Dragons
by Peter Shechem
You can think of them as the emperor, the greatest of all magical creatures. They are among the most written about creatures in myth, legend, and fiction. They command a respectful, dignified presence. They are untamable, a final testament of nature to show man that they cannot control all, cannot make everything bend to their whim. They can turn a thriving village to a crisp, or provide the water needed on a parched plain. They can cause complete and utter chaos, or heal the land, and help it thrive and live. Their power is unmatched; their intelligence is great; and they are some of the most cunning creatures created.
The creature described in that last paragraph is without a doubt a dragon, and they are some of the most well-known, yet mysterious things in mythology and legend. Dragons cannot be categorized under one general category: they are all different, from their ability to fly, to their preference of climate. There are dragons of creation, benevolence, peace, and prosperity; there are dragons of destruction, turmoil, and disorder. Some dragons fly and breath fire, others swim and slither, and still others are things such as the sky, and sea, and land.
The main difference in dragons could be seen in the Eastern and Western hemispheres. In the Eastern part of the world, dragons were, and still are, thought as symbols of power, wisdom, fertility, and prosperity. They control the elements, and keep the world in balance. They are creatures who command a certain respect, but help the creatures living in their domain. They are messengers and gods, signs of hope and good luck. The dragon in the Eastern hemisphere is something revered, celebrated, and honored, and truly is a status symbol.
In the Western hemisphere, on the other hand, the dragon is a menace. It is a fire-breathing, flying bringer of death and destitution, shoving hopelessness into the minds of all who saw it. It was a gruesome thing, with spikes and talons and fangs and deadly blood. This is the dragon as most see it; something no one wants around, but cannot do anything about it. It is completely untamable, and nothing can control it. The ultimate personification of nature's revenge and freedom, it would bring queens to tears and great kings to their knees. They would pillage and hoard, and act as a humans have to nature.
Onto the Harry Potter versions of dragons. Though not as appealing in appearance nor of horrible deeds, the HP dragons are nonetheless dangerous. Some are more well-tempered, and wish to be left alone, not wanting to disturb the regular human life. Others are aggresive, hot-tempered beasts, very territorial and protective of their own. They would hurt a person they knew if they became aggravated enough, and should in no way be handled by incompetent wizards.
There are ten species of dragon in the HP series, and each have different looks and needs. Some are immense, like the Ukrainian Ironbelly, and others are violent, like the Hungarian Horntail. They all can spit fire from their mouths, and all can fly. They are rated XXXXX by the Ministry of Magic (Known wizard killer/impossible to train or domesticate). They are constantly watched, some more than others, so they do not interfere with the Muggle world, and cause a disturbance.
It is obvious that dragons are creatures that need respect. They get it, too, either by physical force and intimidation, or by being all-powerful beings, who help humans immensely. They can explain the reasons for things in origin myths, or be a huge problem in epic legends. Guiding travelers through unknown territory, transporting a human passenger across great spans of land, and acting as a guard for a great treasure. They truly are the essence of power, and nothing that crosses the will of a dragon should ever have the hope of living.
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