old russian legend about fire-breathing dragon

[Altair]

I was reading the Secret History of the World (the chapter about cometы) as it suddenly occurred to me that there are many medieval russian legends about fire-breathing dragons (I read many of them as I was a child). These dragons spread fear and terror. They roared as a thunder in the sky and burnt cities and killed many people. Interesting is that these dragons were depicted with multiple heads (falling comets breaking apart?).
In the legend there also was a HERO, who decided to kill the dragon and free his fellowmen from terror. And he was SUCCESSFUL. :) The legends about dragons exist in the folklore of many nations around the world although there is no real creature in the nature that could resemble them.

The legend: http://the-book-of-dragons.deviantart.com/journal/Slavic-Dragons-Zmey-Gorynych-240992409
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_dragon

 

[Tigersoap]

Hi Altair,

Yes this is a recurring theme across many civilizations where they were watching the skies because they knew something like a "dragon"/comet would come and destroy everything as it had done already many times before.

"The earliest recorded myths are those of combat, between a god or hero and a dragon. The dragon was a familiar figure in Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylon, India, China, North America and elsewhere. Usually, he has the form of a winged serpent. He is a gigantic monster; he spouts fire and smoke; bellows and hisses; he throws rocks, and is the creator or terrible destruction; and his home is in the sky."

Clube, S. V. M. & Napier "The Cosmic Serpent"


If you haven't read Comets and the Horns of Moses or The Apocalypse: Comets, Asteroids and Cyclical Catastrophes, you should check them out when you can !

 

[Gawan]

Sounds interesting.

I was reading the Secret History of the World (the chapter about cometы) as it suddenly occurred to me that there are many medieval russian legends about fire-breathing dragons (I read many of them as I was a child). These dragons spread fear and terror. They roared as a thunder in the sky and burnt cities and killed many people. Interesting is that these dragons were depicted with multiple heads (falling comets breaking apart?).

That thought crossed also my mind.

This one reminds me of St. George and the Dragon and could also refer to the predators mind. And I'm not sure if Laura also mentioned this story about Perseus may be the oldest one or at least many other stories based on (like Parcival, Parzival...)?

 

[SeekinTruth]

Yeah, very interesting, and covered in-depth in Laura's work, especially Comets and the Horn of Moses.

I watched a program on TV the other day (one of my very rare occasions of watching TV) called "Armenian Mysteries" that was about legends/folk lore of dragons, petroglyphs, and a crater. Different theories were given. Toward the end there was an astronomer who basically spelled it out that it was a meteor that connected all the elements of the mystery. He also said that no animals will go within 10 meters of the crater.

Also the host of the show was interviewing Yezdies living in Armenia, and they were claiming that they still experience fire breathing dragons and how dangerous and destructive they are. One old Yezdi woman said how in one encounter there was immense amounts of lightning and her son was struck and killed by a thunderbolt and she was spared. I found the program very interesting and intriguing.

 

[Pierrrr]

I was reading the Secret History of the World (the chapter about cometы) as it suddenly occurred to me that there are many medieval russian legends about fire-breathing dragons (I read many of them as I was a child). These dragons spread fear and terror. They roared as a thunder in the sky and burnt cities and killed many people. Interesting is that these dragons were depicted with multiple heads (falling comets breaking apart?).
In the legend there also was a HERO, who decided to kill the dragon and free his fellowmen from terror. And he was SUCCESSFUL. :) The legends about dragons exist in the folklore of many nations around the world although there is no real creature in the nature that could resemble them.

The same story again.

Something is stealing the golden apples.
The hero waits on the tree to find out that it was the dragon.
http://files.kostovi.com/IMGP0357.JPG

The hero followes the dragon to the underworld and defeats it.
http://files.kostovi.com/IMGP0358.JPG

Then he comes back home, to the upper world, with the maiden he saves from the dragon.
http://files.kostovi.com/IMGP0355.JPG
They live happily ever after.