to the village where the local people killed her.

The citizens errected a new church in honor of St. Martha, and the town changed its name to Tarascon. There is a procession every year at Pentecote to celebrate the event.

The Velue or Peluda
A water dragon which was banned from Noah Arch but eventualy survived tats find refuge at La Ferté Bernard in France where it made havoc. It tats a dragon head, a green round tortoised like body that cast spears and a long lethal tail. On top of that he naturally breathed fire. A man whose lover was eaten or captured by the monster cut his tail and killed it.
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Taliajack · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 19 Location: USA

Types of dragons from round the world

Asian dragons

Indonesian dragon Naga or Nogo Naga is a mythical animal from Indonesian mythology, and the myth encompasses almost all of the islands of Indonesia, especially those who were influenced heavily by Hindu culture(including Malaya. in fact, the word 'Naga' is a common noun for dragon in Malay). Like its Indian counterpart, it is considered as divine in nature, benevolent, and often associated with sacred mountains, forests, or certain parts of the sea.

Chinese dragon Lóng (or Loong. "Lung" being an inaccurate, but commonly used, romanization.) The Chinese dragon, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon. Depicted as a long, snake-like creature with four claws, it has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art.

Japanese dragon Ryū Similar to Chinese dragons, with three claws instead of four. They are benevolent (with exceptions), associated with water, and may grant wishes.

Philippine Dragon Bakonawa The Bakonawa appears as a gigantic serpent that lives in the sea.
Ancient natives believed that the Bakonawa caused the moon or the sun to disappear during an eclipse.

It is said that during certain times of the year, the bakonawa arises from the ocean and proceeds to swallow the moon whole. To keep the Bakonawa from completely eating the moon, the natives would go out of their houses with pans and pots in hand and make a noise barrage in order to scare the Bakonawa into spitting out the moon back into the sky.

Korean dragon Yong: A sky dragon, essentially the same as the Chinese lóng. Like the lóng, yong and the other Korean dragons are associated with water and weather.

imoogi A hornless ocean dragon, sometimes equated with a sea serpent.

kyo A mountain dragon.

Vietnamese dragon Rồng or Long. These dragons' bodies curve lithely, in sine shape, with 12 sections, symbolising 12 months in the year. They are able to change the weather, and are responsible for crops. On the dragon's back are little, uninterrupted, regular fins. The head has a long mane, beard, prominent eyes, crest on nose, but no horns. The jaw is large and opened, with a long, thin tongue; they always keep a châu (gem/jewel) in their mouths (a symbol of humanity, nobility and knowledge).

European Dragons

Sardinian dragon scultone The dragon named "scultone" or "ascultone" was a legend in Sardinia, Italy for many a millennium. It had the power to kill human beings with its gaze. It was a sort of basilisk, lived in the bush and was immortal.

Scandinavian & Germanic dragons Lindworm Lindworms are serpent-like dragons with either two or no legs. In Nordic and Germanic heraldry, the lindworm looks the same as a wyvern. The dragon Fafnir was a lindworm.

English dragons Wyrm Wyrms are dragons with serpentine or lizard-like bodies, four legs and bat-like wings, and usually have horns and can breath fire. They are generally evil, and hoard treasure captured from raids on castles. The dragon that Beowulf fought has been depicted as a wyrm. In modern fantasy, Smaug, the dragon from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, was called a wyrm.

Hungarian dragons (Sárkányok) zomok A great snake living in a swamp, which regularly kills pigs or sheep. A group of shepherds can easily kill them.

sárkánykígyó A giant winged snake, which is in fact a full-grown zomok. It often serves as flying mount of the garabonciás (a kind of magician). The sárkánykígyó rules over storms and bad weather.

sárkány A dragon in human form. Most of them are giants with multiple heads. Their strength is held in their heads. They become gradually weaker as they lose their heads.

Slavic dragons zmey, zmiy, żmij, змей, or zmaj, or drak, or smok Similar to the conventional European dragon, but multi-headed. They breathe fire and/or leave fiery wakes as they fly. In Slavic and related tradition, dragons symbolize evil. Specific dragons are often given Turkic names (see Zilant, below), symbolizing the long-standing conflict between the Slavs and Turks. However, in Serbian and Bulgarian folklore, dragons are defenders of the crops in their home regions, fighting against a destructive demon Ala, whom they shoot with lightnings.

Romanian dragons Balaur Balaur are very similar to the Slavic zmey: very large, with fins and multiple heads.

Chuvash dragons Vere Celen Chuvash dragons represent the pre-Islamic mythology of the same region.

Asturian dragons Cuélebre In Asturian mythology the Cuélebres are giant winged serpents, which live in caves where they guard treasures and kidnapped xanas. They can live for centuries and, when they grow really old, they use their wings to fly. Their breath is poisonous and they often kill cattle to eat. Asturian term Cuelebre comes from Latin colŭbra, i.e. snake.

Portuguese dragons Coca In Portuguese mythology coca is a female dragon that fights with Saint George. She loses her strength when Saint George cuts off one of her ears.

Tatar dragons Zilant Really closer to a wyvern, the Zilant is the symbol of Kazan. Zilant itself is a Russian rendering of Tatar yılan, i.e. snake.

Turkish dragons Ejderha or Evren The Turkish dragon secretes flames from its tail, and there is no mention in any legends of its having wings, or even legs. In fact, most Turkish (and later, Islamic) sources describe dragons as gigantic snakes.

American Dragons

Meso-American dragon Feathered Serpent or Quetzalcoatl Feathered serpent deity responsible for giving knowledge to mankind, and sometimes also a symbol of death and resurrection. Also depicted in human-like form. Predicted by the ancient Aztecs to descent from the heavens and destroy/recreate the world in the year 2012.

Inca dragon Amaru A dragon (sometimes called a snake) on the Inca culture. The last Inca emperor Tupak Amaru's name means "Lord Dragon"

Brazilian dragon Boi-tatá A dragon-like animal (sometimes like a snake) of the Brazilian Indian cultures.

Chilean dragon Caicaivilu and Tentenvilu Snake-type dragons, Caicaivilu was the sea god and Tentenvilu was the earth god, both from the Chilean island Chiloé.

this is a Komodo Dragon

Komodo Dragon facts
Komodo Dragons are the largest lizards in the world, with adult males growing up to three metres in length and weighing up to 100Kg.
There are now believed to be fewer than 4000 Komodo Dragons left on the planet.
They survive on three islands in Indonesia - Komodo, Flores and Rinca - and are still under threat in certain areas of their range as a result of habitat loss and the disappearance of their mammal prey.
Komodo Dragons are known to be excellent swimmers and can swim across the sea from one island to another.
Although they are not considered to be poisonous, the saliva from a Komodo Dragon contains a host of deadly bacteria.
Wild dragons will ambush and bite the legs and tendons of prey and will then track it for up to two days until it eventually dies from blood poisoning.
The first human inhabitants of Komodo were the Ata Modo. They believed that they were created at the same time as the Komodo Dragon when a beautiful spirit woman Putri Naga gave birth to twins - one of the babies was a human child, the second a Komodo Dragon.
Males demonstrate ritual combat during breeding season by standing on their hind legs and wrestling.
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CRYSTALCINDY · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 17

LOL, JUST HAD SOME THING LIKE THIS ON OUR SITE MUST BE GREAT MINDS THINK A LIKE.

THEY ARE A FEARSOME ANIMAL AND CAN KILL HUMANS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE BUT NOT BE NEAR ONE.
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Freebird · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject: Komodo Dragon

Why not cindy, they used to have a pets corner at the west midlands sarfari park Kidderminster UK where you could see and touch a
Komodo Dragon, and snakes spiders ect, i must admit i was too scared to do so

CRYSTALCINDY · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 17

YOU KNOW OUR RUTH HAS A CORN SNAKE AND IT IS LOVELY. THERE IS AN ISLAND WHERE KOMODO DRAGONS LIVE AND THEY ARE INDEED FEARSOME. LOL LIFE IS SO STRANGE.
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