1. Western Dragon
Variations: Drak (Slavic), DRAKON (“to watch”), Dreki, European Dragon, Iza, Lintver (Slavic), Lintvurm (Slavic), Lohikäärme, Louhikäärme, Orm, Ormr (“dragon,” “serpent,” or “worm”), Pozoj (Slavic), Premog (Slavic), Sárkánykígyó (“dragon snake,” Hungarian), Verm, Viza (Slavic), Western Dragon, Worm, Wyrm, Zmaj (Slavic), Zmij (Slavic), Zmin (Slavic), Zomok (Hungarian)
Found in the myths of cultures from all over the world, the dragon is perhaps the best known and most easily recognized of all the mythological creatures. Man-made artifacts depicting the dragon date back as far as the fourth millennium, BC. The most ancient known traditions about vanquishing dragons go back to the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Egyptian mythologies of the first three millennia BC.
Generally, the dragon is portrayed as an enormous creature with a scale covered crocodilian body, huge fangs filling its gaping maw, and lacertilian (lizard-like) legs ending in clawed feet; sometimes it is described as also having bat-like leathery wings enabling it to fly, a bony dorsal ridge extending down its spine, a serpentine and barbed tail. Wingless dragons from British and Scandinavian traditions are oftentimes called worms and usually have poisonous breath rather than breathe fire. Variations to the description include chimerical ad-ons, such as the head of a lion, a tail of a snake, or the wings of a bird. Additional attributes include the ability to breathe fire, poisonous breath, numerous heads, and the ability to cast magical spells, such as shape-shifting. The fourth century BC Greek playwright Euripides was perhaps the first classical author to write of a fire-breathing dragon although both Isaiah and Moses of the Old Testament speak of fire-breathing creatures capable of flight whose description could be taken as draconic. Visually, dragons have been described in virtually every color, including gradating from one color to another, iridescent, rabicano, and rainbow.
Typically dragons live in isolated locations, be it high up in a mountain or deep within a cave somewhere in uncharted wilderness. Castle ruins and swamps are also not uncommon. Typically the dragon will leave its home and travel out to its hunting grounds, preying on cattle, elephants, and humans. Stories of young maidens being sacrificed to appease the dragon’s hunger and desire are common and typically involve a hero who must confront and defeat the dragon, saving not only the woman but the countryside as well. Occidental dragons hoard treasure and are exceedingly possessive of their stockpile. These treasure troves are frequently the reward of a hero’s quest whose task it was to rid the land of the dragon.
From the earliest myths, such as with the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Sumerians, the dragon has been associated with water, originally as a cosmic being controlling its release into the world and having the power to cause droughts as well as floods. Although its strongest ties are to the element of water, it has ties to the elements of air, earth, and fire as well.
Beginning with ancient Greek mythology the drakon (“to look at” or “to watch”) became the guardian of precious items or treasure. During this time the creature was depicted as a gigantic winged serpent which occasionally had the ability to breathe fire.
In the pre–Christian traditions of Western Europe the dragon had a largely ambivalent relationship with mankind as both a violent force of nature and a devoted guardian and protector. Stories for each abound. After the introduction of Christianity the dragon was demonized and became the symbol of evil and the Devil, as it was represented throughout the scriptures from the seducer of mankind in the Garden of Eden to the mount of the Whore of Babylon as the Beast of the Apocalypse.
As a symbol of evil the knights from the Middle Ages took it as a symbol to don on their coat of arms and brandish on their crests and shields; this was done to show their noble spirit and how they have vanquished the evil the dragon represented, not to elevate the creature. Tales of dragon slaying abounded and the creature was never quite able to regain the respect it once had.
The dragon of Arthurian folklore was described as having four legs, eagle talons, ribbed bat-like wings, a serpentine tail, and the underbelly of a crocodile.
The heraldic dragon was most often depicted on coats of arms much like the Arthurian dragon but lacking front legs; sometimes the beast would have a barbed tail and tongue, bat-like wings, the body of a serpent, eagle talons, and the head of a wolf.
The dragon of Hungarian folklore, the zomok, was described as being a flying serpentine creature; it was seen in the sky creating bad weather and storms. These creatures were caught and utilized as the mount of a type of magician known as a garaboncias.
In Russian folklore and legend dragons are a particularly popular subject; natural phenomena such as the eclipse of the moon or sun were attributed to them. Russian dragons tend not to be as intelligent as their more western counterparts, more animal-like in deed and thought.
Slavonic dragons are known as zmaj (masculine form of “snake”); they are usually three headed and have the ability to grow back a limb or head if ever one is cut off. They are almost always green and have the ability to breathe fire, similar to European dragons. In both Christian and pre–Christian tales they are oftentimes tricked into consuming some food or gift filled with sulphur which then kills them.
2. Oriental Dragon
Variations: Druk (Bhutanese), Long Wang, Long, Lung Meng, Lung, Na-Achia, NAGA
The DRAGON of oriental mythologies, although sharing some similarities of the DRAGON of western folklore, is decidedly different both in its physical description and relationship with humanity; they are held in high regard in Asian mythology held as a celestial being and associated with the elements of fire and water as well as the emperor.
The most ancient known traditions about vanquishing DRAGONS go back to the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Egyptian mythologies of the first three millennia BC. Baal of ancient Syrian mythology battles YAMM; Enil of ancient Sumeria defeats the DRAGON LABBU; Marduk vanquishes TIAMAT in the Akkadian epic of creation, Enuma Elish, of Babylon; Set of ancient Egyptian mythology defeats the DRAGON APOPHIS; and a weather god from the Hittite texts of Bogazkoy is confronted by the DRAGON ILLUYANKA.
Generally, the DRAGON is chimerical in appearance, described as having a long scaly, serpentine body and neck with short lacertilian (lizard-like) legs and eagle-like talons. Its head is camel-like and delicate, covered with a tufted beard and long whiskers. Depending on its age, gender, and species, it may have horns atop its head, either bovidae or as a rack of antlers. Most have a pearl, either in the mouth or just under the chin, which allows them to breathe fire, fly, or emit some sort of mist. Only in rare instances do they have wings, yet some still have the ability of wingless flight either by undulating their own body or riding waterspouts.
Although they can be quite fierce more often than not these DRAGONs are benevolent towards mankind. After the introduction of Buddhism, dragons began to take on a sinister attitude toward mankind and only the very ancient dragons were considered to be kindly. They love all jewelry but jade most of all; they despise centipedes and anything made of iron.
Buddhist mythology made a distinction between evil mountain dragons, which caused suffering for the people, and water dragons, which were considered beneficial and favorable.
Chinese dragons have a complex mythological status, deep symbology, and profound spiritual influence; they touch upon every aspect of life including the Zodiac. Living in elaborate palaces high in the sky or deep under the waves of the ocean, they are capable of becoming invisible at will and are skilled shape-shifters. Chinese dragons have many subdivisions: black dragons have dominion over mysterious lakes; blue dragons give compassion and are associated with courage; red dragons, said to live in the south, have dominion over fresh water lakes and are associated with the pleasures of summertime; white dragons, symbolic of virtue, are also harbingers of famine; yellow dragons, said to have invented writing, convey the prayers of man to the gods. In AD 200, the Shu Wen (“Explaining and Analyzing Characters”) dictionary detailed three species of dragons: the scaly chiao were serpentine and lived in marshes and mountainous regions, the li lived in the oceans, and the long dominated the sky.
The ancient Chinese author Hwai nan Tsze attempted to prove all creatures are the progeny of the DRAGON. His writings explain: “All creatures, winged, hairy, scaly, and mailed find their origin in the dragon. The yu-kai produced the flying dragon, the flying dragon gave birth to the phoenixes and after them the lawn-niao and all birds, in general winged beings, were born successively. The mao-tuh (“hairy calf”) produced the YING-LUNG and the ying ling gave birth to the KIEN-MA and afterwards the k’i-lin and all quadrupeds, in general the hairy beings were born successively. The KIAI-LIN then produced the KIAO-LUNG and gave birth to the kwun-keng and afterwards the KIEN-SIE and all fishes in general the scaly beings, were born successively. The KIAI-T’AN produced the sien-lung, and then gave birth to the yuen-yuen (“original tortoise”) and afterwards the LING-KWEI (“divine power manifesting tortoise”) and all tortoises in general the mailed beings were born successively.”
Japanese dragons, often called ryū, are very similar to their Chinese cousins in physical appearance but rather than having four claws (or five if tied to the imperial house) they have only three claws or more than five. They are also similar to their Chinese cousins in appearance and growth, although, they are depicted as being more serpentine. Their relationship with man is ambivalent, as it is with the Occidental Dragon, and there are many legends and stories to support this. The dragons of this country are associated with the will-o’-the-wisp (a floating ball of blue flame in the British folklore), called DRAGON lanterns, and rising up from the sea they fly to the mountains where they nest in trees. Japanese dragons are the natural born enemies of HULI JING and KITSUNE, (fox spirit).
In Korea there are three main species of dragons: the KYO live in the mountains, the YONG live in and are protectors of the sky, and the YO dwell in the ocean. All Korean dragons are a chimerical mix, having the belly of a frog, 81 scales on their back, the eyes of a rabbit, and four claws.
Vietnamese dragons are known as ryo; imperial dragons have five toes and “common” dragons have four; they all have the ability to breathe fire and have wings. They are depicted as having rounded bodies, long, sinuous, and serpentine as they slowly taper to the tail. The body is segmented into twelve sections, one for each month of the year. Its back has a ridge of small fins, and its hornless head has a beard, crested nose, long mane, long, thin tongue, and prominent eyes. Culturally important, the ryo brings rain and is symbolic of the King, representative of his power and the country’s prosperity. According to Vietnamese creation mythology, all people are descended from a dragon.
The NAGA of India were most often portrayed as destructive, evil, and terrifying creatures living in the mountains. The guardians of great treasure hoards the NAGA were at constant war against the god-mount, GARUDA.
The dragons of Asia and the Middle East are depicted as coming in two varieties: in the first they have four legs, bat-like wings and are described as having a stocky build while in the second they are gigantic serpents with dragonesque heads.
Written by Theresa Bane in "Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Mith, Legend and Folklore", McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, USA, 2016. Digitized, adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.