- Sea Serpent of Spoonville Beach
- Sesha, the Endless
- Shervage Worm
- Sinach
- Smaug
- Stollenwurm
- Stoorworm
- Storsjooduret
- Stvkwvnaya
- Sua Ni
- Suanmi
- Suileach
- Footnotes
Origin: American Folklore (Humor)
History: The people at Spoonville Beach often used sea serpent "sightings" to boost business when it was bad. Someone would ask, "Business hasn't been so good lately, has it?" Then someone else would say, "No, it hasn't." Then they'd send someone out in a row boat for a few hours and that person would come back telling everyone about a sea serpent that they saw. The papers would print the story, and tourists would come to the beach, just because someone said they'd seen a sea serpent.
Business wasn't so good for Spoonville, and, like always, someone brought this up. Moe Kopple, who ran a large restaurant, asked Sam McGeever to go out in a row boat. He did so, and returned with yet another sighting of a sea serpent off the shores of the beach.
As always, people became excited. Moe noticed that Sam had gotten much better at fabricating the sightings of sea serpents - he was much more convincing now than before. Moe left the crowded beach, and Sam followed him. He told him all about the sea serpent - the size, the color, the shape - and Moe simply shook his head in disbelief.
Since Moe didn't believe him, and Sam thought he could get away from the sea serpent again, Sam begged him to go. After much convincing and trouble, Moe agreed to go out to sea with him to see if he could see this sea serpent.
The next day, Moe and Sam went out to the row boat with a third companion. Moe mocked Sam while they were leaving, saying that sea serpents didn't exist. However, when they approached the serpent (which they could see from afar) Moe turned pale. The creature had bellowing smoke, green scales, and red, bloodshot eyes. It was huge in size and quite scary. With all their might, they rowed back to shore.
After seeing the creature, Moe's perspective changed. He asked Sam to not report any more sightings of sea serpents, since now there was a real one. He was afraid that people wouldn't come to the beach and swim in the water if there was a real sea serpent there. He also was afraid that people would get bored of sea serpents, should there be a real one. Sam was disheartened by Moe's decision. He really enjoyed reporting sea serpents - real or no.
Sam, although told not to by Moe, got into his row boats a few days later. When the third companion asked him where he was going, he simply said that he was going out to sea. Again, he was warned not to go out because of the sea serpent, but he told the companion that he wasn't going to tell anyone. He wanted to go, so he went.
Neither Sam nor the rowboat was ever seen again.
Symbolism: Although this story is humorist folklore, it does have some symbolism. Sam does not heed anyone's warnings, and he disappears. Moe abuses people's superstitions, and he learns to do otherwise.
Physical Description: The sea serpent is described as a huge creature with red, bloodshot eyes. The scales were said to be green, and smoke was said to billow out of its nostrils.
Origin: English Folklore
History: The Shervage Worm lived in Shervage Wood, gobbling up anything that came its way. An old woman who lived by picking berries couldn't pick with the worm there. It was as long as "three large oaks", and there's no way she can get around it.2
Then, one day, a wood cutter from out of town came by. She welcomed him, gave him food and cider, and pointed him in the direction of the woods. He didn't know about the worm, so he set off without a worry. However, the way was long and stony, so he eventually sat down on a huge fallen log to eat the meal he brought with him.3 He was surprised when it began to wriggle, and he ordered it to keep still. The log didn't pay attention, so the wood cutter brought his axe down on it, and the axe went clean through it. Blood came out. The wood cutter said, "This log be sappy!"4
It was the worm he cut. Half went to Bilbrook and the other to Kingston. It never reunited, so it died.
Physical Description: The wurm was as long as "three large oaks".5
Alternative Spellings: None
Origin: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
History: Smaug was the red dragon in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.He protected the riches of Lonely Mountain for himself after killing several dwarves to get it. Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard, and thirteen other dwarves all ventured to Lonely Mountain in order to obtain their riches.
When there, the dwarven party snuck around the mountain and entered into the back door. Bilbo, having a ring that made him invisible, had the first encounter with the dragon. After some trial, the dragon rages out of the cave, angered, and then flew to torment the town near Lonely Mountain.
While the dragon tormented the villiagers, the king of the village fled. The town's master archer looked at the dragon and tried to find a weakness. Smaug's underbelly was soft, but it was covered with many spectacular jewels to protect himself. However, there was one jewel missing, and the archer managed to hit that one spot. With a screech, Smaug feel into the water and died.
Symbolism: Smaug proves as another poor symbol for dragons. He is a sign of greed and power, and he is often depicted in artwork alone with his hoard. His name also leads to the idea of pollution and its negative effects.
Physical Description: Smaug is usually considered a red western dragon. He has firey breathe and a long, thin snout. He is also commonly depicted guarding his horde, breathing fire, or falling into water.
Origin: Folkore of Sweden
History: This dragon was said to be a terrifying site to all who saw it. It had a cat's face with a lizard's head, and a huge, dragon-like body. Red scales and veins covered its entire body, making it grotesque. To scare humans, the creature commonly rears up above them, allowing them to see its full size.
This same creature has been sighted in areas of the Alpines, from Frane and Austria. There, it is known as the Tazelwurm.
Symbolism: Unknown. This was possibly a boogey creature used to scare away travelors and the like from certain areas.
Physical Description: Ending in a very long tail, this dragon's body began with a cat's face. However, the head was that of a lizard. Red veins ran down its side, and it had red scales. Many say that the sight of it was simple grotesque.
Origin: Folkore of Sweden
History: This creature inhabits Lake Storsjon in the region of Jamtland. This sea serpent had been told about in the folklore of the area, which also had an island. A runestone was found there, which was believed to check the power of the Storsjooduret and balance it.
These things lead a team of people to attempt to fish the dragon out in 1894. They created a large, metal cage and put some pig carcasses inside. Even today, this cage is still on display in the Ostersund museum. However, the attempt did not work; the creature did not appear.
Symbolism: Unknown
Physical Description: It was a long, serpentine creature with either very large, visible ears or horns.
Type/Species: Sea Serpent
Origin: Seminole Native American Mythology
History: Stvkwvnaya had a coveted horn, which was believed to be an aphrodisiac. People thus planned a magical summoning to take the creature's horn. The magical chanting is the only thing that can calm the beast in order to offer its horn. Otherwise, it could be quite deadly.
Symbolism: Unknown
Physical Description: The huge creature's major outstanding trait was its horn, which could be found at the top of its head.
Origin: Irish Folktale
History: Said to be found in Lough of Swilly in Ireland, this creature was quite a meanace to the area of Country Donegal. Suileach was vanquished, but sources disagree who the slayer was. The most common of these is Saint Colum Cuille, who lived in the late 500s.
Symbolism: Unknown
Physical Description: This creature is known for its many eyes and its immense size.
- The Bear Went over the Mountain: Tall Tales of American Animals by R. B. Downs
- The Hill of the Dragon by Paul Newman
- Shervage Wood
- The Hill of the Dragon by Paul Newman
- The Hill of the Dragon by Paul Newman
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
- Giants, Monsters & Dragons by Carol Rose
For more information about these footnotes, please see the bibliography.
Privacy Policy | Disclaimer |
Contact | Home
© Kylie 'drago' McCormick.
Last updated: 21 August 2008