Kathryn Hinds - Dragons

INTRODUCTION

In the CREATURES OF FANTASY series, we celebrate the deeds of dragons, unicorns, and their kin. These fabulous beasts have inhabited the imagination and arts since the beginnings of human history. They have been immortalized in paintings and sculptures, mythology and literature, movies and video games. Todays blockbuster fantasy novels and filmsThe Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Eragon, and othershave brought new popularity to the denizens of folklore, myths, and legends. It seems that these creatures of the imagination have always been with us and, in one way or another, always will be.

Belief in the fantastic, in wonders, appears to be a lasting part of the human experience. Even if we no longer believe that dragons and unicorns actually exist, we still like to think about what things might be like if they did. We dream and daydream about them. We make up stories. And as we share those dreams, read and tell those stories, we not only stir our imaginations but also explore some of the deepest hopes and fears of humanity. The power of the dragon, the purity of the unicorn, the wildness of the centaur, the allure of the mermaidthese and more are all part of our human heritage, the legends of our ancestors still alive for us today.

Computer art makes a firebreathing dragon seem almost terrifyingly real.

WELCOME TO THE DRAGONS LAIR

The dragon is the largest of all serpents. Often he is drawn out of his den and rises up into the air, and the air is moved by him and also the sea swells against his venom.
Often four or five of them fasten their tails together and rear up their heads and sail over seas and over rivers to get good meat.

~BARTHOLOMEW ANGLICUS, THIRTEENTH CENTURY

D RAGONS ARE SNAKELIKE CREATURES. Usually they have wings. Often they breathe fire. They love gold, jewels, and other treasures, which they pile together and guard fiercely. They are famous for terrorizing the countryside and devouring sheepor, when they can get them, maidens. With habits like these, its not surprising that where there are dragons, there are usually dragon slayers. Killing dragons has featured on heroes to-do lists since the very first tales of dragons were written down.

But not all dragons are maiden-eating marauders. Dragons have protected nations and founded empires. They have commanded wind and rain for the benefit of sailors and farmers. They have imparted ancient wisdom to deserving seekers of knowledge. They have carried brave riders on their backs. They have symbolized both the fearsome and wondrous aspects of nature and of the imagination.

A natural history book published in the 1600s included these illustrations of different types of dragons.

A CLASS ALL THEIR OWN

If dragons could be classified scientifically, they would belong to the reptile class and the family that includes snakes and lizards. Like these animals, dragons are (we assume) cold-blooded except maybe the ones who breathe fire. They have scales, lay eggs, and do not nurse their youngexcept occasionally in a fantasy novel where dragons milk is an important ingredient for magic spells or healing potions. With exceptions like these, its probably a good thing that scientists dont actually have to classify dragonswho, after all, are really in a class by themselves.

Dragons have been reputed to live in most parts of the world. They thrive in a wide range of habitats, but nearly always live in places where humans seldom go: high, craggy mountains; deep, dark forests; murky, muddy swamps. Many dragons are equally at home on land or in the air. A few are comfortable in the water, but this is mainly the domain of their cousins the sea serpents. These relatives are so close, though, that in some myths and legends its hard to tell whether the featured creature is a dragon or a sea monster.