The strange attraction to dragons

[FoolishGirl]

Yes, pirates are much romanticized throughout history and in fiction. There is quite a sexy ad campaign here for Captain Morgan rum that makes their life look downright juicy. I'm sure none of us would relish a run-in with a band of today's equivalent from Somalia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCRBb-wwIxo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

['thul]

anything and everything can be romanticized and polished well beyond facts. Especially in books/movies.

Except dragons. Dragons are just perfect.

[Narya]

I'm not that fond of bears, having lived in their territory and read newspaper accounts of them attacking people and then eating them alive, near my home. There were certain trails that I would not go on without a group of people, because single people had been killed by bears on them. Definitely not teddy bears.

['thul]

Thinking that any wild animal, be it herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, is harmless is a foolish thing. Particularly if the animal is large.

[finella]

I feel this attraction to dragons for a long time and I actually would like to be an elderling. Or a dragon rider on Pern. Or so .
I don't know exactly, what attracts me so much. It's certainly their size. The mental connection is very important. 'To learn about their thoughts and longings, to perhaps chare a bit of their knockledge. Their beauty (in most cases they are described as beautiful), their pride. Perhaps it's also their arrogance towards us humans. They are so big, we are so small. They could crush us, but (in some cases at least) they don't. But for me I guess the mental thing is the most important aspect. To chare something with someone who is so mighty and wise must be a great thing . Even if they are as bitchy as Tintaglia or Sintara. It's the connection human/animal, I think, what really fascinates me.

Aaah, I don't know. I could go on wondering and prattling about that. I simply love stories, that deal with such a connection . And since Smaug I simply love dragons.

[FoolishGirl]

Smaug is definitely my prototypical dragon. Was there a dragon with a personality before Tolkien, I wonder?

...Just looked at Wikipedia about this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dra...literature

"Smaug is a classic, European-type dragon; deeply magical, he hoards treasure and burns innocent towns. Contrary to most old folklore and literature J. R. R. Tolkien's dragons are very intelligent and can cast spells over mortals..."

['thul]

There are typically two types of dragons. There's the traditional monsters, the ones that are mindlessly ravaging, yet often with a certain intelligence. In those dragons, actions rule the mind, whereas in the other main variety, the mind rules the actions. In modern fantasy the latter is the most common variety, though the brutish ones do appear occasionally.

[fool-ish]

There are typically two types of dragons. There's the traditional monsters, the ones that are mindlessly ravaging, yet often with a certain intelligence. In those dragons, actions rule the mind, whereas in the other main variety, the mind rules the actions. In modern fantasy the latter is the most common variety, though the brutish ones do appear occasionally.

And which type would LOTTR be?

[Narya]

LOT3R would be mind over stomach, most of the time. It occurs to me that what I find fascinating and attractive in a dragon would not be at all appopriate in a friend or mate.

[fool-ish]

LOT3R would be mind over stomach, most of the time. It occurs to me that what I find fascinating and attractive in a dragon would not be at all appopriate in a friend or mate.

Not appropriate at all. Though I fear I have known and still do know a few inappropriates! Dragons in a previous life?