British DragonsBefore the oppression by the Romans and the conquest of the Saxons, the people of Britain had a fear greater than human kind had ever known.
May Day Eve -Battle of Two DragonsEach year on May Day Eve- the stories say, two huge dragons, one white and one red, wrestled and clawed in a grisly battle way above the clouds. The screams, of the red dragon, who lost, were echoed all over Britain. These are the battles that help you see a dragon picture in your mind's eye. The people of the small town of London had to hide in their homes every year on that night. The fear of the British Dragons engulfed the land, and the screaming was unbearable for many. Generations of Britons had to put up with the terrible British Dragons until a King named Lludd came to the Throne. That King found the answer, and set a trap to catch the two dragons, locking them in a stone chest and burying it in a remote part of Wales. May Day Eves from then on were passed in peace and harmony. The feared British Dragons were forgotten for a while.
A young Wizard kills DragonsAn interesting continuation of that same folk lore occurred 500 years later.Another King was trying to build a Castle in the same location as the buried British Dragons. The problem was to be solved by a young Wizard named Merlin, who was still a boy. Merlin calculated the location from the old tales, and realized the Stone Chest was hindering the building of the Castle. On Merlin's information they had the area excavated and found the Chest. Merlin opened the chest while a crowd watched. Two huge dragons, smoke and fire exploding up and out, swirling around in the air, chasing each other, locked in a dangerous and deadly dragon dance, until the white one flew over the Crag at Snowdon and disappeared. The Red Dragon followed, but perched on the Top of the Crag as if thinking about more trouble. He decided against it, and also flew over the mountain and neither of the British Dragons ever returned, however the Scandinavians, in the above-noted link were not so lucky.
Dragons cause Natural DisastersThroughout the British Isle's early history there were other dragons.Every time there was a natural disaster, dragons and their mischief were blamed. For instance, a river might overflow and flood a Town after a huge rainfall. It was always assumed that far upstream there must be a Dragon, playing and smashing the water with his tail. Bad weather might cause a famine. A Dragon eating the livestock with it's huge appetite. Or scorching the land with its' fiery breath. Or poisoning the wells - what an evil dragon. Dragon MischiefA Dragon's mischief was accepted as the reason for the people's starvation.The mischief of Dragons is legendary and was very much part of old Britain's folklore or their fairie tales. At the bottom of the page I have added some of my original Dragon Art, and if you go to the Dragon Coloring Page , you will see more. Imagine these battles in the air over your neighborhood and you will, if you squint, see a dragon picture Other Dragons and their HistoryEgypt, and more central european dragons, the dragons of Greece, and the Orient, and all the history makes you believe that they are real.Subscribe to my Free Monthly E-zine Keep up to date with all the Fairy News Back to Dragon History
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