The Life of Smaug & the Dragons of the North | Tolkien Explained

Having recently viewed the hobbit trilogy, which included the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, the Hobbit, the Desolation of Smaug, and the Hobbit the Battle of the Five Armies I was looking for more information about dragons and Smaug. This is a short treatsie on that topic.

Another Garish Bakugan

This piece of plastic is referred to as Trox. He like the last post I made of these minitures, is cast in same garish colors and in hideous poses. Perhaps that is what caught my eye. But then, it was found in a blind bag.

I am not all that fond of this sclupt nor his counterpart. However, if I am to keep him, he needs his toe nails clipped.

The Lost World of Dragons Exhibit

The Lost World of Dragons is an interactive exhibit currently running at the Reading Public Museum

The Red Dragoan. These specimens move and roar.

The White Dragon. Did dragons actually exsist? Some believe they actually did.

"But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them."
― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

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"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." ― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

The Dragon in Ancient China

I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in my timid body did not wish to have them in the neighborhood. But the world that contained even the imagination of Fáfnir was richer and more beautiful, at whatever the cost of peril."― J.R.R. Tolkien

Bakugan Figures Blind Bags

This lovely character goes by the name of Dragonnoid. My copy is moulded and painted in some garish colors

He stands approximately 60mm tall from its feet to the top of his head. I didn't measure to the tips of his wings. Why? I just didn't. If I had, that would add another 40mm to its height.

These are static miniatures. They are made from a soft, but sturdy type of plastic, which when opening the bag gave off a strong order sort of like dry cleaning fuild.

If the bags illustration is any indication as to the number of different types being offered in this offering, then there are three others available, namely:Trox, Hydorous and Nillious. There is always a chance I obtain another just like the one I have, should I try to pick another one?

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The Great White Dragon of Roverandom

“All white dragons originally come from the moon, as you probably know, but this one had been to the world and back, so he had learned a thing or two. He fought the Red Dragon in Caerdragon in Merlin’s time as you find in all the more up-to-date history books.”

Roverandom, J. R. R, Tolkien

A Dragons Eye

Game of Thrones season six and the episode seven

episode seven. One of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons is shot down by a javelin throwing white-walker. The dragon crashes into a frozen lake only to be dragged out by an army of the undead. A white-walker touches the dead dragon and it becomes a undead dragon.

The Legend of a Dragon-lady

He watched it stoically, not wondering at a new thing, if indeed it be new to China, meditated on it awhile in a manner strange to us, and when he had added to his philosophy what little could be derived from the sight of this hansom cab, returned to his contemplation of that night's chances of wolves and to such occasional thoughts as he drew at times for his comfort out of the legends of China, that have been preserved for such uses. And on such a night their comfort was greatly needed. He thought of the legend of a dragon-lady, more fair than the flowers are, without an equal amongst daughters of men, humanly lovely to look on although her sire was a dragon, yet one who traced his descent from gods of the elder days, and so it was that she went in all her ways divine, like the earliest ones of her race, who were holier than the emperor.

Tales of Three Hemispheres, Lord Dunsany

When China was Young

And the rice prepared for him was hot and good, all the more after the bitter coldness of that sleet. And when he had consumed it her perused his experience, turning over again in his mind each detail of the cabs he had seen; and from that his thoughts slipped calmly to the glorious history of China, going back to the indecorous times before calmness came, and beyond those times to the happy days of the earth when the gods and dragons were here and China was young; and lighting his opium pipe and casting his thoughts easily forward he looked to the time when the dragons shall come again.

Tales of Three Hemispheres, Lord Dunsany

Paying Tribute to the Golden Dragons

"Yet I suspected that something more than extravagance lay at the back of that seemingly wasteful act of tossing sapphires into an abyss, for thee were in the depths of it those two dragons of gold of whom nothing seemed to be known. And I thought, and I think so still, that Singanee, terrific though he was in war with the elephants, from whose tusks he had built his palace, well knew and even feared those dragons in the abyss, and perhaps valued those priceless jewels less than he valued his queens, and that he to whom so many lands paid beautiful tribute out of their dread of his spear, himself paid tribute to the golden dragons. Whether those dragons had wings I could not see; nor, if they had, could I tell if they could bear that weight of solid gold from the abyss; nor by what paths they could crawl from it did I know. And I know not what use to a golden dragon should sapphires be or a queen. Only it seemed strange to me that so much wealth of jewels should be thrown by command of a man who had nothing to fear—to fall flashing and changing their colours at dawn into an abyss."

Tales of Three Hemispheres, Lord Dunsany

Where the Golden Dragons Play

"And then I sat on the grass by the worn paws of the lion to think out what to do. And I decided to go back through Go-by Street and, since there was nothing left to keep me any more to the fields we know, to offer myself as a servant in the palace of Singanee, and to see again the face of Saranoora and those famous, wonderful, amethystine dawns upon the abyss where the golden dragons play".

Tales of Three Hemispheres, Lord Dunsany

Disney's Maleficent Figure

When Maleficent does not get invited to Aurora's christening ceremony she becomes livid and puts a curse on the princess Aurora. Mayhem ensues! This Disney Sleeping Beauty character stands approximately three inches tall and is cast from PVC. One of Maleficent’s curious qualities is her ability to change into a dragon.

The Choice of a Hobbit

At the start of the Hobbit Gandalf visits Bilbo Baggins and suggests that Bilbo accompany a party on an adventure. Bilbo rejects the offer and goes back into his home leaving Gandalf standing outside. Not having given up on Bilbo, and before leaving, Gandalf marks Bilbo’s door for the Dwarfs that have been instructed to meet here, by Gandalf.

Little did Bilbo know that Gandalf had previously met with Thorin Oakenshield, and a few other Dwarfs, to discuss an upcoming expedition to the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf thought that Bilbo would be a good addition to their troop; however Thorin and the other Dwarfs had to be persuaded. All was left to the meeting at Bilbo’s home. Their goal was to retake the mountain kingdom from Smaug the dragon

The Hobbit & Unfinished Tales, J.R.R. Tolkien

Plastic Lizard for Fantasy War Game

Recently, I came upon this very economical priced plastic lizard (Komodo Dragon ?) that looks like it will be just about the right size for an upcoming war game. The plastic toy lizard has a surprising amount of detail. I don’t know whether it will take paint, but if it does it might prove to be a very interesting addition to a game. I will place it in some cave or dungeon. Some poor soul might have a chance encounter with this creature. The outcome is predicable.

Other Species of Dragons

Although this will not be my last post on dragons, this is will probably be my last post made under The Complete Book of Dragons tag. Other than the dragons that I have already made posts there are three other species of dragons that are mentioned in this wonderful book. The three other species are the Wyvern, Amphithere, and the Marsupial dragons.

Wyvern

Unlike other dragons the wyvern only has two legs. The wyvern is the largest form of dragon and is sufficiently large enough to carry away a large elephant in its claws. Adult wyvern’s can grow up to fifty feet long and up to twenty feet high. There coloration is anywhere from a muddy brown to a lime green. The wyvern will make its lair or nest in a rocky crag or in some occasions in a circular nest in sand dunes or grass lands. The wyverns were once found throughout the African continent and the Middle East.

Amphithere

There are two types of amphithere. The Mexican feathered and a furry North American amphithere. The amphithere is a fire breather and once was found along the west coasts of North and South America. The amphithere dragon can grow up to forty-five feet long and between five and ten feet high. They will nest or build their lairs among the reeds on lakeside of offshore islands.

Marsupial

The marsupial dragon is largely confined to southeastern Australia and can reach sizes up to twenty-five feet long and between fifteen and eighteen feet high. The text mentions that the marsupial dragon breathes blue smoke and does start brush fires to thrush out its prey. Its coloration is anywhere from a green to a greenish blue. The marsupial dragon, like other marsupials, carry their young in their pouch.

Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky

The original high definition, public domain image can be found here.

"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.”

Jabberwocky is nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll and is found in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. The illustration is by Sir John Tenniel depicts some sort of beast, monster or dragon?

Eastern Dragons: Chinese Lung

The Chinese Lung has many of the same characteristics as the Asian Lung. Here are some of its more prominent features:

• Long, whiskery feelers
• Stag like horns
• Mane
• Five toes on each claw
• Large scales
• Feathery tail
• Fire breather
• Females carry their egg, usually in its fore claw

Eastern Dragons: Asian Lung

The Asian Lung can be found in Eastern China and throughout South East Asia. The Asian Lung can also be found in the coastal regions of NE Australia. These dragons are most often found near rivers, streams and lakes were they like to hide there lairs in underwater caves or grotto’s.

The Asian Lung can reach sizes between 12 and 15 feet high and up to 40 feet long. They are similar in appearance to the Tibetan dragon in that they sport a set of whiskers and a set of horns on the top of their heads. The Asian Lung also has four feet, but depending on the subspecies may have four or five toes on each foot.

The Asian Lung can be found in the following coloration: black, blue, white, red or yellow. And like the Chinese Lung the females carry their eggs for safety's sake. These eggs have often been mistaken for huge pearls.

Eastern Dragons-Lindworms

Lindworms can be found on the empty steppes of central Asia. Lindworms can grow up to 30 feet long and up to 8 and 10 feet tall. The Lindworm has two feet towards the top of its body, and a set of scales that runs down the middle of its slender body from its head terminating to an arrow head shaped and pointed tail. Lindworms are often found in shades of green, pale orange or a sandy yellow.

Eastern Dragons: Tibetan Dragon

There are four distinct species of eastern dragons; they are the Tibetan, Lindworms, Asian Lung, and the Chinese Lung. The first I will be reporting on is the Tibetan Dragon.

The Tibetan Dragon was found in higher elevations of central Asia. The Tibetan Dragons are mostly red in color and can grow up to ten to twelve feet high and up to forty feet long. They are long slender creatures with scales running down the length of their backs. They have four feet and with five toes. Each toe includes a razor sharp claw. They have what seems like whiskers around their mouths and sport a set of horns on the top of their heads. Their main pray is the Himalayan Yeti a large ape like creature that also abides in higher elevations of the Himalayan Mountains.

“After all, the strangest and maddest of myths are often merely symbols or allegories based upon truth.”

H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Blogger’s web editor can be quirky at times. In order to have consistent look I have taken the original post down and have hand-coded the post.

Western Dragons: The Frost Dragon

The Frost Dragon range from the Arctic to Antarctica, the frost dragon fly’s thousands of miles in their migration to and from these regions. They create their lair or nests in caves facing the sea or in hollowed out glaciers or icebergs. The Frost dragon and grow up to 40 feet in length and up to 12 to 14 feet high.

The Frost Dragon has many of the same characteristics as its European cousin and can be found in the following colorization's: pure white, white tinged with blue or pink.