| Dragons are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing extremely large, typically scaly, bodies; they are sometimes portrayed as having large eyes, a feature that is the origin for the word for dragon in many cultures, and are often (but not always) portrayed with wings and a fiery breath. Some dragons do not have wings at all, but look more like long snakes. Dragons can have a variable number of legs: none, two, four, or more when it comes to early European literature. Modern depictions of dragons are very large in size, but some early European depictions of dragons were only the size of bears, or, in some cases, even smaller, around the size of a butterfly.
Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Chinese dragons , and Eastern dragons generally, are usually seen as benevolent, where as European dragons are usually malevolent (there are of course exceptions ). Malevolent dragons also occur in Persian mythology and other cultures. Dragons are particularly popular in China. Along with the phoenix, the dragon was a symbol of the Chinese emperors. And are a common sight at Chinese festivals. Dragons are often held to have magical, and major spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many Eastern and Native American cultures dragons were, and in some cultures still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature and the universe. They are associated with wisdom�often said to be wiser than humans�and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernormal power, and are often associated with wells, rain, and rivers. In some cultures, they are said to be capable of human speech. They are also said to be able to talk to all animals. In Christianity :The Latin word for a dragon, draco: draconis, actually means snake or serpent, emphasizing the European association of dragons with snakes.. The Medieval Biblical interpretation of the Devil being associated with the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, thus gave a snake-like dragon connotations of evil. Generally speaking, Biblical literature itself did not portray this association ( Book of Revelation). The demonic opponents of God, Christ, or good Christians have commonly been portrayed as reptilian or chimeric. The Chinese zodiac purports that people born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also supposedly honest, sensitive, brave, and inspire confidence and trust. The Chinese zodiac purports that people whose zodiac sign is the dragon are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They supposedly neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them. They are purported to be compatible with people whose zodiac sign is of the rat, snake, monkey, and rooster. Dragons are commonly symbols of good luck or health in some parts of Asia, and are also sometimes worshipped. Asian dragons are considered as mythical rulers of weather, specifically rain and water, and are usually depicted as the guardians of pearls. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragons has a list of dragons and their origans.Its interesting to see that all cultures have some connection to dragons one way or another. |
| Their bones are almost hollow, much like birds, making it easier for faster lift. the power in the bite of a dragon in comparison it could easily chew steel.They is a warm-blooded creatures, so many dragons stay in lairs and can not enjoy the warmth of the sun like most reptiels.Dragons eyes are usually shown to be reptilian with a vertical slit for the pupil, while others you will have a round pupil, each have to adapt to their inverment. You have so many different types of dragons. Not all have wings or breath fire, yet each have a significance to the culture they are intertwinned in. |
| Naga is a mythical animal from Indonesian mythology, in fact, the word 'Naga' is a common noun for dragon in Malay). Like its Indian counterpart, it is considered as divine in nature, benevolent, and often associated with sacred mountains, forests, or certain parts of the sea |
| The Chinese dragon, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon. Depicted as a long, snake-like creature with four claws, it has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art. L�ng have a long, scaled serpentine form combined with the attributes of other animals; most (but not all) are wingless, and has four claws on each foot (five for the imperial emblem). They are rulers of the weather and water, and a symbol of power. |
| Ry? Japanese, is similar to Chinese dragons, with three claws instead of four. They are benevolent (with exceptions), associated with water, and may grant wishes. |
| Bakonawa, Philippine Dragon The Bakonawa appears as a gigantic serpent that lives in the sea. |
| Korean dragons Yong:Sky dragon associated with water and weather. Yo: A hornless ocean dragon, sometimes equated with a sea serpent. Kyo : mountian Dragon |
| Vietnamese dragon R?ng or Long:These dragons' bodies curve lithely, in sine shape, with 12 sections, symbolising 12 months in the year. . The jaw is large and opened, with a long, thin tongue; they always keep a ch�u (gem/jewel) in their mouths (a symbol of humanity, nobility and knowledge). |
| M?ori dragon , Taniwha, The word taniwha has been reconstructed to Proto-Oceanic *tanifa, with the meaning 'species of shark'. |
| American dragons Inca dragon:Amaru Inca emperor Tupak Amaru's name means "Lord Dragon" Brazilian dragon:Boi-tata A dragon-like animal (sometimes like a snake) Caicaivilu and Tentenvilu:Snake-type dragons, Caicaivilu was the sea god and Tentenvilu was the earth god, both from the Chilean island Chilo�. |
| Amphisbaena:Possibly originating in northern Africa (and later moving to Greece), 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 in its mouth, creating a circle that allowed it to roll. Apep:The ancient Egyptians believed Ra battled this cobra-like dragon whenever he (as the sun) sank below the horizon. a symbol of evil and chaos. |
| Dragon-like creatures Basilisk: Leviathan: Wyvern: Zmeu: Cockatrice: Quetzalc�atl |
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| European dragons scultone:The dragon named "scultone" or "ascultone" was a legend in Sardinia, Italy for many a millennium Lindworm: serpent-like dragons with either two or no legs. Nordic and Germanic Y Ddraig Goch: appears on the Welsh national flag s�rk�ny: A dragon in human form zmey, zmiy, ????, or zmaj:Similar to the European dragon, but multi-headedsymbolizing the long-standing conflict between the Slavs and Turks Sugaar:The male god of Basque mythology, also called Maju, was often associated to a serpent or snake, though he can adopt other forms. |
| If you love to read, This is a list of dragons in mythology and folklore. � Apalala, a mythical river dragon who was converted to Buddhism � Apep or Apophis the giant snake or serpent from Egyptian mythology � Azazel is described as a dragon in the Apocalypse of Abraham � Azhi Dahaka in Avestan mythology. � Qinglong, in Chinese mythology, one of the Four Symbols (Chinese constellation) � Bolla (also "Bullar"), the sleeping dragon of Albanian mythology � Con rit is a water dragon from Vietnamese mythology � The Devil appears as a "great red dragon" in the Book of Revelation � Dragon Kings, from Chinese mythology � The Dragon of Loschy Hill, of Yorkshire folklore � The Dragons of St. Leonard's Forest, of Sussex folklore � Fafnir, transformed dragon (Norse mythology) � The Green Dragon of Mordiford, of Herefordshire folklore � Gorynych, the most famous of Russian dragons � Huanglong, the Yellow Dragon of the Center, in Chinese mythology � The Knucker from Lyminster in Sussex � The Hydra, also called the Lernaean Hydra, from Greek Mythology is described as a dragon-like animal � Illuyankas from Hittite mythology � Ladon from Greek mythology � The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh, of Northumbrian legend � The Lambton Worm, of Northumbrian legend � The Ljubljana dragon, the protector dragon of Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia � The Longwitton dragon, of Northumbrian legend � Lotan/Leviathan from Levantine mythology and Hebrew scriptures, a demonic dragon reigning the waters � The Meister Stoor Worm of Orkney legend � Mushussu, musrussu or sirrush, the Babylonian dragon from the Ishtar Gate � N��h�ggr (the 'Dread Biter', also spelled Nidhogg) and J�rmungandr the Midgard's Worm from Norse mythology � Ouroboros the "tail-eater." � Orochi, the eight-headed serpent slain by Susanoo in Japanese mythology � Python, from Greek mythology, the snake killed by Apollo � Quetzalcoatl from Aztec mythology has a dragon-like aspect � Ry?jin was the dragon god of the sea in Japanese mythology. � S�rk�ny, dragon of Hungarian mythology � Seiry?, the Japanese name for the azure dragon � Smok Wawelski (the Wawel Dragon) from Polish mythology, was killed by a clever shoemaker's apprentice � The Tarasque, tamed by Saint Martha � Tiamat and Apsu from Babylonian mythology are sometimes considered dragons � Typhon from Greek mythology is often thought of as a dragon � Xiuhcoatl is a serpent from Aztec mythology � Yaw from Levantine mythology and the dragon in the Book of Revelation � Y Ddraig Goch, the Red dragon of the Brythons (the white dragon that it killed in the story of Lludd and Llevelys is that of the Saxons) � Zilant, by the Tataro-Bulgarian mythology lived in present-day Kazan and is represented on the city's coat of arms � Zirnitra, dragon-god in Wendish mythology. It was later used in the Royal Danish heraldry as a representation of Wendland � Zu from Sumerian mythology � The unnamed five-headed dragon subdued by the Buddhist goddess Benzaiten at Enoshima in Japan in A.D. 552 � The unnamed dragon (referred to by the Saxon draca and wyrm) defeated by Beowulf and Wiglaf in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. � The unnamed dragon defeated by Saint George |
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