Tuesday, March 17, 2015

4 Real Beasts that (Possibly) Inspired the Dragon Myth

Popularized by books, folklore, art, movies and now dragon games online, the dragon myth shows no sign of easing off its hold on our collective imagination. Different cultures across the world feature exotic serpentine creatures – some have wings, some breathe fire, some are repulsively scaly, some grant wishes, some guard treasure and some bring rain to parched lands.

Despite their differences, dragons in myriad cultures reflect the hopes and fears of the people and the characteristics of local animals. So if you thought these fire-breathing monsters were purely the creation of a hyperactive mind, take a look at 4 real beasts that look and sometimes even act like dragons.

Dragon and moon / Dragon y Luna” by aztlek licensed under CC BY SA 2.0

Chinese Alligator
In Chinese mythology, dragons are rain gods that can bring relief in times of drought but equally capable of doling out devastating floods when roused to fury. It is believed that the Chinese alligator – a reptile teetering on the verge of extinction – is the creature that inspired the Chinese dragon. A full-grown Chinese alligator is approximately 6 feet long and stealthily awaits its victims just below the surface of the water.

Python
Native to Southeast Asia, the reticulated python is considered to be the prototype of the Indian dragon – a wingless creature possessing both human and reptilian traits. The multi-headed Naga prefers to live in water but can magically assume human shape at will. Like its mythical counterpart, the python is a gigantic creature that can constrict its prey to death. During his travels through India, Pliny, one of the greatest naturalists of Rome, claimed to have seen an enormous dragon squeezing an elephant to death and meeting its doom as the defeated elephant falls and crushes it to death. This “dragon” is believed to be none other than an exaggerated version of the reticulated python.

Flying Dragon
It’s easy to see how the mythical dragon got its ability to fly – from the flying dragon of Southeast Asia of course! These small lizards glide between trees in their native habitat with the help of folds of skin that resemble wings. Flying dragons grow up to 7 inches and have brightly patterned bodies that can help them blend into their surroundings. They subsist on ants, termites and other small insects.

Komodo Dragon

The 10 feet long Indonesian Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard and is one of the best candidates for the inspiration behind the fire-spewing dragons of mythology. The Komodo dragon is lethal reptile armed with an infectious bite and a heavily muscled tail and it can immobilize and kill live prey much larger than itself. But there’s a very good reason why the Komodo dragon couldn’t have been the prototype of the ancient dragon – Europeans did not discover it until the early 20th century. 

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