Book of Dragon Facts

  1. Dragons are cool.
  2. A dragon has: none to four legs, claws, scales and possibly spikes. Optional wings.
  3. A dragon can look like a snake with wings, or like lizards
  4. A dragon has a tail and a long neck.
  5. A dragon has a wide mouth with big and dangerous teeth.
  6. Sometimes they have horns and hair.
  7. A dragon can fly.
  8. A dragon can perhaps breathe fire (or other dangerous substances).
  9. A dragon has special powers.
  10. Some dragons live in caves.
  11. A dragon, the ultimate evil foil for a  "good" knight, derives its fire-breathing mouth from medieval depictions of the mouth of hell. The entrance to hell was often depicted as a monster's literal mouth.
  12. One researcher notes that dragon legends appear in nearly all cultures because humans are universally afraid of snake-like creatures.
  13. During the Middle Ages, dragons developed a liking for young women.
  14. In China, dragons symbolize wealth, power, and leadership.
  15. In China, emperors were believed to be descendants of dragons.
  16. In the twelve-animal Chinese zodiac, the fifth year is the year of the dragon. Couples often try to plan their pregnancies to coincide with the Year of the Dragon.
  17. A little dragon is called a "dragonet." However, in mythology, smaller dragons were often more fierce and deadly than larger ones.
  18. Of all the dragon slayers in literature and mythology, St. George, the patron saint of Catalonia and England, is the most well-known.
  19. In European lore, the best weapon for killing a dragon was the lance. The proper way to kill a dragon was to throw the lance into the dragon's mouth because scales protected the rest of the dragon's body.
  20. Historians believe dragon mythologies evolved independently in Europe and China.[5]
  21. In many stories, dragon blood often has magical properties.
  22. In mythology, a female dragon is called a drakaina, which is the feminine form of the ancient Greek word for dragon, drakon.
  23. In early dragon literature, before flying became popular, dragons would drop out of trees onto people's heads.
  24. In medieval folklore, St. Margaret of Antioch was imprisoned for her Christian beliefs. In prison, a dragon swallowed her, but according to legend, God helped her burst out of the dragon's stomach, killing it. She later became the patron saint of childbirth.
  25. The word "dragon" comes from the ancient Greek word draconata, meaning "to watch" or "to see."  The root may refer to a dragon's reputation for guarding treasure, either real or metaphorical.
  26. In Greek mythology, the gods created dragons to watch treasures.
  27. China is home to the most places named after dragons.
  28. In the Harry Potter world, a wizard or witch who trades and sells dragon eggs is called a dragon dealer. The practice is illegal.
  29. Ancient discoveries of dinosaur bones may have led people to believe in dragons.[4]
  30. Since the 600s AD, the red dragon has been a symbol of Wales. Historically, the greatest Welsh warriors were dubbed "pendragon," meaning "dragon head" or "leader."
  31. Dragons from Eastern cultures are more often depicted as kind, wise, and benevolent. Dragons from Western cultures typically are fire-breathing, evil, and symbolic of the battle between good and evil.
  32. Eastern dragons are usually more benevolent than Western dragons
  33. Some Viking longships had carvings of dragon heads on their prows (fronts). The Vikings called these ships "drakkar," or "dragon ships."
  34. Red-colored stones are sometimes called "dragon stones" because they were believed to be hardened lumps of dragon blood.
  35. People who study dragons are called dragonologist.
  36. The name "Smaug" is from low Germanic, meaning "to squeeze through a hole."
  37. The name dragon is derived from the Latin word 'draconem' which means 'huge serpent'.
  38. Western, or European, dragons tend to be very large fire-breathing, serpent-like, scaly creatures with wings.
  39. Eastern, or Chinese, dragons tend to be smaller creatures, with no wings, horns for ears, and are friends of humans.
  40. Dragons in literature often have red eyes, and depending on the culture, they possess different powers.
  41. In Chinese culture there are three dragon species including the lung (sky), kiau (marsh), and li (sea). In Chinese culture dragons are often used as symbols of imperial power.
  42. In Ancient Greece there were four dragon species including the serpent Dracones, Cetea the sea creature, Dracaenae a female dragon, and Chimera the fire-breathing dragon.
  43. Icelanders turned Viking ships away whenever they approached with dragons on their ships. Iceland's coat of arms has a dragon depicted on it.
  44. The Ancient Celts believed that dragons were capable of prophesying and they worshipped them. They also believed that dragons waited to greet those who had just died at the gates of the Underworld.
  45. The Ancient Japanese believed that dragons looked like serpents and were water gods.
  46. There are some real dragons in existence including the Komodo dragon, and the thorny devil lizard.
  47. The eyes of a dragon are scary.
  48. Originally dragons were more serpent-like, but in the Middle Ages their appearance changed and they started being drawn and described as having legs, more like a lizard.
  49. In many legends and mythology dragons breathe fire, but they have also been known to breathe ice.
  50. Dragons are mythological creatures found in artwork, stories and legends.
  51. No one really knows where the legends and stories of dragons came from or started.
  52. Dragons are usually described as a huge, gigantic reptile or lizard-like creature.
  53. Sometimes they are shown with green scaly skin, wings and red eyes.
  54. There are many different kinds of dragons.
  55. Some dragons are said to blow fire, other dragons fly, some blow ice
  56. Some say that dragons are poisonous.
  57. Stories from the Middle Ages say that knights would go out to fight dragons as a test of their bravery.
  58. It was believed that if you took a bath in a dragon’s blood it helped you see into the future.
  59. A dragon’s tooth was believed to be good luck.
  60. Dragons are sometimes shown as an evil creature.
  61. In Japanese and Chinese culture, dragons are a sign of good fortune. Dragons are an important symbol in Chinese New Year celebrations.  They are believed to bring good fortune and wealth.
  62. There are many dragon decorations and dances during Chinese New Year.
  63. A dragon can leap up to five times it's own body length in a single bound to assist with takeoff.
  64. Certain breeds of bronze dragon can appear cross-eyed, because the nerves from the left side of the brain go mostly to the right eye and the nerves from the right side of the brain go mostly to the left eye. This causes some double vision, which the dragon tries to correct by “crossing” its eyes.
  65. Most dragons do not have the ability to taste sweetness, but they have an overdeveloped sense of taste for sickness or infection.
  66. Dragons Were Born From Meteors From Space
  67. Dragons Nurture Their Young
  68. Dragons Don't Die Natural Deaths
  69. Dragons Consume Their Treasure Before Dying
  70. Dragons Die In Dragon Graveyards
  71. Dragons Can Become Guardians Of The Land
  72. Dragons Have Semi-transparent Eyelids
  73. Dragons Toughest Scales Are On Their Necks And Underbellies
  74. Dragons Have A Magical Organ
  75. A Dragon's Mouth Can Be Held Shut
  76. The average adult Dragon produces a gallon of saliva every hour.
  77. Ancient Fairy Dragons are rare, but they throw the best parties. Looking for lit parties in the FeyWild is the most effective means of tracking them.
  78. At the time of this being written, Bessefina is the worlds' most dragon-active cow. Bessefina has been carried off by dragons no less than 53 times. It is unknown how she managed, but she seems to find her way home without any assistance.
  79. All dragons were omnivorous and could eat almost anything, thanks to their innate elemental nature that allowed them to consume and digest all sorts of food, including substances that wouldn't qualify as food to other living creatures.
  80. Most dragons preferred a carnivorous diet, but a few of them had developed unique dietary habits. Metallic dragons, for instance, preferred to eat primarily inorganic fare.
  81. The number of eggs a dragon laid each brood depended on its race, but was usually low, between one and ten.
  82. Most of the time when dragons of different types crossbred it resulted in no offspring.
  83. Dragons could also pick up scents very well, utilizing both their sensitive nose and forked tongue, much like a snake.
  84. All dragons had some innate magical abilities, but they varied from race to race.
  85. Dragons were inherently magical beings, and in no case should dragons be considered reptiles, despite obvious similarities such as a scaled epidermis and reproduction by laying eggs. In fact, they were more akin to feline creatures than reptiles, particularly in regards to their posture and movements, as well as being inherently warm-blooded and an eye composition similar to felines, although far more complex.
  86. Dragons were capable of blindsense, the sense in which eyes, ears, and other senses were used to detect invisible persons or objects.
  87. Dragons grow more powerful as they age, both in raw, physical might, and in mental and magical ability.
  88. True dragons are divided into various "septs", or families, of related dragon species.
  89. Dragons live in a wide variety of habitats depending on their type, but most prefer to live solitary lives.
  90. Some young dragons allow knights of identical philosophical orientation to adopt them as mounts.
  91. Learning and education is very important in the life of a dragon.
  92. After the egg hatches, the dragon emerges ready to face life.
  93. Dragon teeth are believed to bring good luck.
  94. There is a type of flower called a snapdragon because it looks like the head of a dragon snapping its jaws closed.
  95. It also has a very long tail which can destroy the object if it moves.
  96. They often make their home on cliffs or in deep caverns.
  97. It’s suggested that the dragon's fire-breathing ability was inspired by spitting cobras.
  98. There are lots of different types of dragons
  99. Dragons have big teeth, some to eat plants and others to eat meat.
  100. Dragons are cool