Monday 3 June 2013

Slavic Dragons

The Slavic dragon is found all over eastern Europe. Poland, ex-Yugoslavian states, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia are all Slavic nations. The ex-Soviet states in Europe are also of Slavic descent, however, only western Russia is Slavic. The Slavic people originated in north-eastern Europe, around the Baltic coast. After the fall of the Roman Empire they migrated all over eastern Europe, mainly due to pressure from invading tribes such as the Vandals and Huns. Many settled in today's Russia and Poland, but the majority continued into the Balkans. No Slavs made it to Greece however, due to fierce resistance from both locals and the Byzantine Empire.
The Slavic dragon can be divided into two distinct groups. These are the East Slavic and the South Slavic. The South Slavic can be further divided into two sub-species; the Zmaj (also known as the Zmej or Żmij), and the Aždaja or Aždaha. The East Slavic is called the Zmey Gorynych.
The Zmey Gorynych is found in Russia and the Ukraine. It has three heads and some legends state that they could regrow if severed, much like the Hydra of Greek mythology. It is covered in green scales, and walks on its two hind paws.Its front paws are considerably smaller than its rear ones. It has the ability to breathe fire, and is lethal if it can reach you.
The Zmey Gorynych is usually evil, and is not very intelligent. It is said to have some intelligence; enough to trick its victims, but not enough to escape unscathed from a particularly obvious trap. They also have large wings enabling them to fly, and their huge size is a great advantage in battle. The only way to defeat the dragon is to cut all three heads off before they can grow back. Legend tells that the head can only grow back if there is at least one head remaining. The Zmey Gorynych was not defeated until Dobrynya Nikitich after three days and three hours. It is said he was about to give up until he received a message from Heaven.
The majority of Russian dragons however are Mongol in style, due to the enormous influence of the "Golden Horde".
The Zmaj is found predominantly in Slovenia, and appears on the coat of arms of Ljubljana. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia. They appear related to legends of Saint George, as the dragons appear to look very similar. Unlike their eastern counterpart they are very intelligent, possessing great knowledge of the present, future, and past. They are also often benevolent and do not always harm humans, despite several legends. for example, the dragon of Ljubljana is said to protect the city from enemies, guarding it in times of need.
The Zmaj is able to breathe fire, and has other magical abilities. They have great strength, and are always very rich. They hoard jewels, gold, and other items of worth, and often have a great castle. They are able to mate with mortal women, and many heroes are said to be the result of a union between a dragon and a mortal. If a particular individual becomes famous enough, he is often deified as a Dragon. An example is Vlad III Dracula, who, after his death, was said to be a member of the Order of the Dragon. Many Slavs became deified as dragons after fighting Turkic invaders such as the Mongols and Ottoman Empire.
The final dragon is the Aždaja. It is not always considered to be a dragon, in fact it is the exact opposite. Unlike the dragon it is filled with evil and black magic, unable to do good. it lurks in formidable places; unreachable and dark. Some legends tell that Saint George slew this creature rather than the Zmaj. The Aždaja is able to breathe fire also, and is often depicted with several heads. The number of heads can vary from 3 to 9.
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