Dragon


    1. Dragon
      Adrian, Brian, Dornar, Doryan, Drians, Driant, Durnor, Durnore, Tryan

      The usual form of dragon that appears in Celtic legend is that represented on the modern Welsh flag, a scaly lizard-like animal, with wings, that can breath fire. It is the symbolic image of the Celtic chief.

      Although the appearance of a dragon in Celtic myth is somewhat rarer than in other pagan cultures, particularly Chinese and Slavonic, those that do appear are all Otherwordly creatures, and all are usually dealt with in a heroic manner. Welsh myth is the most common place to find a dragon, but even here they do not leap out from every nook and cranny, being more usually confined to later folklore.

      The symbol of Wales is a dragon and the oldest recorded use of this is in the Historia Brittonum, written around 829, but it's popularly supposed to be the battle standard (see 'Dragon Banner' below).


      See also
      Dinas Emrys | The Legend of King Arthur
      Lludd | The Legend of King Arthur
      Pfetan | The Legend of King Arthur
      Val sans Retour | The Legend of King Arthur
      Vortigern's Tower | The Legend of King Arthur



    2. Dragon Banner

      Merlin gave Arthur this banner for his battle against the rebel kings. It was sometimes carried in battle by Sir Kay, sometimes by Merlin himself.

      On at least one occasion when Merlin was bearing it, the dragon on the banner spat fire and flame; this, however, may have been a specific magical act of Merlin's rather than a property of the banner itself.


See also
Dragons | Myths and Legends