All About Dragons

DRAGON: A mythological beast, usually depicted as a large reptilian animal with scales, four legs, wings, 5 claws or talons on each foot, and a tail; represented as having the ability to fly and breathe fire and associated with water. They have long been associated with magic as well. They were reputed to love gemstones and were said to hoarde treasure caches of jewels and other precious things. Though the winged, four-legged, land-based dragon is that most familiar to most people, great serpant-worms, wyverns, sky-bourne winged dragons, the guive, six-legged tarasque, gargouilles, hydras, cockatrices, basilisks, and laviathans all also belong to the dynasty of dragons.

In a time long past, there were also tales of great guardian dragons, protectors of the weak and bringers of good fortune. Although similar to the European dragon in appearance, these were wise and good creatures who benefited mankind. Their colors included almost every color of the rainbow, metallics being considered rare, and green and brown the most common. Although some say dragons never were pure black or white, others claim to have had counsel from wise old whites, and blacks were said to know the most potent magic. Sizes ranged from small firedragon size (2 feet) to 15-20 feet, with wingspans up to 50 feet.

Many cultures have for centuries viewed the dragon as a fearsome creature associated with evil, particularly the European dragon. Knights, representing purity and courage, fought and slayed the evil European dragons in Renaissance literature. These were dragons which wreaked havoc and destruction, torching villages and towns with their fiery breath. The European dragon, therefore, was always a symbol of fear and death in Renaissance Europe.

The Oriental dragon, however, was considered a kind and noble beast, signifying good luck to those fortunate enough to encounter one. There were several different types of Oriental dragons; Celestial, Fire Dragon, Dragon of Earth, Spiritual, and the Dragon of Hidden Treasures, among others. In ancient China, dragons were regarded as beneficent, and the dragon was used as the emperor's symbol and considered a sign of great fortune.

In the Chinese calendar, the years: 1844, 1856, 1868, 1880, 1892, 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, and the year 2000, are all known as the Year of the Dragon. This is usually thought of as an auspicious year, and, indeed, many of those years have been marked as outstanding in some way.

Those born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be extremely complex; short-tempered and stubborn at times, they can also be gentle, sensitive, soft-hearted, and passionate. Considered fortunate, Dragons are associated with the sign of the Dragon, which symbolizes life, growth, riches, virtue, and harmony. They get along best with those born in the Year of the Rat, Monkey, and sometimes, Snake. Their opposite may be found in those born in the Year of the Dog.

In literature, particularly the fields of science fiction and fantasy, there have been many stories written about or containing dragons.
Some of the authors of books or stories concerning dragons include:

Anne McCaffrey - the DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN series
Jane Yolen - DRAGON'S BLOOD, HEART'S BLOOD, A SENDING OF DRAGONS
Isaac Asimov - Prince Delightful and the Flameless Dragon
J.R.R. Tolkien - (Smaug) LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy
Byron Preiss and Michael Reaves - DRAGONWORLD
E.R. Eddison - THE WORM OUROBOROOUS
Piers Anthony - DRAGON ON A PEDESTAL
John M. Ford - THE DRAGON WAITING
Gordon Dickson - THE DRAGON AND THE GEORGE
and of course, Hans Christian Anderson - the dragon-like guard dogs in THE TINDER BOX