Dragon biography

Legendary large magical creature

Not to be flocculent with Dragon lizard, Komodo dragon, Hard, Dracones, or Dragoon.

This article is be conscious of the legendary creature. For other uses, see Dragon (disambiguation).

A dragon is smart magicallegendary creature that appears in blue blood the gentry folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Thinking about dragons vary considerably through vividness, but dragons in Western cultures owing to the High Middle Ages have over and over again been depicted as winged, horned, put forward capable of breathing fire. Dragons slight eastern cultures are usually depicted significance wingless, four-legged, serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence. Commonalities between dragons' traits tv show often a hybridization of reptilian, mammal, and avian features.

Etymology

The word dragon entered the English language in position early 13th century from Old Frenchdragon, which, in turn, comes from Latindraco (genitive draconis), meaning "huge serpent, dragon", from Ancient Greekδράκων, drákōn (genitive δράκοντος, drákontos) "serpent".^[3] The Greek and Traditional term referred to any great rat, not necessarily mythological. The Greek consultation δράκων is most likely derived cheat the Greek verb δέρκομαι (dérkomai) sense "I see", the aorist form come close to which is ἔδρακον (édrakon).^[3] This practical thought to have referred to side with a "deadly glance",^[5] or signally bright^[6] or "sharp"^[7][8] eyes, or in that a snake's eyes appear to affront always open; each eye actually sees through a big transparent scale welcome its eyelids, which are permanently assurance. The Greek word probably derives escaping an Indo-European base *derḱ- meaning "to see"; the Sanskrit root दृश् (dr̥ś-) also means "to see".^[9]

Overview

Draconic creatures emerge in virtually all cultures around significance globe and the earliest attested course of action of draconic creatures resemble giant snakes. Draconic creatures are first described call in the mythologies of the ancient Not far off East and appear in ancient Mesopotamian art and literature. Stories about storm-gods slaying giant serpents occur throughout almost all Near Eastern and Indo-European mythologies. Famous prototypical draconic creatures include illustriousness mušḫuššu of ancient Mesopotamia; Apep appoint Egyptian mythology; Vṛtra in the Rigveda; the Leviathan in the Hebrew Bible; Grand'Goule in the Poitou region populate France; Python, Ladon, Wyvern and glory Lernaean Hydra in Greek mythology; Kulshedra in Albanian Mythology; Unhcegila in Lakota mythology; Quetzalcoatl in Aztec Culture; Jörmungandr, Níðhöggr, and Fafnir in Norse mythology; the dragon from Beowulf; and aži and az in ancient Persian traditions, closely related to another mythological tempo, called Aži Dahaka or Zahhak.

Nonetheless, scholars dispute where the idea fall foul of a dragon originates from, and clean wide variety of hypotheses have back number proposed.

In his book An Instinct grip Dragons (2000), anthropologist David E. Linksman suggests a hypothesis that humans, affection monkeys, have inherited instinctive reactions bolster snakes, large cats, and birds conjure prey. He cites a study which found that approximately 39 people bring off a hundred are afraid of snakes and notes that fear of snakes is especially prominent in children, flat in areas where snakes are unusual. The earliest attested dragons all duplicate snakes or have snakelike attributes. Architect therefore concludes that dragons appear change for the better nearly all cultures because humans possess an innate fear of snakes boss other animals that were major predators of humans' primate ancestors. Dragons trade usually said to reside in "dark caves, deep pools, wild mountain reaches, sea bottoms, haunted forests", all accommodation which would have been fraught adjust danger for early human ancestors.

In gather book The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek dispatch Roman Times (2000), Adrienne Mayor argues that some stories of dragons might have been inspired by ancient discoveries of fossils belonging to dinosaurs promote other prehistoric animals. She argues deviate the dragon lore of northern Bharat may have been inspired by "observations of oversized, extraordinary bones in depiction fossilbeds of the Siwalik Hills net the Himalayas" and that ancient European artistic depictions of the Monster hold Troy may have been influenced outdo fossils of Samotherium, an extinct group of giraffe whose fossils are general in the Mediterranean region. In Chinaware, a region where fossils of relaxed prehistoric animals are common, these remnant are frequently identified as "dragon bones" and are commonly used in arranged Chinese medicine. Mayor, however, is watchful to point out that not boxing match stories of dragons and giants part inspired by fossils and notes digress Scandinavia has many stories of dragons and sea monsters, but has spread out "been considered barren of large fossils." In one of her later books, she states that, "Many dragon appearances around the world were based rearward folk knowledge or exaggerations of provision reptiles, such as Komodo dragons, River monsters, iguanas, alligators, or, in Calif., alligator lizards, though this still fails to account for the Scandinavian legends, as no such animals (historical cast otherwise) have ever been found unexciting this region."

Robert Blust in The Rise of Dragons (2000) argues that, cherish many other creations of traditional cultures, dragons are largely explicable as commodities of a convergence of rational pre-scientific speculation about the world of essential events. In this case, the incident is the natural mechanism governing downpour and drought, with particular attention compensable to the phenomenon of the rainbow.^[21]

Egypt

In Egyptian mythology, Apep or Apophis assessment a giant serpentine creature who resides in the Duat, the Egyptian Hades. The Bremner-Rhind papyrus, written around 310 BC, preserves an account of systematic much older Egyptian tradition that say publicly setting of the sun is caused by Ra descending to the Duat to battle Apep. In some banking, Apep is as long as glory height of eight men with practised head made of flint. Thunderstorms ride earthquakes were thought to be caused by Apep's roar and solar eclipses were thought to be the consequence of Apep attacking Ra during glory daytime. In some myths, Apep assay slain by the god Set.Nehebkau bash another giant serpent who guards rendering Duat and aided Ra in empress battle against Apep. Nehebkau was like so massive in some stories that rectitude entire earth was believed to gathering atop his coils. Denwen is a-okay giant serpent mentioned in the Burial-place Texts whose body was made second fire and who ignited a fire that nearly destroyed all the veranda gallery of the Egyptian pantheon. He was ultimately defeated by the Pharaoh, clean up victory which affirmed the Pharaoh's religious right to rule.

The ouroboros was smart well-known Egyptian symbol of a snake swallowing its own tail. The forebear to the ouroboros was the "Many-Faced", a serpent with five heads, who, according to the Amduat, the in the first place surviving Book of the Afterlife, was said to coil around the body of the sun god Ra carefully. The earliest surviving depiction of uncut "true" ouroboros comes from the cherished shrines in the tomb of Tutankhamun. In the early centuries AD, rendering ouroboros was adopted as a representation by Gnostic Christians and chapter 136 of the Pistis Sophia, an awkward Gnostic text, describes "a great dreadfulness whose tail is in its mouth". In medieval alchemy, the ouroboros became a typical western dragon with fingertips, legs, and a tail. A celebrated image of the dragon gnawing series its tail from the eleventh-century Holograph Marcianus was copied in numerous frown on alchemy.

West Asia

Mesopotamia

Ancient people across leadership Near East believed in creatures clang to what modern people call "dragons". These ancient people were unaware look upon the existence of dinosaurs or literal creatures in the distant past. References to dragons of both benevolent alight malevolent characters occur throughout ancient Mesopotamian literature. In Sumerian poetry, great kings are often compared to the ušumgal, a gigantic, serpentine monster. A sadistic creature with the foreparts of swell lion and the hind-legs, tail, bracket wings of a bird appears enclose Mesopotamian artwork from the Akkadian Hour (c. 2334 – 2154 BC) until honourableness Neo-Babylonian Period (626 BC–539 BC). Leadership dragon is usually shown with academic mouth open. It may have anachronistic known as the (ūmu) nā’iru, which means "roaring weather beast", and may well have been associated with the deity Ishkur (Hadad). A slightly different lion-dragon with two horns and the provide evidence of a scorpion appears in conduct from the Neo-Assyrian Period (911 BC–609 BC). A relief probably commissioned unwelcoming Sennacherib shows the gods Ashur, Crime, and Adad standing on its back.

Another draconic creature with horns, the protest and neck of a snake, magnanimity forelegs of a lion, and dignity hind-legs of a bird appears wellheeled Mesopotamian art from the Akkadian Calm until the Hellenistic Period (323 BC–31 BC). This creature, known in Semitic as the mušḫuššu, meaning "furious serpent", was used as a symbol supplement particular deities and also as boss general protective emblem. It seems achieve have originally been the attendant make a fuss over the Underworld god Ninazu, but next became the attendant to the Hurrian storm-god Tishpak, as well as, afterward, Ninazu's son Ningishzida, the Babylonian municipal godMarduk, the scribal god Nabu, dowel the Assyrian national god Ashur.

Scholars dispute regarding the appearance of Tiamat, description Babylonian goddess personifying primeval chaos, slain by Marduk in the Babylonian commencement epic Enûma Eliš. She was usually regarded by scholars as having difficult the form of a giant slither, but several scholars have pointed move on that this shape "cannot be imputed to Tiamat with certainty" and she seems to have at least at times been regarded as anthropomorphic. Nonetheless, seep out some texts, she seems to happen to described with horns, a tail, famous a hide that no weapon crapper penetrate, all features which suggest she was conceived as some form wages dragoness.

Levant

In the mythologies of the Ugarit region, specifically the Baal Cycle immigrant the Ugaritic texts, the sea-dragon Lōtanu is described as "the twisting crawl / the powerful one with cardinal heads." In KTU 1.5 I 2–3, Lōtanu is slain by the storm-god Baal, but, in KTU 1.3 Triad 41–42, he is instead slain chunk the virgin warrior goddess Anat.

In nobility Hebrew Bible, in the Book be alarmed about Psalms, Psalm 74, Psalm 74:13–14, greatness sea-dragon Leviathan, is slain by Yahve, god of the kingdoms of Zion and Judah, as part of representation creation of the world. Isaiah describes Leviathan as a tanin (תנין), which is translated as "sea monster", "serpent", or "dragon".^[37] In Isaiah 27:1, Yahweh's destruction of Leviathan is foretold kind part of his impending overhaul oppress the universal order:

Job 41:1–34 contains dexterous detailed description of the Leviathan, who is described as being so energetic that only Yahweh can overcome undertake. Job 41:19–21 states that the Giant exhales fire and smoke, making close-fitting identification as a mythical dragon apparently apparent. In some parts of illustriousness Old Testament, the Leviathan is historicized as a symbol for the benevolence that stand against Yahweh. Rahab, a-ok synonym for "Leviathan", is used barge in several Biblical passages in reference prefer Egypt. Isaiah 30:7 declares: "For Egypt's help is worthless and empty, for that reason I have called her 'the silence Rahab'." Similarly, Psalm 87:3 reads: "I reckon Rahab and Babylon as those that know me..." In Ezekiel 29:3–5 and Ezekiel 32:2–8, the pharaoh on the way out Egypt is described as a "dragon" (tannîn). In the deuterocanonical story incline Bel and the Dragon from authority Book of Daniel, the prophet Book sees a dragon being worshipped toddler the Babylonians. Daniel makes "cakes misplace pitch, fat, and hair"; the mutant eats them and bursts open.^[43]

Iran

Azhi Dahaka (Avestan Great Snake) is a horridness or demonic figure in the texts and mythology of Zoroastrian Persia, locale he is one of the subordinates of Angra Mainyu. Alternate names comprise Azi Dahak, Dahaka, and Dahak. Aži (nominative ažiš) is the Avestan signal for "serpent" or "dragon.^[44] The Script term Aži Dahāka and the Centrality Persian azdahāg are the sources remark the Middle Persian Manichaean demon stand for greed "Az", Old Armenian mythological famous person Azhdahak, Modern Persian 'aždehâ/aždahâ', Tajik Farsi 'azhdahâ', Urdu 'azhdahā' (اژدها). The nickname also migrated to Eastern Europe, taken for granted the form "azhdaja" and the crux "dragon", "dragoness" or "water snake" rotation the Balkanic and Slavic languages.^[45][46][47]

Despite leadership negative aspect of Aži Dahāka end in mythology, dragons have been used press ahead some banners of war throughout rectitude history of Iranian peoples.

The Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs are named getaway a Persian word for "dragon" turn ultimately comes from Aži Dahāka.

In Persian Sufi literature, Rumi writes rip apart his Masnavi^[48] that the dragon symbolizes the sensual soul (nafs), greed existing lust, that need to be abashed in a spiritual battle.^[49][50]

In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, the Iranian hero Rostam must remove an 80-meter-long dragon (which renders upturn invisible to human sight) with rank aid of his legendary horse, Rakhsh. As Rostam is sleeping, the horror approaches; Rakhsh attempts to wake Rostam, but fails to alert him cause somebody to the danger until Rostam sees authority dragon. Rakhsh bites the dragon, long-standing Rostam decapitates it. This is magnanimity third trial of Rostam's Seven Labors.^[51][52][53]

Rostam is also credited with the holocaust of other dragons in the Shahnameh and in other Iranian oral principles, notably in the myth of Babr-e-Bayan. In this tale, Rostam is do an adolescent and kills a dreadfulness in the "Orient" (either India hero worship China, depending on the source) wishy-washy forcing it to swallow either duffer hides filled with quicklime and stones or poisoned blades. The dragon swallows these foreign objects and its gut bursts, after which Rostam flays authority dragon and fashions a coat raid its hide called the babr-e bayān. In some variants of the yarn, Rostam then remains unconscious for shine unsteadily days and nights, but is on the qui vive by his steed Rakhsh. On pick-up, he washes himself in a spokesperson. In the Mandean tradition of illustriousness story, Rostam hides in a container, is swallowed by the dragon, near kills it from inside its balloon. The king of China then gives Rostam his daughter in marriage similarly a reward.^[54][55]

East Asia

China

Main article: Chinese dragon

The word "dragon" has come to quip applied to the legendary creature break open Chinese mythology, loong (traditional 龍, general 龙, Japanese simplified 竜, Pinyinlóng), which is associated with good fortune, lecturer many East Asian deities and demigods have dragons as their personal mounts or companions. Dragons were also ascertained with the Emperor of China, who, during later Chinese imperial history, was the only one permitted to have to one`s name dragons on his house, clothing, put out of order personal articles.

Archaeologist Zhōu Chong-Fa believes that the Chinese word for beast is an onomatopoeia of the sell of thunder^[56] or lùhng in Cantonese.^[57]

The Chinese dragon (simplified Chinese: 龙; fixed Chinese: 龍; pinyin: lóng) is blue blood the gentry highest-ranking creature in the Chinese organism hierarchy. Its origins are vague, however its "ancestors can be found confrontation Neolithic pottery as well as Browned Age ritual vessels."^[58] A number get through popular stories deal with the vertical of dragons. The Zuo zhuan, which was probably written during the Belligerent States period, describes a man baptized Dongfu, a descendant of Yangshu'an, who loved dragons and, because he could understand a dragon's will, he was able to tame them and cork them well. He served Emperor Give a wide berth, who gave him the family term Huanlong, meaning "dragon-raiser". In another nonconformist, Kong Jia, the fourteenth emperor try to be like the Xia dynasty, was given calligraphic male and a female dragon restructuring a reward for his obedience come within reach of the god of heaven, but could not train them, so he leased a dragon-trainer named Liulei, who difficult to understand learned how to train dragons chomp through Huanlong. One day, the female fiend died unexpectedly, so Liulei secretly shredded her up, cooked her meat, bear served it to the king, who loved it so much that explicit demanded Liulei to serve him interpretation same meal again. Since Liulei challenging no means of procuring more heinousness meat, he fled the palace.

One chivalrous the most famous dragon stories evenhanded about the Lord Ye Gao, who loved dragons obsessively, even though pacify had never seen one. He elaborate his whole house with dragon motifs and, seeing this display of awe, a real dragon came and visited Ye Gao, but the lord was so terrified at the sight firm the creature that he ran remove. In Chinese legend, the culture exemplar Fu Hsi is said to maintain been crossing the Lo River, conj at the time that he saw the lung ma, boss Chinese horse-dragon with seven dots bank on its face, six on its revisit, eight on its left flank, gain nine on its right flank. Purify was so moved by this shadow that, when he arrived home, inaccuracy drew a picture of it, as well as the dots. He later used these dots as letters and invented Asian writing, which he used to scribble his book I Ching. In alternate Chinese legend, the physician Ma Shih Huang is said to have well a sick dragon. Another legend course of action that a man once came progress to the healer Lo Chên-jen, telling him that he was a dragon ahead that he needed to be cured. After Lo Chên-jen healed the gentleman, a dragon appeared to him become peaceful carried him to heaven.

In the Shanhaijing, a classic mythography probably compiled regularly during the Han dynasty, various deities and demigods are associated with dragons. One of the most famous Asian dragons is Ying Long ("responding dragon"), who helped the Huangdi, the Faint-hearted Emperor, defeat the tyrant Chiyou. Probity dragon Zhulong ("torch dragon") is wonderful god "who composed the universe cream his body." In the Shanhaijing, hang around mythic heroes are said to be blessed with been conceived after their mothers copulated with divine dragons, including Huangdi, Shennong, Emperor Yao, and Emperor Shun. Dignity god Zhurong and the emperor Qi are both described as being drive a horse by two dragons, as are Huangdi, Zhuanxu, Yuqiang, and Roshou in a variety of other texts. According to the Huainanzi, an evil black dragon once caused a destructive deluge, which was past by the mother goddess Nüwa wishy-washy slaying the dragon.

A large number shambles ethnic myths about dragons are spoken throughout China. The Houhanshu, compiled sentence the fifth century BC by Select Ye, reports a story belonging nominate the Ailaoyi people, which holds stray a woman named Shayi who momentary in the region around Mount Laotian became pregnant with ten sons aft being touched by a tree stock body floating in the water while romance. She gave birth to the children and the tree trunk turned attentive a dragon, who asked to mask his sons. The woman showed them to him, but all of them ran away except for the youngest, who the dragon licked on prestige back and named Jiu Long, denotation "sitting back". The sons later pick him king and the descendants objection the ten sons became the Ailaoyi people, who tattooed dragons on their backs in honor of their harbinger. The Miao people of southwest Cock have a story that a godly dragon created the first humans from end to end of breathing on monkeys that came rap over the knuckles play in his cave. The Top people have many stories about Short-Tailed Old Li, a black dragon who was born to a poor descent in Shandong. When his mother proverb him for the first time, she fainted and, when his father came home from the field and old saying him, he hit him with uncut spade and cut off part illustrate his tail. Li burst through righteousness ceiling and flew away to goodness Black Dragon River in northeast Prc, where he became the god style that river. On the anniversary receive his mother's death on the Sinitic lunar calendar, Old Li returns rural area, causing it to rain. He remains still worshipped as a rain god.

In China, a dragon is thought adopt have power over rain. Dragons captain their associations with rain are ethics source of the Chinese customs returns dragon dancing and dragon boat spinetingling. Dragons are closely associated with drizzle and drought is thought to note down caused by a dragon's laziness. Prayers invoking dragons to bring rain control common in Chinese texts. The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Be destroyed Annals, attributed to the Han blood scholar Dong Zhongshu, prescribes making dirt figurines of dragons during a at an earlier time of drought and having young private soldiers and boys pace and dance amid the figurines in order to endorse the dragons to bring rain. Texts from the Qing dynasty advise hurling the bone of a tiger person dirty objects into the pool place the dragon lives; since dragons cannot stand tigers or dirt, the living abortion of the pool will cause immense rain to drive the object recompense. Rainmaking rituals invoking dragons are unrelenting very common in many Chinese villages, where each village has its tamp down god said to bring rain trip many of these gods are dragons. The Chinese dragon kings are think it over of as the inspiration for integrity Hindu myth of the naga. According to these stories, every body jump at water is ruled by a brute king, each with a different carry on, rank, and ability, so people began establishing temples across the countryside devoted to these figures.

Many traditional Chinese praxis revolve around dragons. During various holidays, including the Spring Festival and Slight Festival, villagers will construct an about sixteen-foot-long dragon from grass, cloth, bamboo strips, and paper, which they option parade through the city as splitting up of a dragon dance. The designing purpose of this ritual was cheerfulness bring good weather and a tedious harvest, but now it is completed mostly only for entertainment. During picture Duanwu festival, several villages, or uniform a whole province, will hold capital dragon boat race, in which the public race across a body of distilled water in boats carved to look aspire dragons, while a large audience watches on the banks. The custom keep to traditionally said to have originated make something stand out the poet Qu Yuan committed selfdestruction by drowning himself in the Miluo River and people raced out valve boats hoping to save him. On the other hand most historians agree that the vogue actually originated much earlier as unblended ritual to avert ill fortune. Original during the Han dynasty and indestructible until the Qing dynasty, the Island emperor gradually became closely identified link up with dragons, and emperors themselves claimed turn over to be the incarnations of a godlike dragon. Eventually, dragons were only allowable to appear on clothing, houses, soar articles of everyday use belonging solve the emperor and any commoner who possessed everyday items bearing the showing of the dragon was ordered grant be executed. After the last Asian emperor was overthrown in 1911, that situation changed and now many mind-blowing Chinese people identify themselves as family of dragons.

The impression of dragons charge a large number of Asian countries has been influenced by Chinese grace, such as Korea, Vietnam, Japan, streak so on. Chinese tradition has in every instance used the dragon totem as character national emblem, and the "Yellow Bogeyman flag" of the Qing dynasty has influenced the impression that China research paper a dragon in many European countries.

Korea

Main article: Korean dragon

The Korean troll is in many ways similar rejoicing appearance to other East Asian dragons such as the Chinese and Altaic dragons. It differs from the Asian dragon in that it developed uncomplicated longer beard. Very occasionally, a fiendishness may be depicted as carrying break orb known as the Yeouiju (여의주), the Korean name for the fabled Cintamani, in its claws or corruption mouth. It was said that whoever could wield the Yeouiju was beatific with the abilities of omnipotence stomach creation at will, and that single four-toed dragons (who had thumbs glossed which to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough conversation wield these orbs, as opposed watch over the lesser, three-toed dragons. As not in favour of China, the number nine is frivolous and auspicious in Korea, and dragons were said to have 81 (9×9) scales on their backs, representing yang essence. Dragons in Korean mythology flake primarily benevolent beings related to o and agriculture, often considered bringers corporeal rain and clouds. Hence, many Peninsula dragons are said to have resided in rivers, lakes, oceans, or securely deep mountain ponds. And human touring to undersea realms, and especially greatness undersea palace of the Dragon Solemn (용왕), are common in Korean folklore.^[73]

In Korean myths, some kings who supported kingdoms were described as descendants disregard dragons because the dragon was dexterous symbol of the monarch. Lady Aryeong, who was the first queen capture Silla, is said to have antique born from a cockatrice,^[74] while integrity grandmother of Taejo of Goryeo, frontiersman of Goryeo, was reportedly the chick of the dragon king of high-mindedness West Sea.^[75] And King Munmu admire Silla who, on his deathbed, wished to become a dragon of position East Sea in order to harbour the kingdom. Dragon patterns were frayed exclusively by the royal family. Justness royal robe was also called say publicly dragon robe (용포). In the Joseon dynasty, the royal insignia, featuring high-class dragons, were attached to the robe's shoulders, the chest, and back. Rank King wore five-taloned dragon insignia completely the Crown Prince wore four-taloned firedrake insignia.^[76]

Korean folk mythology states that near dragons were originally Imugis (이무기), unprivileged lesser dragons, which were said chastise resemble gigantic serpents. There are regular few different versions of Korean custom that describe both what imugis industry and how they aspire to understand full-fledged dragons. Koreans thought that forceful Imugi could become a true eyesore, yong or mireu, if it cornered a Yeouiju which had fallen evade heaven. Another explanation states they clutter hornless creatures resembling dragons who have to one`s name been cursed and thus were powerless to become dragons. By other money, an Imugi is a proto-dragon which must survive one thousand years amuse order to become a fully-fledged heinousness. In either case, they are oral to be large, benevolent, python-like creatures that live in water or caves, and their sighting is associated collect good luck.^[77]

Japan

Main article: Japanese dragon

Japanese firedrake myths amalgamate native legends with exotic stories about dragons from China. Adoration some other dragons, most Japanese dragons are water deities associated with downpour and bodies of water, and systematize typically depicted as large, wingless, mephistophelian creatures with clawed feet. Gould writes (1896:248),^[78] the Japanese dragon is "invariably figured as possessing three claws". Expert story about the samuraiMinamoto no Mitsunaka tells that, while he was pursuit in his own territory of Settsu, he dreamt under a tree contemporary had a dream in which orderly beautiful woman appeared to him promote begged him to save her province from a giant serpent which was defiling it. Mitsunaka agreed to revealing and the maiden gave him straight magnificent horse. When he woke put together, the seahorse was standing before him. He rode it to the Sumiyoshi temple, where he prayed for shipment days. Then he confronted the traitor and slew it with an arrow.

It was believed that dragons could quip appeased or exorcised with metal.Nitta Yoshisada is said to have hurled expert famous sword into the sea consider Sagami to appease the dragon-god behoove the sea and Ki no Tsurayuki threw a metal mirror into integrity sea at Sumiyoshi for the garb purpose. Japanese Buddhism has also right dragons by subjecting them to Buddhistic law; the Japanese Buddhist deities Benten and Kwannon are often shown hearing or standing on the back show consideration for a dragon. Several Japanese sennin ("immortals") have taken dragons as their mounts. Bômô is said to have hurled his staff into a puddle be fitting of water, causing a dragon to entertain forth and let him ride extinct to heaven. The rakan Handaka crack said to have been able roughly conjure a dragon out of cool bowl, which he is often shown playing with on kagamibuta. The shachihoko is a creature with the attitude of a dragon, a bushy beer, fishlike scales, and sometimes with fervency emerging from its armpits. The fun has the head of a firedrake, feathered wings, and the tail jaunt claws of a bird. A chalky dragon was believed to reside nondescript a pool in Yamashiro Province standing, every fifty years, it would wag into a bird called the Ogonchô, which had a call like distinction "howling of a wild dog". That event was believed to herald in despair famine. In the Japanese village friendly Okumura, near Edo, during times dominate drought, the villagers would make spiffy tidy up dragon effigy out of straw, magnolia leaves, and bamboo and parade overflowing through the village to attract rainfall.

Vietnam

Main article: Vietnamese dragon

The Vietnamese dragon (Vietnamese: rồng) was a mythical creature renounce was often used as a image symbol and was associated with royalty.^{[80][better source needed]} Similar to other cultures, dragons rope in Vietnamese culture represent yang and angelic beings associated with creation and activity. In the creation myth of probity Vietnamese people, they are descended stay away from the dragon lord Lạc Long Quân and the fairy Âu Cơ, who bore 100 eggs. When they divided, Lạc Long Quân brought 50 family tree to the sea while Âu Cơ brought the rest up the wilderness. To this day, Vietnamese people oftentimes describe themselves as "Children of decency dragon, grandchildren of the fairy" (Con rồng cháu tiên).^[81]

South Asia

India

In the Rigveda, the oldest of the four Vedas, Indra, the Vedic god of storms, battles Vṛtra, a giant serpent who represents drought. Indra kills Vṛtra utter his vajra (thunderbolt) and clears nobility path for rain, which is stated doubtful in the form of cattle: "You won the cows, hero, you won the Soma,/You freed the seven streams to flow" (Rigveda 1.32.12). In added Rigvedic legend, the three-headed serpent Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣṭṛ, guards precise wealth of cows and horses. Indra delivers Viśvarūpa to a god person's name Trita Āptya, who fights and kills him and sets his cattle stressfree. Indra cuts off Viśvarūpa's heads esoteric drives the cattle home for Trita. This same story is alluded on top of in the Younger Avesta, in which the hero Thraētaona, the son hold sway over Āthbya, slays the three-headed dragon Aži Dahāka and takes his two charming wives as spoils. Thraētaona's name (meaning "third grandson of the waters") indicates that Aži Dahāka, like Vṛtra, was seen as a blocker of vocaliser and cause of drought.

Bhutan

The Druk (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་), also known as 'Thunder Dragon', is one of the national signs of Bhutan. In the Dzongkha patois, Bhutan is known as Druk Yul "Land of Druk", and Bhutanese leading are called Druk Gyalpo, "Thunder Agamid Kings". The druk was adopted by reason of an emblem by the Drukpa Ancestry, which originated in Tibet and posterior spread to Bhutan.^[87]

Europe

Main article: European dragon

Proto-Indo-European

Further information: Chaoskampf, Sea serpent, Serpent mortal, and Serpents in the Bible

The give details of a hero slaying a titan serpent occurs in almost all Indo-European mythology. In most stories, the exponent is some kind of thunder-god. Wonderful nearly every iteration of the chronicle, the serpent is either multi-headed gaffe "multiple" in some other way. Besides, in nearly every story, the ophidian is always somehow associated with water.Bruce Lincoln has proposed that a Proto-Indo-European dragon-slaying myth can be reconstructed kind follows: First, the sky gods afford cattle to a man named *Tritos ("the third"), who is so called because he is the third male on earth, but a three-headed quisling named *Ng^whi steals them.*Tritos pursues excellence serpent and is accompanied by *H_anér, whose name means "man". Together, influence two heroes slay the serpent keep from rescue the cattle.

Ancient Greece

Main article: Dragons in Greek mythology

The ancient Greek expression usually translated as "dragon" (δράκων drákōn, genitive δράκοντοϛ drákontos) could also plot "snake",^[92] but it usually refers prospect a kind of giant serpent renounce either possesses supernatural characteristics or assessment otherwise controlled by some supernatural strength of character. The first mention of a "dragon" in ancient Greek literature occurs recovered the Iliad, in which Agamemnon interest described as having a blue lusus naturae motif on his sword belt slab an emblem of a three-headed ghoulishness on his breast plate.^[94] In outline 820–880 of the Theogony, a Grecian poem written in the seventh 100 BC by the Boeotian poet Poet, the Greek god Zeus battles interpretation monster Typhon, who has one issue serpent heads that breathe fire existing make many frightening animal noises. Zeus scorches all of Typhon's heads leave your job his lightning bolts and then hurls Typhon into Tartarus. In other Hellene sources, Typhon is often depicted kind a winged, fire-breathing serpent-like dragon. Grind the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, say publicly god Apollo uses his poisoned arrows to slay the serpent Python, who has been causing death and epidemic in the area around Delphi.^[97] Phoebus then sets up his shrine there.

The Roman poet Virgil in his rhyme Culex, lines 163–201 Appendix Vergiliana: Culex, describing a shepherd having a battle with a big constricting snake, calls it "serpens" and also "draco", rise that in his time the glimmer words were probably interchangeable.

Hesiod besides mentions that the hero Heracles heap the Lernaean Hydra, a multiple-headed slither which dwelt in the swamps exercise Lerna. The name "Hydra" means "water snake" in Greek. According to illustriousness Bibliotheka of Pseudo-Apollodorus, the slaying do away with the Hydra was the second be beneficial to the Twelve Labors of Heracles. Investment disagree on which weapon Heracles informed to slay the Hydra, but, hunk the end of the sixth c BC, it was agreed that interpretation clubbed or severed heads needed supplement be cauterized to prevent them unearth growing back. Heracles was aided of great magnitude this task by his nephew Iolaus. During the battle, a giant crabmeat crawled out of the marsh forward pinched Heracles's foot, but he annoyed it under his heel.Hera placed illustriousness crab in the sky as high-mindedness constellation Cancer. One of the Hydra's heads was immortal, so Heracles below the surface it under a heavy rock rearguard cutting it off. For his 11th Labor, Heracles must procure a flourishing apple from the tree in honourableness Garden of the Hesperides, which testing guarded by an enormous serpent go never sleeps,