I was doing research for my book – Contagion. Where I join up a young, 50 year old, dragon with a group of other beings from the Otherworld when I ran across some great research.

“We have seen that the notion embodied in the word ‘dragon’ goes back to the beginning of recorded human thoughts about the mysteries of the thinker and his world. It is connected with the powers and doings of the earliest gods, and like them is vague, changeable and contradictory in its attributes, maintaining from first to last only one definable characteristic–association with and control of water. This points unmistakably to its birth in a land where water is the most important thing in nature to human existence–the essential requisite, indeed, for life and happiness. “ Dragons and Dragon Lore; By Ernest Ingersoll; [1928]

The Celtic dragon represents sovereignty, power or a chief, such as Pendragon, the Celtic word meaning ‘chief’.  Many family crests feature dragons, they were considered powerful symbols flying over the troops in battle. The Red Dragon of Cadwallader or Cadwaller is the emblem of Wales and it was blazed on King Arthur’s helmet in battle, later it was associated with Geoffrey of Monmouth and Owen Glendower. The Saxons had the white dragon as a royal standard. In early Britain it depicted supreme power.

The Heraldic dragon varies greatly, especially in the shape of its ears, but the wings are always those of a bat; the tongue and tail can be barbed; it breathes out fire and is a symbol of power, wisdom and one who has overcome an adversary or fortress. The Tudor Red Dragon indicates Welsh origins. Dragon Tygre and Dragon-Wolf are composite creatures and support the arms of the City of London.

The Dragon slain by St George was an heraldic dragon, with bat’s wings, a sting in its tail and fiery breath. It’s found in some of the English fairy-tales, and can be seen in church carvings and in Italian pictures of St George, such as the Carpaccio painting, where the dragon is pathetically small. Most of the British dragons are depicted as worms after the Scandinavian pattern. Worms and dragons have some traits in common and they may be based on the fossilized remains of prehistoric creatures.

 

In England there are legends of a few winged, fiery dragons, the Dragon of Kingston who ‘cooked his meat to a turn’ according to the tradition picked up by Ruth Tongue in 1911 from Cothelstone harvesters and recorded in County Folklore, Volume, VIII. He was choked by a great boulder rolled down the ridge into his mouth as he opened it to belch out flames. The Dragon of Wantley was a true dragon, typical in his features, behavior and how to kill him. A condensed version of the rhymed account given by Harland and Wilkinson in Legends and Traditions of Lancashire is representative. This dragon was the terror of all the countryside. He had fourty-four iron teeth, and a long tail, strong rough hide, and wings. He ate trees, cattle, and children.

Welsh Dragon Lore: Dragon stories can be found in many parts of Wales and many of the stories are connected to ancient sites of worship. Church paintings and carvings depict dragon killings as a symbolic battle between the forces of good and evil. The Christian heroes were generally knights in shining armour such as St George and St Michael, and they always managed to slay their dragons after long and dangerous battles. The mythical dragons were often given the responsibility of guarding treasure secretly hidden in deep caverns in wildest Wales. Even up to the end of the nineteenth century there were country folk who firmly believed in their existence.

Dragons and winged serpents were reported around Lleyn and Penmaenmawr in Gwynedd, the ravines of the Berwyn Mountains, Cadair Idris, the wilds of Cardigan (Dyfed), Radnor Forest (Powys), the Brecon Beacons, the marches of Carmarthen and Worm’s Head, Gower. In South Glamorgan, Llancarfan was haunted by several winged serpents and reptiles. Stories of winged serpents were told in the neighbourhood of Radnor Forest and several parts of North Wales; they were killed by local farmers. It is of interest that the Griffin, like the dragon, once had a prominent place in the folklore of Wales. The strange beasts is often depicted on inn signs and such names as The Griffin or even Three Griffins were popular for wayside pubs in the nineteenth century.

The Dragon appears in much more than its classical forms within British mythology. It is sometimes depicted as a worm or a water serpent. The dragon exemplifies elemental power, especially of the earth. The dragon which Saint George overcomes is symbolic of paganism, but such obvious symbolism overlays a great deal more subtle imagery. The two dragons which Merlin Emrys releases from under Vortigern’s tower are emblematic of the vitality of the land which is chaotic unless tamed or wielded by a true ruler. In a story about the origin of Samhain Eve we read that the dragon is symbolic of the Cailleach who holds the power of winter over Brigit’s lamb, symbolic of spring.

The dragon is a well known symbol all over the world. No proof of their existence has ever been found. Early discoveries of fossilized dinosaur bones, and travellers’ tales of Komodo dragons would have added further proof. Medieval writers got second hand reports of people who had seen a dragon, and there was a thriving trade in fake baby dragons.  The Anglo-Saxon word ‘drakan’ is probably a Greek derivative, either from ‘draco’ meaning a dragon or large snake, or from the verb ‘derkein’, which means to see clearly. Dragons were credited with clear sight, wisdom and the ability to foretell the future.

 

Do you think dragons ever existed? Or is this just legend manifesting itself in all cultures?

Graylin

Be sure to check out  CONTAGION . My dragon’s name is Jasper and at the start of this series he is young but deadly.