Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

Never tickle a sleeping dragon, or so says the Latin motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The dragon is perhaps one of the most intriguing mythological creatures of all time. It has a presence in the history of nearly every culture, inspiring countless stories of fantasy and mystery, documentaries and searches by cryptozoologists and other legend-chasers. Aside from perhaps the unicorn and the Grim Reaper (or some physical embodiment of death), the dragon is the most universal concept of unreal creatures.

The name "dragon" originates from the Latin draconem, loosely translating to "large serpent."

In western culture we have come to accept the dragon as a fierce, fire-breathing, lizard-like creature with scaly wings and a full body resembling some dinosaurs: an interpretation stemming from the Slavic dragon legend known to the Vikings that I briefly discussed in an earlier post. These depictions have seeped into pop culture through Harry Potter, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, The Elder Scrolls games and countless other books, movies, games and paintings.

In contrast, eastern culture, specifically China and surrounding parts of east Asia, have a much different interpretation of the beast that is perhaps more true to its name. The typical eastern dragon is more snake-like with elements of a cat in the face (like whiskers or mustaches). Asian dragons are often seen as less dangerous and potentially good omens, and are depicted as such in The Never-Ending Story, among other places.

Even Native American culture had its own version of a dragon, a bird and lizard hybrid creature.

It's clear to see that the dragon must have some basis in reality as nearly every society has some kind of dragon legend. Archaeology in ancient times was hardly an exact science. When someone discovered a fossil from a dinosaur next to a fossil of a bird, it would be easy to mistake them for one creature - a reptile with wings.

Travelers' accounts of creatures like crocodiles and spitting cobras would have been difficult to interpret for those who had never seen the animals and could be easily misinterpreted. There are countless examples of living species with elements that might suggest a dragon.

Regardless of historical origin, dragons are a permanent part of fantasy literature, and every fantasy author is allowed their own interpretation of the beasts. Some hoard gold and speak perfect English like Smaug. Some are fierce and bestial like Drogon or the Hungarian Horntail. No matter what they look like or act like in the mind of a writer, it's undeniable that dragons are engrained in our imaginations forever.