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Subject: Dragon Lore
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 23:37:26 -0500
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The Glossary of Mythical Creatures
Banshee: The Banshee was a spirit of the fairy folk. If a person was
talented with the fairy arts which were dance, song, or art she would
follow them in life. When such a person neared death the Banshee's
wailing was forwarning.
Basilisk: This creature looks like giant lizard with four pairs of
legs. It's gaze will turn any living creature to stone. This creature
comes from medieval legends.
Bigfoot: also known as the yeti and various other names. This large
manlike creature is said to dwell in the hills and mountains of the
wilderness. Often described as being covered with hair and standing
8-9 feet tall. Legends of the Bigfoot have been around for centuries.
Except for some odd footprints, some hair found on a branch, or
strange blurry pictures, it is still not known if this creature really
exists.
Centaur: Depicted as half man half horse. Represented wisdom and old
age. These excellent archers can be found in many Roman and Greek
legends.
Cerberus: was three headed dog that guarded the entrance to the
underworld in Greek legends. The picture shows Hercules son of the god
Zeus fighting with the creature.
Chimera: This strange beast comes out of Greek legends. It is said to
have the head of a goat, lion, and dragon (or snake depending on the
source)with various different parts of the three beasts making up the
rest of the animal. One legend tells of Bellerophon (Greek hero)
taming Pegasus to aid him in battle against the Chimera.
Cockatrice: This creatures looks like a strange cross between a
rooster and a dragon or snake. It's gaze can turn a person to stone.
Often in legend this creature is confused with the Basilisk.
Cyclops: Barbaric Giants that have only one eye. They are evil and
have been known to eat the flesh of humans.
Dragon: A reptile like creature found with or without wings. In legend
it is said they breath fire, guard ancient treasures, and dwell in the
mountain caves. Depending on the story this creature can be good or
evil, intelligent or animal-like, but the thing all the stories agree
upon was that dragons were magical.
Dryads: The Dryads: (Dryades, Hamadryades,) are female spirits of
nature who preside over the groves and forests. Each one is born with
a certain tree over which she watches - she comes into existence with
it and often lives in a tree.
Dwarves: A race of beings found within most modern fantasy books. A
people of short stature that have a liking for stone. Dwarves are a
warrior race and are good blacksmiths. For some reason they are also
noted for their dislike for elves.
Elves: A mythical people that have a strong ability toward magic. Said
to dwell in woodlands and to enjoy a lifespan of centuries. Depending
on the legend Elves can be short pixie like creatures or a tall people
of uncommon grace and power.
Tree Ents: (Tree Folk) These are truely the folk of the forests. These
intelligent trees guard the ancient forests. In Tolkien stories they
guarded holy forests from those whom would destroy them.
Fairies: small people with insect like wings. Sometimes known as
sprites these winged spirits of the forests are known for the tricks
they play on mortals or in some cases the magical aid they can give.
On midsummer nights it is said they can be seen dancing in the forest
clearings.
Ganesha: Ganesha or Ganapati is an extremely popular God in India.
People mostly worship Him asking for success in undertakings, and
intelligence. He is worshipped before any venture is started. He is
also the God of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the
fine arts.
Gargoyles: Gargoyles are guardian statues placed into the decoration
of many castles and buildings. How can a lifeless stone statue guard
anything? Perhaps they are not as lifeless as they seem...
Ghosts: Half seen spectral apparitions thought to be the souls of
people long dead. In stories they either inspire fear or give warning
to the living.
Griffin: A lion with the head, front claws, and wings of an eagle.
Often seen in European coat of arms. The most noted can be seen of the
coat of arms of the English royal family.
Gnomes: Gnomes are a small folk similar to elves. It is said they are
the Fairy shoemakers. If a Gnome is found he will have gold because
fairies pay them to make their dancing shoes. But, like the Lepricans
don't take your eyes off them for they will vanish. In fantasy stories
they are a people similar to the dwarves. They live underground and
make fanastic inventions.
Goblins: These small creatures are found in many stories. Most often
portrayed as evil imp-like creatures that delight in playing tricks on
humans. In role playing games they are a tribe of demi-humans that are
often found in wilderness areas that attack travelers.
Harpy: A woman with the bottom portion and wings of a vulture. These
creatures were originally sent by the Greek Gods to torment the evil
doer. To the Greek the Harpy repersented justice. Later on in the
middle ages they came to symbolize greed and the devil.
Hippocampus: The Hippocampus is a horse with the back half of a fish.
This creature springs from Greek legends.
Hippogryph: The Hippogryph looks like a horse but with the head, front
claws, and wings of an eagle. This creature is said to come from the
union between a grphon and a horse.
Hobbit: Hobbits are a cheerful folk, fond of eating and friendship.
They are shorter than dwarves and have hair on their toes. Hobbits are
a people onto themselves.
Hydra: A serpent or dragon with five or more heads. In Greek legends
this creature could only be defeated by cutting off it's heads and
then burning the neck. If this was not done where one head was cut off
two more would grow in it's place. Hercules had to defeat this monster
in one of his 12 labors.
Imp: These small devilish creatures love to play tricks on mortals.
Often their tricks tend toward the cruel side. In some stories mages
were able to sometimes summon these creatures to do their bidding.
Jersey Devil: Within the Pine Barrens of New Jersey dwells a devil
like creature. Where did it come from, how did it get there? Click the
link to find out.
Leprechauns: The small elves, or gnomes dwell in the hills of Ireland.
It is told that each owns a pot of gold. If a human is lucky enough to
catch them then they must have the Leprechaun lead them to where the
gold is hidden. But beware, catching a Leprechaun is not easy for he
is clever and once caught never take your eyes off of him for he will
be gone in the blink of an eye.
Loch Ness Monster: Within Scotland there is a large deep lake called
Loch Ness. For ages people around the lake have told stories of seeing
a strange creature or sea serpent within the Loch's dark waters. Some
people have even been able to get pictures although they are blurry.
Scientists are even probing the Loch's depths in hope of finding proof
of it's existence.
Mages and Wizards: People throughout many legends gifted in the use of
magic. They are known for their use spells and potions, etc.
Manticor: A lion with the head of a man, and the tail of a scorpion.
These creatures roam the wilderness within the fantasy world. It is
said they have a tast e for man.
Medusa: She was one the the three Gorgon sisters. They had living
snakes as hair, bronze hands, and golden wings. Sometimes they were
also shown having a snake's tail instead of legs. Any who looked at
them would be turned to stone. They were daughters of a sea god and a
sea monster. The sisters names were Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa.
Medusa was later slain by Perseus (Greek hero).
Mermaid: A woman with the tail of a fish. Said to be the daughters of
Triton God of the seas. The song of a mermaid as been said to be able
to entrance sailors.
Minotaur: Man with the head of a bull. It is said that King Minos kept
the creature in a large labyrinth. They would send captured enemies
into the labyrinth for food for the Minotaur.
Naga: The Naga looks like a snake but has the head of a human. They
are used as temple guardians in some fantasy stories and roleplaying
games. Nagas originate from India.
Naiads: (Naiades) were nymphs of bodies of fresh water and were one of
the three main classes of water nymphs - the others being the Nereids
(nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea) and the Oceanids (nymphs of the
oceans). The Naiads presided over rivers, streams, brooks, springs,
fountains, lakes, ponds, wells, and marshes. They were divided into
various subclasses: Crinaeae (fountains), Pegaeae (springs),
Eleionomae (marshes), Potameides (rivers), and Limnades or Limnatides
(lakes).
Nymph: In Greek mythology, Nymphs were spirits of nature. Even though
they were female divinities of lower rank, still they were revered as
the protectors of springs, mountains, grottoes, trees, the sea and
rivers. They were portrayed as young, pretty girls, each subtype
presiding over whichever aspect of nature they represented.
Ogre: Large beast-like men with low intelligence that roam within many
legends. More akin to trolls and giants, these creatures are often
battled by heros and are known to be evil. It is said they enjoy the
taste of man. (Some have notified me that this picture is a troll...if
anyone has a good picture of an Ogre please send it to me.)
Orcs: A race of degenerate creatures that look like distorted humans
with animal features. Tribes of these evil creatures roam the fantasy
worlds battling humans. In Tolkian it was told that dark forces took
elves and warped them through dark magic into the orcs.
Pegasus: Is a horse with wings. In legend they were creatures created
by the Greek God Zeus.
Phoenix: a firebird. This bird of myth is said to always rise from the
ashes. The bird was sometimes seen as a sign of good luck or a bad
omen depending on the legend.
Piasa Bird: In Illinois there is a local Native American legend that
tells of a great bird that would eat humans. When Europeans came they
saw the bird painted on the cliffs.
Roc: Giant eagles that were large enough to block out the sun with the
shadow of their wings. They were said to prey on elephants and other
large animals. These birds come from Arabian legends.
Satyr: A man with the legs and tail of a goat. Stemming from Greek
legends they are said to like music which they would play from their
pipes as they danced in the woodland glens. They are also thought to
be quite promiscuous and lustful.
Selkie: A shapeshifting folk that can change from human into seals. It
is said that they dwell in the Northern seas around the Orkney
islands.
Sleipnir: Sleipnir was an eight legged horse that was able to travel
through the sea and air. It served as steed to the great Norse god
Odin. This creature was the child of Loki(Norse god trickster) and a
mighty stallion.
Sphinx: Has the body of a lion and the head of a human. In Egypt the
Sphinx was a creature used to guard temples and other holy places.
Statues of them are often found outside of tomes. The most noted as
the statue of the Great Sphinx. In Greece the Sphinx was a monster
that attacked a city in one of their legends. The beast challenged
people to a riddle. If they answered wrong they died. Finally a hero
came and answered the riddle, thereby setting the city free. The
riddle was this:
What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at mid-day(noon), and
three in the evening?"
Well it seems someone leeked the answer. The answer is man.
Titans: The Titans were the older race of Gods before the Greek Gods
like Zues and his crew took claim of their place. There was a great
battle between them in which the Titans lost. Titans looked like Giant
humans. The picture shows the Titan Altas bearing the weight of the
heavens. He was sentenced to carry the heavens after the battle with
the Greek Gods.
Trolls: large underground dwelling creatures that by legend have a
taste for man. In certain fairy tales they live under bridges and
other dark areas ready for the unwary traveler to come.
Unicorn: a horse with a single horn. Said to have magical powers in
healing and the bringing of luck. The horn of the unicorn was prized
for its ability to nullify all poisons that it came in contact with.
Legend says that only those most pure in heart and soul may be
approached by them.
Vampires: Thoughout history people have told stories of manlike demons
that feed off blood in the night. Most Vampire legends were born in
the middle ages because of fear of the black plague and ignorance. The
most noted legend is the story of Dracula.
Werewolves: humans that can shapeshift into a wolf or a half-wolf
form. They tend to only transform during the full moon.
Witches: In legend they are often portrayed as old hags that dabbled
in the black arts of magic. They often were dressed in black and were
said to even be the brides of the devil. These days witch-craft is
being enbraced again but in a much better light. Modern "witches" use
magic for healing and good and have nothing to do with the devil. They
are the followers of the modern religion of Wicca.
Zombies: They haunt graveyards and horror movies. The Zombie is an
undead creature that appears to be half-rotting and is said to like
the eat the brains of the living.
Dragon Lore
This is a bit of information I found on dragons while I was
researching legends. The lore is broken down into the area of the
world in which it relates to. Within these catagories are dragon
names, and legends where I could find them.
European Dragons
Chinese(Asian) Dragons
Egyptian Dragons
African Dragons
Babylonian Dragons
Indian Dragons
European Dragons
These dragons are found in many notible medieval, Greek, Roman, and
Norse legends. The basic characteristic of the European dragon is that
they have wings. They can have two or four legs depending on the type
and can be of any color. Many of these dragons breath fire. European
dragons tend to be thought of as greedy and evil.
Some European Legends:
St. George and the Dragon
According to a legend of the Middle Ages there once lived in a distant
pagan land a dreadful monster called a dragon. The flapping of its
great batlike wings could be heard for miles around. With a single
blow of its terrible claws it could fell an ox. From its nostrils came
clouds of smoke and flame that brought death to those who breathed it.
Every year a young girl was offered to it to prevent it from rushing
upon the city and destroying all the inhabitants. One year the lot
fell to Princess Sabra, daughter of the king. She was saved by the
valiant St. George, youngest and bravest of the seven champions of
Christendom.
With his magic sword Ascalon, he wounded the monster so badly that the
princess was able to put her sash about its head and lead it to the
marketplace of the town. There St. George slew it with one blow. Won
over to the Christian faith by this deed of its champion, the people
were baptized.
The Nibelung Hoard
Nibelungs were a race of dwarfs or elves dwelling in Nibelheim (or
Niflheim) a realm of mist or darkness. The Nibelungs were the
descendants of King Nibelung, a legendary Scandinavian king, and heirs
to a vast treasure of gold and jewels that had been amassed in some
ancient time. The Nibelungs Hord was said to be guarded by the dwarf
Andvari (or Alberich). Views tend to differ on the legend. This is a
version I found with references to dragons:
In the Volsunga Saga, Nibelung was the son of Hogni and grandson of
King Giuki. They gathered this great treasure that was eventually
stolen from them and then proceeded to pass through a variety of
owners. The hero in this saga, Sigurd, eventually acquires the gold by
slaying Fafnir the dragon who guards the treasure. Fafnir had killed
Sigurd's father Hreidmar to steal the treasure, and then turned
himself into a dragon in order to protect the hoard from other
thieves.
The Dragon's Fall
1. A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with
the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on
her head.
2. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give
birth.
3. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with
seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
4. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them
to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to
give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.
5. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the
nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and
to his throne.
6. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God,
where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against
the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9. The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the
devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to
the earth, and his angels with him.
10. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the
salvation and the power and the kingdom of God, and the authority of
his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before
our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of
their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink
from death.
12. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe
to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He
is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13. When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he
pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
14. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she
might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would
be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the
serpent's reach.
15. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to
overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
16. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing
the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war
against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments
and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
The Golden Fleece
The story of the Golden Fleece was thus:Nephele,the departed wife of
Athamas,himself a son of Jason's grandfather,the wind god
Aeolos,appeared to Athamas,warning him that his new wife,Ino,disliked
her two children,Phrixos and Helle,and was plotting to kill them. To
save the two children,Nephele presented to Athamas a large golden
ram,on which the two children escaped over the sea,Helle being drowned
on the way. But Phrixos survived,and landing at Kolchis,sacrificed the
ram to Zeus,and hung the fleece up in the temple of Ares. The
heroes,or Argonauts,as they became known,set off on their search,and
reached the island of Lemnos,where they stayed awhile,siring a new
race of heroes. Jason fell in love with Hypsipyle,who bore to him a
son called Euneos. Leaving the island,the heroes proceeded to
Kyzikos,where Hercules,having broken his oar,went ashore to cut wood
for a new one,accompanied by Hylas. But some nymphs on the
island,taken with the beauty of Hylas,captured him,and Hercules
resolved to remain there until he rescued his friend. The expedition
could not wait,and the Argonauts had to proceed without their greatest
hero.
Next they reached Scutari,where the king,Amykos challenged them to a
boxing match,as he did all strangers in his land. Famed as a boxer,and
as a man of extraordinary cruelty,Amykos nevertheless met his match in
Pollux,and the Argonauts continued their journey,reaching the district
where the blind Phineus lived,constantly plagued by Harpies. Kalais
and Zetes released him from this bondage,driving the foul creatures
off,and in gratitude the aged man showed them a safe path through the
Symplegades,two giant cliffs that closed together,crushing all caught
in their deadly embrace. Jason sent a pigeon through the gap,and the
rocks closed on the bird. Then,as they were moving apart again,the
Argo sailed quickly through,passing safely,with the loss of her rudder
only.
Finally,the heroes reached Kolchis,but the king there,Aeetes,refused
to give up the fleece unless the Argonauts could perform certain tasks
for him. The first was to yoke his unmanageable bulls,which snorted
fire and had hooves of brass,to a plough,and then to sow the fields
with dragon's teeth,from which armed men would spring in the furrows.
This was all done,and Jason was allowed fetch the Golden Fleece,which
was guarded by a huge dragon where it hung on an oak,in a grove sacred
to Ares. Jason,however,had been made proof against fire and sword by
Medea,and he succeeded in taking the fleece.
The Argonauts left Kolchis,Jason taking with him Medea,Aeetes'
daughter. When he missed her,the king gave chase,and was only stopped
when Medea,dismembering her younger brother and casting the pieces in
the sea,delayed him. Jason returned to present the Golden Fleece to
Pelias,who,refusing yet to give over the throne,was slain by the
hero,who then ruled over Iolkos,as well as Corinth,which Medea's
father had ruled before leaving for Kolchis. Jason ruled for some
years with Medea by his side,but then he formed a relationship with
Kreusa,and married her. Incensed by this,Medea sent her rival a
poisoned dress,which took her life,and not content with this,set fire
to the palace of her father,Kreon,and slew all the children she
herself had borne to Jason. Then she fled to Athens,where she married
Aegeus,living with him until Theseus drove her out. Jason
himself,troubled at the grief his ex-wife had caused,retired to the
isthmus of Corinth,where the Argo lay. But on approaching the
ship,part of the stern gave way and fell on him,killing him. JEH The
whore who roused Ahriman from his thousands-year swoon,into which he
had fallen,on witnessing the goodness of man. Jeh spread her evil
influence across the world,filling men with greed,envy,lust and
prejudice.
Names of some European Dragons:
Apocalyptic beast. ~ {Biblical - Most likely Middle East} A creature
mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. It has two horns,
speaks like a dragon, and bears the mystical number of the devil.
Cecrops ~ {Greek} The mythical founder of Athens; first king of
Attica; represented as half human, half dragon; credited with
inventing writing and establishing marriage and burial customs. .
Draco ~ {Greek} A constellation in the north containing the star of
the north pole of the ecliptic. Legend states this constllation was
named after the Athenian statesman and lawgiver Draco or Dracon.
Fafnir ~ {Norse mythology} A dragon; guardian of the treasure later
known as the Nibelung hoard.
Hydra ~ {Greek mythology} A gigantic monster resembling a dragon with
several heads (usually nine, though the number varies), the center one
of which is immortal. It is said to haunt the marshes of Lerna near
Argos. The destruction of the hydra was one of the 12 labors of
Hercules. When one of the hydra's heads was cut off two grew in its
place.
Leviathan ~{Bible, Job ix, 13 and Isa. xxvii, 1} Hebrew name for sea
monster; also dragon of turmoil which contested against God.
Tatzlwyrm ~ {Germanic legend} A winged, fire-breathing dragon monster.
Wyvern ~ {U.K.} A winged, two-legged dragon with a barbed tail. The
wyvern often appears on heraldic shields and symbolizes guardianship.
Jormungand (Norse Legend) The world serpent that dwelled at the bottom
of the sea,and that encircled the whole world. It was to rise against
the gods at Ragnarok,helping the Fenris Wolf and Surt,and the other
enemies of the gods,to destroy both Asgard and Midgard.
Asian Dragons
Most Eastern dragons are shown to be snake-like with four short legs.
Chinese dragons have five toes verses the Korean Dragon with four toes
and the Japanese with only three. Unlike other dragons of legend they
do not usually have wings. The five toed dragons are a symbol of
power. The Chinese dragon is often depicted as either being red or
gold, although other colors are found.
Dragons of China:
1.) Tien-Lung: The Celestial Dragon, who protects the place of Gods.
They are the guardians of the gates to heaven.
2.) Shen-Lung: The Spiritual Dragon, who controls wind and rain.
3.) Ti-lung: The Earth Dragon , which controls rivers, and water on
the earth.
4.) Fut's-Lung: The Underworld Dragon, which guards precious metals
and gems.
5.) Ying-Lung: Winged Dragon, a river dragon that was reported to be a
servant of the emporer of China. It was sent after enemies of the
dynasty.
6.) Chiao: marsh dwelling dragon
7.) Li: hornless dragon associated with earth rivers and oceans.
Dragons of Japan:
1.) Ryu: A dragon able to live in the air, in water, and on land. It
was considered one of the four sacred creatures of the Orient. Ryu
symbolizes rain and storms
2.) Tatsu: a general term for the japanese dragon.
3.) Sui-Riu: Dragon King
4.) Han-Riu: multi-striped, 40 feet long
5.) Ri-Riu: a dragon with exceptial vision
6.) Hai-Riu: Winged dragon
7.) Ka-Riu: firey red, but only 7 feet long.
Egyptian Dragons
Apep: With the approach of night the strength of the Ra, the sun god
of Heliopolis, diminished. The solar barque "entered the realm of
night and met the powers of darkness. The chief of these was the
serpent Apep who tried to swallow the barque; a nightly struggle
ensued, and when the sun reappeared on the eastern horizon the next
day prayers of thankfulness were offered that Ra was triumphant and
the sun would continue to shine."
Typhon: It was the mystery of the god Sol, and inscribed on a black
image of Isis. The Divine Boy was chased by the cruel Typhon. In an
Egyptian legend the dragon is said to pursue Thuesis (Isis) while she
is endeavoring to protect her son."
African Dragons
Amphisbaena: Originating in Africa, this was a two headed dragon (one
at the front, and one on the end of its tail). The front head would
hold the tail (or neck as the case may be) in its mouth, creating a
circle that allowed it to roll.
Babylonian Dragons
Tiamat: Primeval Chaos, bearer of the skies and the earth. The clamor
of the younger gods disturbed her, but she continued to indulge them.
When the others suggested that they kill the younger gods, she grew
furious, calmed down and rejected the plan. Her restless subservient
gods goaded her into action after her son is slain. They prepared to
wage war against the other gods. As Mother Hubur, the underworld
river, who fashions all things, she bore giant snakes with venom for
blood, and cloaked dragons with a godlike radiance yet with a terrible
visage, for the war. She rallied a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon,
a lahmu-hero, a ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, a scorpion-man, umu-demons,
a fish-man, a bull-man, and eleven others underneath her champion,
Qingu. She gave Qingu the Tablet of Destinies to facilitate his
command and attack. To this day they battle still.
Dragons of India (From the acounts of a Greek traveler)
The whole of India is filled with dragons of enormous size; for they
dwell in the mountains, marshes, and not a single mountain is without
one. Now the marsh dragons are sluggish in their habits and are thirty
feet long, and have no crest standing up on their heads, but in this
respect resemble the she-dragons. Their backs however are very black,
with fewer scales on them than the other kinds.
Dragons along the foothills and the mountain peaks make their way to
the plains after their quarry, and prey upon all the creatures in the
marshes; for they can move faster than the wind, so that nothing
escapes them. These actually have a crest, smaller when they are
young; but as they reach their full size, it grows with them and
extends to a great height, at which time the dragon?s crest turns red
and they grow spines on their backs. This kind also have beards, a
long graceful neck, silver scales, and the pupils of their eyes
consist of a fiery stone. They say that the dragon?s eye has an
uncanny power for many secret purposes. The plains specimen falls the
prize of the hunters if they are clever enough to capture the beast
and those who capture the dragons are rewarded by getting the eyes and
skin and teeth. In most respects they resemble the large lizards, but
they are slighter in build and 'flexible, and they have teeth as sharp
and indestructible as those of the largest fishes.
Now the dragons of the mountains have scales of a golden color, are
larger than the plains dragons, and they have golden bushy beards.
Their eyebrows are more prominent than those of the plain with their
eyes sunk deeper under the brow which emits a terrible and ruthless
glance. Their crests are all fiery red and flashes a fire brighter
than a torch. Hunters prize the golden skin more, so they catch them
in the following manner: They embroider golden runes on a scarlet
cloak, which they lay in front of the animal's burrow. The runes will
charm the creature to sleep. These runes induce the dragon to stretch
his neck out of his burrow and fall asleep over them. Then the lndians
fall upon him as he lies there, and dispatch him with blows of their
axes. They then cut off the head and despoil it of its gems. And they
say that in the heads of the mountain dragons are mystical stones that
if set in a ring give the wearer great powers. Most often the Indian,
in spite of his ax and his cunning, is caught by the dragon, who
carries him off into his lair for a meal. It is nearly impossible
however to ascertain the number of years that these creatures live.
Lil Stinker
"just havin' fun!"
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