Beliefs and Superstitions about Dragons

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It is a mystery about how dragons, considered mythical, landed up as a part of every culture. No matter how different the societies and religions and beliefs are, there is a mention of them in lore or religious texts or in oral traditions. While I can’t comment on the history behind the belief in dragons (a topic best left to experts), I can try to list some of the more popular beliefs and superstitions about this majestic creature.

In Bulgarian folklore, dragons are said to appear during spring and summer and cause droughts and torrential rains and thunderstorms.  Apart from these nature threats, they could also control the fertility of the fields and the fates of people.

In Slavic Mythology, dragons are said to be reincarnations of carps and grass snakes explaining the fish/snake like tails of the dragons and their flake covered bodies.

There is a belief that it is only when two dragons have a fight that thunderstorms and torrential rains depend on us. People also believed that it was dragons that caused lunar and solar eclipses – apparently they did so by swallowing the moon and the sun. Most cultures used to believe that shooting stars were actually dragons flying to their destinations.

People believe that dreaming of dragons is a sign of good luck, especially the Chinese. Modern psychology states that dreaming of dragons is a symbol of you fighting your base instincts for more mature goals.

What are some of the dragon beliefs/superstitions you have come across?

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 20^th century. 

Quotes about Dragons

I was reading Coraline the other day. You know, the Neil Gaiman, now Tim Burton movie? There was a beautiful line about dragons –

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

Such a poignant, intense line – it took me by surprise and transported me to a world of deep thought. It made me go into my “Google Phase” (yes there is such a phase where you have to know more about the subject immediately and so go on a Google hunt). Some of the quotes I found during this phase were just mind-blowing. Here are some of my favorites.

“Never laugh at live dragons.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

“Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke

“If the sky could dream, it would dream of dragons.” ― Ilona Andrews

 “But we were dragons. We were supposed to be cruel, cunning, heartless and terrible. But this much I can tell you, we never burned and tortured and ripped one another apart and called it morality.” ― Terry Pratchett

What are your favorite quotes?

Behind-the-Voice Actors of your Favorite Madagascar Characters

You loved the movies; you loved the characters; now get the complete lowdown on the actors that gave life to these memorable Madagascar characters. Read on to know more about the voice talent of DreamWorks’ popular computer-animated series of movies featuring the denizens of Central Park Zoo.

Image Courtesy - http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/09/us-boxoffice-idUSTRE4A597820081109

King Julien (Danny Jacobs)

The conceited, fun-loving, self-proclaimed King of the Lemurs is brought vividly to life by talented voice artist, musician and comedian Danny Jacobs. The forty-six year old actor is best known for voicing King Julien in Madagascar: Europe’s Most Wanted, The Penguins of Madagascar, Merry Madagascar as well as the popular Netflix series All Hail King Julien.

Alex (Ben Stiller)

Alex the lion is the main protagonist and one of the stars of the Madagascar series of movies. This headstrong and loyal leader of his friends loves to dance and impress everyone with his acrobatics. Alex finds his voice in Ben Stiller, multi-talented actor, comedian, writer and producer who made his directorial debut with Reality Bites. Stiller has lent his voice to Alex in Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape to Africa and Madagascar: Europe’s Most Wanted.

Marty (Chris Rock)

Alex’s best friend is a happy-go-lucky zebra who loves to look at the bright side of things. Marty strives to be unique but is taken aback when he meets his kind in Africa and finds that they are look and act almost exactly like him. Marty is voiced by stand-up comic, actor and screenwriter Chris Rock.

Melman (David Schwimmer)

Melman the giraffe is a great friend of Alex and Marty and has fallen in love with the beautiful Gloria. Melman is a confirmed hypochondriac and accustomed to a cushy pampered existence as a resident of Central Park Zoo. Melman comes with the voice of none other than the well-known actor, director, producer and comedian David Schwimmer.

Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith)

Gloria the hippopotamus is everyone’s older sister and a good friend of Alex and Marty. This gray-skinned beauty also happens to be Melman’s love interest and one of the biggest attractions of Central Park Zoo. Gloria is brought to life by the voice of singer, songwriter and actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

Skipper (Tom McGrath)

Skipper is the leader of the intrepid penguin quartet consisting of himself, his second-in-command Kowalski along with Rico and Private. Skipper is often paranoid and comes up with strange conspiracy theories but he is an able and brave commander of his “men.” Skipper is voiced by actor-director Tom McGrath who co-directed Madagascar and its sequels along with Eric Darnell. 

What songs might a dragon have on his ipod?

I just recently bought concert tickets to one of my favorite bands. To use all of the regular feeling words like ‘excited, ecstatic, and thrilled’ seems like playing down how I really feel. I know I’m not the first person to react that way. There is something about music. This thought led me to dragons, as all things often do (you know how obsessed I am about them). I wonder what they would have on their iPod if they were 21^st century creatures. That is what has led me to this pointless/amusing research that you will now feast your eyes/ears upon.

I’ve had to imagine what personality the dragon would have – will be be a punkrocker, will he be a jazz and blues sort of dragon etc. Maybe his girlfriend has a say on what goes on the playlist? Eventually, I gave up and tried to make this playlist as randomly as I could, hoping to fit different genres as well. I’ve also sought out my favorite versions of these songs, for variety’s sake. Without further ado, here are my top 5.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo OST -  Immigrant Song

Peter, Paul & Mary -  Puff The Magic Dragon

Yeah Yeah Yeahs -  Dragon Queen

Imagine Dragons – Radioactive

Alicia Keys -  Dragon Days

What does your dragon ipod playlist contain?