Dragons are usually depicted as snakelike or related to reptiles. Some credit the Chinese as the inventors of dragons, and this provokes an interesting concept. It is known that at least as far back as 300 BCE, some bones of prehistoric animals were labeled as coming from dragons. It is also a pervasive symbol in a variety of cultures, giving rise to many interpretations about exactly what a dragon is, what it represents, and how it behaves.

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Tolkien’s portrayal of dragons as ancient and intelligent beings capable of speech and manipulation became a key influence on later fantasy writers. This view of dragons influenced countless legends, with one of the most enduring being the story of Saint George and the Dragon. In stark contrast to the benevolent dragons of the East, Western dragons are almost always depicted as destructive, terrifying monsters. Across the East, dragons represent strength, wisdom, and harmony, often standing as guardians of natural order, and their symbolism in art, architecture, and mythology reflects these positive attributes.

Discover dragons from the 13th century to modern movies & games My Father’s Dragon written by Ruth Stiles Gannet is an excellent book for young readers interested in dragons. Each fictional interpretation of dragons takes its own position on whether dragons are evil. Other fictional treatments of dragons in recent years include Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider, and the films, Dragon Heart, Dragonslayer and Reign dragon train pokie of Fire. Rowling depicts dragons as vicious in the Harry Potter series, one of her main characters, Hagrid, can’t help but love them. Some legends tell that dragons were once good, but fell from grace when Adam and Eve were exiled from Eden.