Type/Species: Serpent
Origin: Qur'an (Islam)
History: On the Day of Judgement, Dabbat will take the form of a vast serpent that will rise from the earth.1 The beast's job will be to face and to speak to those who are unjust because they would not listen to the signs before.2
Physical Description: The beast is not specifically described physically.
Type/Species: Serpent
Origin: Vodoun Mythology (Haiti)
History: Damballah is said to be one of the most important god of the Vodoun religion of the Carribean.3 He is married to Dan Ayido Hwedo, who is also a Rainbow Snake.4
Damballah is a fertillity god as well as the god of all the Vodoun divinities. (He is also said to be the father of said divinities.) He forms the arch of the heavens. When traveling on earth, deep valleys are made when he passes. He also presents himself as a rainbow, along with his wife. 5 Sometimes the rainbows are seen as reflections of his scales.6
His holy color is white, and he is associated with snakes. Sundays7 His vast coils bask before the sun, or he swims through the oceans, which creates waves.8 Due to Damballah's age, he does not speak, although his blessings are said to be powerful.9
Symbolism: Damballah is clearly seen as a powerful serpent. His movements are used to explain earthquakes10 as well as the movement of the ocean, the appearance of the rainbow, and the creation of valleys.
Physical Description: He is seen simply as a huge serpent, although his colors have been said to be white and silver.
Origin: Egypt
History: Not too much is known of this serpent, but he was a fiery one. Thought to be a threat to the gods, this creature was shunned by Egyptians. Luckily, the King of Egypt prevented this creature from destroying the gods.
Symbolism: Egyptians stressed the power of the gods, and this dragon proved to be the ultimate threat. Denwen is a symbol of evil, and the one who slew him was a symbol of a true king.
Physical Description: Unknown
Type/Species: Sea Serpent (Winged)
Origin: France (village of Beaucaire)
History: Many believe Drac to be a powerful soceror-dragon. He can become invisible whenever he so choses, and he lures young children away from unknowning mothers. He ate the children, but it did not stop there. He lured other people there as well for his own purposes.
The most famous of these people was a young woman that was lured there to care for Drac's hatchlings. For seven years, she forgot her mortal life and cared for the dragons. Since mortals were unable to see Drac and his hatchlings (unless the dragons wanted her to), she was the only one that Drac used. However, she managed to get "dragon cream" in her eye while she was rubbing the hatchlings. This cream gave her draconic sight, which allows her to see the dragons whensoever she pleases. When she returned home, she tried to warn the villagers, but none would listen to her. Drac, finding out about her ability, quickly came and ripped out her eyes.
He lived in the River Rhone during the thirteenth century. Killing over three thousand knights and villagers, he was perhaps one of the craftiest of all French dragons. The dragon lived near the small town of Beaucaire, and most of the kills were preformed there. Sometimes, however, the dragon would search for other victims elswhere.
Many attempted to kill Drac. Douzens of campaigns against him were lauched, and whole armies were sent after him. However, all of them failed. (Specific campaigns recorded were: Ocino, Ragnarold, and Umberto of Guineve - found in early Germanic histories as well as French history.)
No one is said to have slayed this dragon, and so many believe that Drac died of old age. However, the legacy still lives today, as there is a town named after him - Draguignan.
Symbolism: Drac is a symbol of "evil winning". No slayer, no reason, and no answer to his power. Perhaps loss of innocents also plays in...as well as a lesson for mothers to watch their children.
Physical Description: Even though Drac is commonly described as a huge winged sea serpent, it is very hard to be sure. After all, Drac was invisible to most humans.
Origin: English Folklore
History: During the Iron Age, there was a great battle which littered the battle field with bodies.13 The Dragon of Norton Fitzwarren came forth by something like spontaneous combustion from them. The ghoul-dragon became a plague by devouring children and destroying crops.14
Then, Fulke Fitzwarren, a thirteenth century knight15 stood up to the beast and slew it after a long, bloody battle.16 Fulke was exiled, but while he adventured abroad he also saved the Duke of Iberia's daughter from a dragon near Carthage.17
Symbolism: A ghoul-dragon, while uncommon, could have come about due to an earlier Anglo-Saxon superstition concerning fire and burial.18 It could also simply be related to the idea of carrion generating new life. Because dead animal bodies attracted bugs, it was believed that the bodies actually generated these scavangers rather than attracted them.
Physical Description: Unknown.
- Giants, Monsters, and Dragons by Carol Rose
- Dabbat al-ard
- Damballa
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Damballah Wedo
- Damballah Wedo
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Damballah Wedo
- Damballah Wedo
- Who's Who in Egyptian Mythology by Anthony S. Mercatanted
- The Drac: French Tales of Dragons and Demons by Felice Holman and Nanine Valen
- The Hill of the Dragon by Paul Newman
- Norton Fitzwarren Dragon
- British Dragon Gazetteer
- Norton Fitzwarren Dragon
- British Dragon Gazetteer
- The Hill of the Dragon by Paul Newman
For more information about these footnotes, please see the bibliography.
Privacy Policy | Disclaimer |
Contact | Home
© Kylie 'drago' McCormick.
Last updated: 6 August 2008