Throughout the ages, imaginations have touched upon the folklore of dragon myths, dragon gods and other mystical creatures. The concepts range all across the land and the traditions of people.
From fantasy to science fiction and on into horror, these creatures of old have played major roles in many of the most famous of stories. In fact, if dragons fail to appear in a historic-based fantasy, the story feels and looks incomplete. If the following brief comments, I hope to help other writers tap into a few additional resources concerning dragons, folklore and other mystical creatures.
Egyptian Dragon Myths and Mythology
When thinking about Egyptian mythology, we often fail to notice the presence of dragons. But do not let this slip through your perception of opportunities. Even a quick study of Osiris, the defined Egyptian god of the underworld, reveals a being that is often presented in the form and shape of a dragon.
In the Christian bible, Ecclesiastes 1:9, the teacher declares: “there is nothing new under the sun.” Yet, as writers, we seek always to present old stories with new characters in a new and fresh vision.
How you make use of Osiris depends upon the theme behind your story. However, we must never forget the value of a unique presentation.
Dragon Myths the Legendary Creatures
In Greek mythology, dragons are typically linked to:
- Guarding people, places and things
- Eating animals and people.
In Easter and Western mythology, dragons are often defined as serpent-like creatures. However, in many tales of folklore, these legendary creatures have taken on the ability to shape-shift, easily changing their form from dragon to human and from human to dragon. Dragon mythology sometimes credits dragons as the mystical force behind eclipses.
Bulgarian Dragon Myths, A Twist On Legendary Creatures
In Bulgarian legend, dragons are often presented as three headed, winged beings with snake bodies. The legends also include a superior white dragon that is capable of transforming into a O-Goncho, a mighty bird of mystical powers.
Side note: Dragons also plays a vital role in Arthurian legend.
Dragon Myths in Romanian Folklore
In Romanian folklore, certain conditions enable snakes to turn into dragons. Thus is presented a strong malefic being, capable of tremendous destruction of home, cities and people.
Looking back a moment toward the ancient Greeks and Romans, we see a people who revered dragons for their wisdom but feared them for their tremendous powers. In this shared belief, we see also a Babylonian myth where in the Tiamat dragon myth embodies chaos and destruction. This myth is almost as hard to kill as the dragon itself was. For this reason, the dragon symbol is the sign of authority, often being worn on the robes of the Imperial family and nobility.
The Evil of Dragons, Never a Dull Dragon Myth
Dragons have long been considered evil, maiden stealing, village destroying, and fire-breathing beasts. This concept has lead many brave knights into the challenge of hunting down and slaying dragons. This is the typical course of medieval writings. When knights began inventing stories about facing off with and defeating such legendary creatures, the era of dragon and knighthood battles reached new peaks.
Then along comes the tales wherein some dragon befriends some human.
Dragon Myths, Folklore Throughout The World
Dragon stories abound in almost every country in the world. These mystical creatures are often the heart and soul of local legends and myths. In the older tales, dragons were nearly always vicious, prone to wreak havoc and demanded to be pacified by human sacrifice. Consider the historical image of the Hydra, a dragon with multiple heads and poisonous breath. Herein is the legend.
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But the creatures are not limited to fantasy, horror and science fiction. Dragons have also invaded the world of fairy tales and the medieval poetry of Western civilizations. They may be presented as dangerous and untrustworthy. In modern times, they have been presented as friendly and faithful.
In the end, some people enjoy scaring each other with dragon myths. Others favor the modern relationship of creature to man. But know this:
Almost all lovers of science fiction and fantasy take pleasure in the aura of mystery that makes up the dragon myths. It is all about:
- Ancient magic
- AND, most of all, entertainment.