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> Fanfiction
+ Dragon Scrolls by Shade the Hero
+ Nightscale by Darling771234
+ My Return by Cutemimiko
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> Lore
+ Dragons and Dragon Lore by Ernest Ingersoll
+ Origins of the Fire-Breathing Beast by Ian Harvey
+ The Dragon in Ancient China by Mark Cartwright
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> Myths
+ Dragons of Greek Mythology Written by Greek Mythology
+ Dragons And Dragon Kings In Ancient Mythology
+ Dragon MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE
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Accessing Lore Selecting Origins of the Fire-Breathing Beast by Ian Harvey]
+ From ancient Greek myths to Game of Thrones, the legend of the dragon is one of the most enduring and romanticized throughout history. It has been traced back as far as 4000 BC and exists in all parts of the world. In and around Europe dragons are viewed mostly as monsters of evil intent. In ancient Rome, the army used dragons as symbols of strength. During the Renaissance, fear of sea monsters kept sailors from venturing too far from known waters, and the edges of their maps would read "Here be dragons."
+ The etymology of the word dragon, which it says entered the English lexicon in around 1220 and was used in English versions of the Bible from the early 14th century. Dragon derives from Old French, the language used by nobles and law courts following the Norman conquest of 1066. This, in turn, stems from the Latin draconem or Draco meaning "big serpent," which was derived from ancient Greek δράκων (drakon).
+ In Greek mythology, the Hesperian Dragon named Ladon was a hundred-headed serpent that guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides. Historically, European dragons were viewed as being evil, jealous, and greedy hoarders of treasure. In the stories, they were generally treated as violent monsters who must be slain by heroes and saints. European dragons could have four legs, two legs, or none, and often had wings.
+ In Asia, and especially China, the view of these creatures was very different. Dragons were thought to live under the ocean in the winter, arising in the spring with a clap of thunder to bring the rain needed for their crops, according to the American Museum of Natural History. They breathed clouds and moved the seasons. The dragon was the symbol of the Chinese Emperor, and the Imperial throne was called the Dragon Throne. Known as the Dragon, the emperor ruled in harmony and brought peace and prosperity to all.
+ Chinese dragons are depicted as being more serpent-like, with long, snaking bodies and usually had four legs. They are generally seen as wingless. How people view them and what they believe about them varies widely, but the idea is too widespread not to think there are some common roots.
+ Ancient Origins discusses a number of potential roots. The first one is crocodiles. Saltwater and Nile crocodiles are the two largest living reptiles on earth today. Currently, saltwater crocodiles live in the eastern Indian Ocean region, and Nile crocs in the rivers, marshes, and lakes of Sub-Saharan Africa. But 1,000 years they had a much larger habitat range and could have been encountered by people living in Greece, Spain, and Southern Italy.
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Back to Lore Selecting The Dragon in Ancient China by Mark Cartwright]
+ Dragons appear in the mythology of many ancient cultures but nowhere else in the world was the creature quite so revered as in China. There, in marked contrast to other world mythologies, the dragon was almost always seen in a positive light and particularly associated with life-giving rains and water sources. Considered the most auspicious year sign, worn on the robes of emperors, depicted in the most precious materials from gold jewelry to jade figurines, and with countless references in literature and the performing arts, the dragon was everywhere in ancient China and looms as large today in the Chinese psyche as ever.
+ One of the earliest creatures to appear in the tales and legends of ancient China, the dragon is most often depicted as a giant and lithe beast which dwells in either water sources or clouds.
+ The Chinese dragon is extraordinarily powerful, and when it flies, it is usually accompanied by lightning and thunder. When, by whom, and on what reality the dragon was first invented is not known, although some historians suggest a link with rainbows and a 'serpent of the sky' which is seen after rain showers or at waterfalls. Carved jade dragons have been excavated at sites of the Hongshan culture, which can be dated to 4500-3000 BCE, far before any written records of the creature appeared. The historian R. Dawson gives the following description of the Chinese dragon's physical attributes.
+ Alternative descriptions give similar attributes but sometimes with the body of a snake, the eyes of a rabbit, the belly of a frog, and the antlers of a deer. Other qualities of the dragon were that it could change its shape and size at will and disappear or reappear wherever it wished.
+ The Chinese scholar Wen Yiduo suggested that this fantastic collection of beastly parts was actually based on the political union of several different tribes, each with a different animal as their totem. The dragon was, therefore, a symbolic representation of the assimilation of these tribes into a single nation. An interesting hypothesis, it does not, however, explain the appearance of dragons long before any such political associations existed in early Chinese communities.
+ Despite the dragon's fearsome aspect it was not usually seen as the bad-intentioned monster that inhabits the myths of other cultures around the world where it is typically slain by a brave hero figure. Indeed, in China, the dragon was and is regarded as being a just and benevolent creature.
+ It is for this reason they became associated with rulership and especially the emperors of China who, in their capacity as the holders of the Mandate of Heaven and as God's representative on earth, must always rule in a just and impartial manner for the good of all their subjects.
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Accessing Myths Selecting Dragons And Dragon Kings In Ancient Mythology]
+ We encounter dragons in almost every ancient culture of the world. Dragons played an important role in the beliefs of our ancestors and these creatures were depicted in a variety of ways.
+ Dragons can be placed in two groups- East and West dragons, and they were regarded as either good or very fearsome and evil creatures. In ancient China, the dragon was a highly significant creature that became a symbol of the Emperor and his throne was sometimes called the Dragon Throne. Ancient Chinese believed dragons were in control the weather and water. These creatures were said to be able to manipulate oceans, floods, tornadoes, and storms.
+ There are nine distinctive Chinese dragons and some of them are serpent-like creatures with large bodies and long heads. The dragon in China is believed to be a benign creature that is said to bring wisdom, power, and luck. They are famous for their goodness and to ward off evil, protect the innocent and bring safety to all. Tradition and celebration of New Year in China can be traced to a dragon named Nien (or "year").
+ Nien was a legendary wild beast that attacked people at the end of the old year. Villagers would use loud noises and bright lights to scare the creature away, a practice that slowly morphed into the Chinese New Year festivities. Today the dragon has its own year on the Chinese calendar. On the British Isles and in Scandinavia, dragons were often depicted as wingless creatures. In this part of the world, the dragon was depicted as a more malevolent creature that was very difficult to kill. The West dragon was wingless and lived in dark places or wells where he was guarding hoard treasures. Approaching the dragon was almost impossible because of its poisonous fire breath. Dragons in British and Scandinavian mythology often appear in stories when a prince tries to save a young maiden from being abducted by the fearsome animal.
+ If he can slay the dragon, he can become the new King and win the girl as his bride.n ancient Chinese mythology we encounter five enormous dragon kings who were rainmakers and rulers of the waters. Four of them were stationed at the cardinal points and ruled the seas. Their chief had his abode in the middle. The five dragon kings were named Lung Wang. The dragon kings of China lived in crystal palaces under the sea.
+It was believed these underwater dwellings were part of the mysterious Underworld that could only be reached through underground mountain caves and special secret entrances. When the Water Dragons rose to the surface the caused typhoons and when they flew through the air caused heavy raining and hurricanes. The Dragon Kings are among the deified forces of nature of the Taoist religion. A dragon's head was one of the most famous symbols of the Vikings.
+The Viking dragon was in many ways a representation of the Midgard Serpent, a mythical sea creature who fought with the Norse god, Thor. The reason why Vikings built ships with huge dragonheads was that they wanted to appear as frightening as possible from a long distance. Vikings called their longships "Drakkar" or dragon ships and the dragon was a powerful and fearsome symbol of war.
+ Many have seen the Welsh flag features a red dragon and that the Prince of Wales uses rampant dragons on his banner. The old British word "draig," meant leader, and the word, "pen," meant head. The two words combined to form Pendragon or Pen Draig, a noble surname in early Britain as early as the fifth century. The dragon symbol continued to be used by the last native Welsh princes of Wales, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, and Owain Glyndwr, during their struggles against English occupation in the 14th and 15th centuries.
+ The Pendragon name in Welsh literature includes Uther Pendragon, father of the legendary King Arthur.
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