Dragons - ancient, mysterious - let there be dragons...
Dragon Jewelry
DRAGONS
The mythology of Dragons reaches far back in Man's memory. Dragon age 2 patch and dragon speaking are not here. Dragons are well-represented
in European, Japanese and Chinese culture. They also get numerous, if adverse, mentions
in the Bible. more Dragons
In pre-Christian Europe, Dragons were generally regarded as beneficial "...eggs were found in the River Neckor (Germany) and...became trained Dragons that loyally protected property." Christianity brought an end to such thinking and possibly led to stories like that of St. George and the Dragon.
Dragons - let there be dragons - this site is not about dragon age 2 patch or dragon speaking - it is about dragon jewelry and dragon rings - Viking Long Ships bore Dragon carvings, their purpose being to impart Far-Sightedness, Cunning and Strength. In Eastern mythology, Dragons fared better. The first God-Emperors of Japan were supposed to have ridden Dragons. In Ancient China only the Emperor was allowed to use images of the five toed Dragon - so great was its power.
Chinese Dragons were symbols of Good Fortune and Luck. They did not breath fire
but, rather, a misty breath that brought life-giving rain. These dragons lived in
the high clouds and were greatly revered. The Wyvern ( two wings and two legs )
is regarded as a symbol of Strength. The Ouborus, a Dragon-like creature that eats
its own tail, represent Eternity. Dragons are regarded as Earth Elementals and are
firmly linked with Protectiveness, Good Fortune, Power and Plenty.
George Skews
25.3.97
Pictures of Dragon Jewellery
Available in Gold and silver.
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The notion of a winged, fire-breathing serpent has haunted men's minds for centuries. A whole gallery of the world's heroes - Perseus, Marduk, Hercules, Siegfried, St George, Beowulf - have fought and killed it, but it refuses to die.
It lives on as a folk memory: a huge, scaly creature, reptilian, and usually winged in a leathery, bat-like way. It breathes fire, guards treasures, haunts pools/oceans, and its blood is more venomous than that of any other creature imaginable.
The most popular of all the dragons (and the most famous) is the Western Dragon. These are the dragons most known for guarding hoards of treasures in their lairs. Some common characteristics of these beasts include four legs, two wings, a long neck, scaly skin, and a long tail. Considered to be blood-thirsty, myth has it they prefer human female virgins. Will you be the next victim? A subset of the Western Dragon is the Drake. These dragons look the same as a western dragon except they lack wings, have two strong hind legs, and two very small front legs. On your paths, you may expect to encounter two kinds of Drakes - Fire and Cold. FireDrakes are the ones who will fry you in an instant with their fiery breath of flame. Cold Drakes have a breath of severe coldness.
The Eastern Dragon is a very different creature from Western dragons. The Eastern Dragon is an infinitely more beneficent beast, living in the rain cloud, the sea, rivers, lakes, pools, and springs. Dragon slaying, one of the <Picture: 4-toed Dragon> recurring motifs in Western Dragon lore, has no equivalent in the Far East, for in Chinese Philosophy the dragon acts as an essential link between earth and sky. Usually portrayed as good, kind, and very intelligent, Eastern Dragons are the most recorded. There are three kinds of Eastern Dragons - 3 toed which are Japanese, 4 toed which are Indonesian, and 5 toed that are Chinese.
Along with the big dragons, there were also little ones. These Faery Dragons are only a few feet long, and have butterfly like wings. Very few stories and legends speak about a Faery Dragon. Maybe they carried Fairies from one place to another place? Maybe they are confused with the massive Dragon Flies with wing spans of a meter that used to fly the planet many millions of years ago?
Wyrm or Worm, is a dragon which has no legs or wings. Worms are especially historic in England. Perhaps you've heard of the Lambton Worm? This is about an Heir to Lambton Hall in England who caught the small worm, but thought it too ugly to eat, so he threw it in the local well. Over the years the worm grew to a massive size and left the well to terrorise the local people. When Lambton came back from a war and saw the horror he had created, and was informed by a witch he must kill the worm, and he must also kill the very next beast/creature/person he saw. The worm was killed, and unfortunately, the very next living person he came accross was his Dad, and he could not kill him. The Lambton family was cursed for 9 generations, and all were doomed to die overseas, not at home.
Another Dragon is the Wyvern dragon. This dragon has 2 wings, and only 2 back legs. They sometimes have claws on their wings, which act like another pair of hands. Their tails are razor sharp and contain deadly poison.
Another famous dragon is the dragon in Greek Mythology called a Hydra. These dragons have many necks and heads connected to it's body and four legs. Hercules second of his twelve tasks, was to slay a huge Hydra dragon. Every time one head was cut off, two more heads would grow (similar to the broom stick fable and the magician. Eventually Hercules found that by burning the stump with a torch, the next head would not grow. In Greek Mythology, Jason had to kill a Hydra dragon to win the Golden Fleece.
Dragons that have wings, and no legs are called "Amphiptere". The most well known Amphiptere is Quetzalquotal, the winged, feathered serpent dragon type god of Mexican History. It is thought that the story of Quetzalquotal began with a bird, the Quetzal. When flying, it looks like a shimmering snake. It would be easy to mix up these 2.
Dragon stories of today are sometimes about the Sea Serpents, or Dragons that dwell in water. Sea serpents have been seen since mankind first took to the oceans. The sea monsters are shown on early maps. where unexplored areas were marked as - HERE BE DRAGONS. Some scientists believe that sea monsters were really ocean crossing dinosaurs that survived. If it came out of the water near a boat, it could very much be thought of as a sea serpent. "Nessie" in Scotland and "Mokele-mbembe" of the Congo are two examples of famous serpents.
Dragons have been in myths and legends for many years. Almost every country in the world as some sort of dragon story. Where did they originate from? People imagining things while in a drunken stupor? Did people actually SEE dragons? Or by some strange chance, were there dinosaurs still roaming the earth only a few thousand years ago?
Maybe, but these are questions no one can answer today, or ever. With so many similar tales and pictures behind the legends, it's hard to imagine them not existing. Dragon age 2 patch and dragon speaking are not what this site is about.