Flying high above, writing with smoke in the clouds, were once the mighty Wyvern dragons. Wyvern dragons
are known to have been the largest of all dragons with their mighty size ranging from 18 to 20 feet high and
getting on for 50 feet in length when fully grown. According to legend, it seems that Wyvern dragons were
most common during Medieval times.
The name came from an Old English word meaning viper. In some, dialects it used to be spelled 'wivern' and could
also be used to mean serpent or worm in Old Saxon by those who did not believe in dragons.
As far as our information on dragons goes, the Wyvern dragon was green to greenish-brown in colour, but as it
got older, one could see the underside becoming a pale green with wings that sported lime-green spots.
Some analysts say that Wyvern Dragons were not real dragons at all, but a separate species, and it is true that
there were many different dragons. They point to the fact that the Wyvern has a dragon’s head and a serpent’s
The tip on the barbed tail was poisonous, which is why the beast is said to have an evil scorpions tail. The
wings and forelegs of the Wyvern dragos resembled those of a bat, as far as our information about dragons
And so the debate of Wyvern vs Dragon rages on with no clear outcome in view. Perhaps some people just like to
argue over silly things. Wyverns, if not dragons, are certainly closely related and did not display any animosity
towards each other at all, unless it was over a maiden.
The wings are sometimes called hands as Wyverns can clasp their wings together like we do our hands. There are
talons like those of an eagle at the end of the wings. Some say, that they have a jaw resembling a beak, but
not everyone agrees.
When the chicks hatch, they come out of a large, thick bumpy shell. While the chick is still inside the shell,
it, the shell, changes colour to match its surroundings. The chick is born brown and with spines, but as it gets
older, the chick loses its spines.
The sound of a Wyvern resembles that of a terrible crow and when it is ready to attack it makes a roaring sound.
The Wyvern is known to eat mainly large mammals from Africa, whence it flies when hungry.
In Western culture, according to our dragon information, Wyvern Dragons were thought to be very vicious, evil
creatures, mostly because they were not adverse to eating humans, especially young maidens, when they were too
sick, too old or just too plain lazy to fly to Africa. The Wyvern was the mighty dragon that was often portrayed
swooping down on and attacking unsuspecting villages.
What makes the Wyvern dragon so popular, besides it being a dragon (or a relative of the dragon, depending on
your point of view), is the fact that it has been used as a symbol or emblem, even mascot, for centuries in better
schools and colleges, especially in Wales and Wessex.
There are schools and radio stations that incorporate the name Wyvern in their title in honour of this dragon
too. In modern times, the Wyvern can be found playing a role in many video games. A Wyvern was also a main
character in the Disney movie "Gargoyles".
According to the accepted legend of the dragons, Wyverns are a sign of strength. It is said that they represent
conquest, envy and might. The British use it frequently on their coats of arms and flags, although many other
countries use the Wyvern as their coat of arms also.
The Wyvern used as the symbol of the ancient kingdom of Wessex was a special one in that it
was golden in colour. It was not special just because it could breathe fire as all Wyverns and most dragons could
Some cryptozoologists feel that they have to compartmentalize the Wyvern and so they suggest that it was a type
of pterosaur, although everybody knows that pterosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago.
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles (the name actually means 'winged lizard'), so they did exhibit more than a
passing resemblance to Wyverns, although Wyverns were of course much older than pterosaurs.
Most zoologists reluctantly admit, that, nowadays, Wyvern dragons are to be found only in the form of stuffed
toys, which children seem to adore. These toys resemble the original, live Wyverns quite remarkably, which is
probably why kids love them so much.
However, it is not only kids that are taken with Wyvern Dragons. Dragon tattoos are extremely popular. For
example, interest in the Celtic Dragon tattoo in general and the Welsh Dragon tattoo in particular is up over
250% this month on last month ( Google search results, May 2012).
by +Owen Jones