Dragons: Pt 6

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Dragon-like creatures





Basilisk
A basilisk is hatched by a cockerel from a serpent's egg. It is a lizard-like or snake-like creature that can supposedly kill by its gaze, its voice, or by touching its victim. Like Medusa, a basilisk may be destroyed by seeing itself in a mirror. It is also portayed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as a large grey snake, with foot long fangs and yellow eyes. Anybody who looks into these eyes will be killed.

Leviathan
In Hebrew mythology, a leviathan was a large creature with fierce teeth. Contemporary translations identify the leviathan with the crocodile, but maintaining a strict Biblical perspective the leviathan can breathe fire (Job 41:18-21), can fly (Job 41:5), it cannot be pierced with spears or harpoons (Job 41:7), its scales are so closely fit that there is no room between them (Job 41:15-16), it walks upright (Job 41:12), its mouth is powerful and contains many formidable teeth (Job 41:14), its underbelly has sharp scales that could cut a person (Job 41:30), and, over all, it is a terrifying creature. Over time, the term came to mean any large sea monster; in modern Hebrew, "leviathan" simply means whale. A sea serpent is also closely related to the dragon, though it is more snakelike and lives in the water.

Wyvern
Much more similar to a dragon than the other creatures listed here, a wyvern is a winged serpent with either two or no legs. The term wyvern is used in heraldry to distinguish two-legged from four-legged dragons. Also sometimes noted as the largest species of dragon.

zmeu
Derived from the Slavic dragon, zmeu are humanoid figures that can fly and breathe fire.

cockatrice
A bird-like reptile sometimes confused with a basilisk. In Gerald Durrell's book "The Talking Parcel", they attempt genocide against dragons by stealing the last dragon eggs.

Quetzalcóatl
A Central-American or Mexican creature with both scales and feathers worshipped by the Toltecs and Aztecs.

Notable Dragons

In myth
List of dragons in mythology and folklore

Azhi Dahaka was a three-headed demon often characterized as dragon-like in Persian Zoroastrian mythology.

Similarly, Ugaritic myth describes a seven-headed sea serpent named Lotan.

The Hydra of Greek mythology is a water serpent with multiple heads with mystic powers. When one was chopped off, two would regrow in its place. This creature was vanquished by Heracles and his cousin.

Smok Wawelski was a Polish dragon who was supposed to have terrorized the hills around Kraków in the Middle Ages.

Y Ddraig Goch is now the symbol of Wales (see flag, above), originally appearing as the red dragon from the Mabinogion story Lludd and Llevelys.

Nidhogg, a dragon in Norse mythology, was said to live in the darkest part of the Underworld, awaiting Ragnarok. At that time he would be released to wreak destruction on the world.

Orochi, the eight-headed serpent slain by Susanoo in Japanese mythology.

In literature and fiction

List of fictional dragons
The Old English epic Beowulf ends with the hero battling a dragon.

Dragons remain fixtures in fantasy books, though portrayals of their nature differ. For example, Smaug, from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, who is a classic, European-type dragon; deeply magical, he hoards treasure and burns innocent towns. Contrary to most old folklore and literature J. R. R. Tolkien's dragons are very intelligent and can cast spells over mortals.

A common theme in literature concerning dragons is the partnership between humans and dragons. This is evident in Dragon Rider and the Inheritance Trilogy. Most notably it is featured in Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series.

Okay folks, that puts a wrap on our 6 part series on dragons. Hope you enjoyed it and learned something from it.

Starting in the very near future(sooner than later), I will start putting up excerpts from my book "Dragon". I do want everyone to know that the story is NOT for kids and immature teens. There is much graphically described violence and pretty horrific sequences. There is also strong sex/nudity scenes and descriptions that are a major part of the story line. There is also some strong profanity. Which is only fitting for the story line.

Peace & Soulz,

Bobby Sharpewww.myspace.com/akuasharpe BobbySharpe.blogspot.com