Dragon Myth

 

Hi again, this is Richard and I'm going to discuss the myth and misconceptions about dragons. (Hey, how come you get to tell them about dragons?) Because the legends are from my kind, not yours. (Well. . . alright, but if you start talking about dragons specifically, I take over.) We'll see.

Everybody knows what a dragon is: an enormous, fierce, bloodthirsty creature appearing in fairy tales and legends as an accessory whose main function is to set off the bravery of knights challenging him. The dragon is an obscure, mysterious character, described in broad terms, and is little more than foil to enhance the hero's valor. (Where in the world do you get your information from? That is a load of elf dung.) That's way it's a myth.

Dragon is a legendary beast in the folklore of many European and Asian cultures. Legends describe dragons as large, lizard-like creatures that breathe fire and have a long, scaly tail. In Europe, dragons are traditionally portrayed as ferocious beasts that represent the evils fought by human beings. But in Asia, especially in China and Japan, the animals are generally considered friendly creatures that ensure good luck and wealth. (I think I met a Japanese dragon once. Nice fellow.)

We could wonder what would happen if these dragons revealed themselves to the eyes of the humankind... Would we be able to accept another form of intelligence probably far superior to our own or would we feel the need to fight those, who in the the end, could save us.

We first thought dragons were furious blood-thirsty man-eaters. This couldn't be further from the truth. (Well at lest he got that part right) However, lets understand that there are different colors of dragons and not all of them are as hospital to humans or even to their fellow dragon. It was thought that red dragons were exceptionally vain and self-confident. I guess some things aren't myth. (Now wait a minute. . .) Because they are so confident they have a habit of taking on battles that they shouldn't. In fact, in the early days we really had little to fear from dragons because they were fighting amongst themselves so much to even take notice of us. (That's it! Give me that keyboard.) Wait a minute! (Move over.)

Garrick's side

Let me set the record straight!

Now, a long time ago dragons were very abundant, not just a few, but by the thousands, hundreds of thousands, all over the world. This was the golden age of dragons. There were a great number of different kinds and we varied in size and shape. Each species had its own structure and social rituals, many seeming no less bizarre to dragons than they would to humans. Dragons are wise due to our first hand experiences and our long lives. We have seen the rise and fall of human empires and the death of kings. We have seen the dawn of a new age and the ending of a millennia. (Garrick, as fascinating as all this is, it isn't getting us anywhere)

Yes, well, some my kind took it upon themselves to fight back. You see we have no leaders and most dragon species do not congregate in large groups and we don't meddle in another dragon's affairs. But it only takes one bad member to give all dragons a bad name, and we all suffer for it.

It was thought that red dragons preferred the arid, warm climates; ranging from deep deserts to warm dry steppes. I can't speak for all red dragons but I can tell you that this dragon hates the extreme heat. I prefer a more temperate climate with tall evergreens and a lake or stream nearby with good fishing. I can only deduce that these stories got started when some knight saw a red dragon in the desert on vacation. (On vacation! Are you nuts. Since when does a dragon take vacations.) As I understand your language, a vacation is where you go and experience things that you couldn't at home. We dragons also need a change of scenery now and then. We have long lives for a reason, and I believe it is to experience all life has to offer. (How come we never went on a vacation?) Simple. . . you never asked me. <grin>