Dragons
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Quinotaur
The Quinotaur is a creature from French myth. Its name means “bull with five horns.” It is described as part bull, part dragon, and part fish, and possesses intelligence. Supposedly it originated from the Merovingian bloodline and was thought to be the father to King Merovee, having possibly raped his mother when she went to swim in the sea. In some versions, she was already pregnant and the Quinotaur’s DNA fused with the unborn baby, giving it magic powers. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Fanthorpe, Patricia. The Big Book of Mysteries. United States, Dundurn Press, 2010.
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Peluda/La Velue/Shaggy Beast/The Shaggy Beast Of La Ferte-Bernard/Peallaidh/Pehuda
The Peluda is a large dragon thought to have lived near the Huisine River in the village of La Ferte-Bernard, France. This creature was spoken of in Medieval times, and it was thought that it refused a ride on Noah’s ark but still survived the great flood. It was thought to have had four stubby legs, quills covering its back, a scaly tail, shaggy green fur, turtle claws, and the ability to breath fire. It was so large that it flooded nearby farms when it entered the river. One day, it ate a young maiden, whose fiancé sought out a wise woman to find the creature’s weakness. He was told…
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Nabau Puaka
The Nabau Puaka is a variation of the Nabau whose name means ”red dragon.” They’re angry creatures from the sea. It’s thought ancestors rode these creatures to an ancestral lake. The lake turns red when they fume with anger. They fight each other in the lake and cause volcanic eruptions in the heavens. Citations: Sagin, Dominic Dado. A Ring of Truth: A Journey Through Space-Time, Myths, Legends, and Oral Histories – the Adventour of a Headhunter. United States, Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency (SBPRA), 2013.
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Mlokowy Smij
The Mlokowy Smij is a form of dragon from Lithuanian myth. They are good-natured and give milk to those they like, often women of high status. Citations: Grimm, Jacob. Teutonic Mythology. United Kingdom, George Bell, 1883. MacKenzie, Shawn. Dragons for Beginners: Ancient Creatures in a Modern World. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2012.
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Leviathan
The Leviathan is from the Hebrew people and is mentioned in the Bible. She was created by God on the fifth day of creation. In medieval times she was seen as a demon of envy and faith, or an arch-demon. She was sometimes seen as a symbol of chaos or as a fallen Seraphim. Her name means “the crooked serpent” or “whale.” She was three hundred miles long with eyes glowing like small suns. She hunted and ate a whale every day. Her breath was foul enough to kill and she could expel heat from her mouth that would instantly boil the water. She feared a sea worm called Kilbit…
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Leongalli
The Leongalli is a form of dragon from Mongolia. They are often described as having serpentine bodies with the head and front limbs of a lion. Sometimes however they were instead seen as a mixture of a lion and a rooster. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Jones, David E.. An Instinct for Dragons. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2016. Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and DeKirk, Ashley. Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. United States, Red Wheel Weiser, 2006. Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and Dekirk, Ash. A Wizard’s Bestiary: A Menagerie of Myth, Magic, and Mystery. United…
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Longwang/Long Wang
The Longwang is a notable dragon from Chinese myth. He has a human body and a dragon head. The term can also refer to the four Dragon Kings Ao Ch’in, Ao Ju, Ao Kuang, and Ao Shun. He has amassed a massive hoard of treasure built up from the countless junk ships sunk by him over the years. Specific to its treasure trove are gems resembling large fish eyes, and people from the Juanch’eng district believe that a fish washing ashore without eyes are victims of the Longwang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Kur
Kur is a Sumerian dragon from the underworld living in the primordial waters. His name means “land” or “mountain.” He angered the gods by kidnapping Ereshkigal to be his underworld queen. Ninurta is said to have killed Kur with his mystical weapon, Sharur. Ninurta killed Kur which allowed the primordial waters to flood the earth and he had to lead people to the Tigris and Euphrates to rebuild civilization. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Jinshin-Mushi/Earthquake Beetle
The Jinshin-Mushi is a Yokai from Japanese myth. It’s thought to be a giant dragon-headed beetle that causes earthquakes as it moves around underground. It’s thought to be covered in scales and have ten hairy legs ending in spider claws. It’s thought to be the counterpart to the Jinshin-Uwo. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001. Rosen, Brenda. Mythical Creatures Bible: The Definitive Guide to Legendary Beings. Taiwan, Sterling, 2009.
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Polar Worms
The Polar Worms are mythical creatures from Inuit myth. They’re described as long serpentine creatures. They have dragon-like heads and are considered to be extremely vicious. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and DeKirk, Ashley. Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. United States, Red Wheel Weiser, 2006.
