Dragons – fire breathing, armored tanks that fly in the sky. They can burn down villages or put an army of thousands at a severe disadvantage. It can't be denied that these majestic creatures take the crown when it comes to animals of the fantasy realm. And how could they not? Dragons are, after all, one of the few creatures that can display a beautiful grace while being utterly terrifying.
But where did the idea of these noble creatures originate from?
It is quite possible that that image of large dragons come from exaggerated myths of reptiles, such as the Komodo Dragon. However, one cannot be certain. Throughout history, dragons have been prevalent in folklore and fairy-tales. In fact, the use of dragons in stories can be traced all the way back to around 4000 B.C.! The Greeks used dragons in their tales of the gods of Olympus, such as the battle between Perseus and Poseidon's dragon. Even during Christopher Columbus' time, the stories of dragons at the edge of the oceans kept many explores from venturing too far.
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What is a dragon?
I'm glad you asked! There are over twelve species of dragons known. To mention only a few, we have the Wyvern (not to be confused with the Wyrm), Eastern Dragon, Sea Serpent, Drake, Dragon Beast, Western dragon, and Fairy Dragon. Head hurting yet? While all these species are different in appearance, character and size, they all share a few common traits. That is, they are reptile, dangerous, and are usually intelligent to some extent.
What is a dragon's roles in story?
Traditionally, dragons fall into the part of a hoarder of some treasure of kidnapper of a damsel in distress. They are the villain the main character would have to face and eventually conquer. Usually they would be found in caves, on top of mountains, or within the depths of the oceans. However, more recently, dragons have risen from living nightmare to possible best friend. Modern literature and movies have taken great delight in making this creature tamable. A few examples include Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, Dragonriders of Pern and the more recent How to Train a Dragon. Thus, one could say that dragons have graduated from living nightmare to partner in crime. However, no matter their rule change, one thing has always remained the same – dragons are a symbol of power.
