Dragons
Dragons are, and always have been, my favorite mythological creature. For the longest time my favorite movie was Pete's Dragon and as I grew older my favorite book was The Hobbit, which centers upon the defeat of a dragon. Although there are many different types of Dragons originating from nearly every corner of the world I will only discuss the two most well-known in my site, the Western Dragon and the Eastern Dragon. Western Dragons are your typical fire-breathing beasts who hoarde treasure and guard it with their lives. They are the typical dragon in the classic "Damsel in Distress" story. They are serpent-like creatures with a long snout and pointed ears and horns. Their wings are leathery like a bat's and allow the dragon to fly. A typical Western Dragon will use it's wings as a defense mechanism and slash the attacker with the claws on it's wings.

Eastern dragons are smart, benevolent, and still a very valued part of Chinese culture today. What Chinese New Year celebration would not be complete without the Dragon Dance, in which dancers move the dragon's spine up and down to create a wavy effect. Dragons are considered extremely lucky, and are often worn as symbols of good-luck. However, the five-toed dragon is seen as a symbol of power that only the Emperor could wear. Anyone caught wearing the five-toed dragon would be put to death. Eastern Dragons have four legs and no wings. Their head is shaped like a camel's and sometimes has the mane of a lion. They have 117 scales, 81 yang (good), and 36 yin (bad), which evens out their personality. Eastern Dragons are also known to be linked with the weather and when angered can cause storms or floods of a violent nature.

A Typical Eastern Dragon
Kind and smart, this dragon will bring you good-luck!