By Mattie MacDonald
Dragons, those huge, scary mythical beasts with wings and fire-lashing forked tongues that can devour anything in their path, are popular figures in children's books. These creatures with their magic powers are what fantasy is about . . . And who can relate better to fantasy than kids?
In every culture, through the ages, stories of dragons have been passed on from generation to generation. There is probably not a human being who has not yet heard a dragon story. Children relate in various ways to these mythical beasts. Young boys fantasize about slaying them and being knighted for bravery. Girls dream about being rescued from a gigantic monster-dragon by a handsome, brave prince. These days, dragons are also portrayed as loving, kind and even cuddly creatures in every second childrens book about dragons.
What make these mystical creatures so special? What do they have that fascinates people from all over the world? And why are people, even today, so intrigued by stories and folklore about a species that only existed in man's imagination?
But then again, who said dragons are not real? There is no real proof that they never existed and may even still be around! Maybe, just maybe, they are among us, but can only be seen through the eyes of a child . . .
Kids will tell you there are many kinds of dragons. Big ones and small ones. Kind ones and cruel ones. They all look different and each one has different magical powers and purposes. In the world of dragons, magic is real!
Today, there are literally a whole world of dragons for kids to play with and read about. Popular characters in the dragon world, such as Puff, the Magic Dragon, pop up like magic in video games, coloring books, pencil boxes, TV programs, puzzles, stickers and even on candy wrappers. Dragon lovers can take their favorite hero everywhere with them - even to bed in the form of a dragon doll or a printed duvet cover and pillow case! Children can even check out all facts about them on a new Kids Wikipedia about Dragons.
Clever artists and illustrators know there is no scientific proof of what a dragon truly looks like, and that only children can see them. That's why they listen to kids and study children's drawings of dragons to get an idea of how to portray them. Unlike in the human world, dragons can be any color, size or shape. Some can fly, while others have long legs and huge claws to jump across mountains and oceans. Cruel, man eating dragons have horns and razor sharp teeth, while baby dragons are cute and cuddly.
One would expect such a huge, fierce animal to be a mammal that gives live birth, but in many stories, baby dragons are hatched from huge eggs. The age old battle between good and evil are also fiercely fought in children's books about dragons. Many dragon stories have a deeper moral lesson where the kind, friendly dragon, representing good, has to save a princess, or even an entire town or country from the evil, bloodthirsty enemy.
It is still a mystery where dragons come from and where they live. Tales from the Middle Ages portray them as cruel, blood-thirsty land dwelling man eaters. In the days of Christopher Columbus, it was believed that they live in the sea. Most dragons have huge wings, indicating that they might even live somewhere up high in the sky or on another planet from where they watch and visit us.
Nobody can say with certainty that dragons never existed in prehistoric times. We don't know if they originated from myths and folklore during the days of dinosaurs. We do know, however, that they still fascinate and intrigue people and as long as children can see, hear and draw them, speak to them, play with them and read about them, dragons will be around!
In every culture, through the ages, stories of dragons have been passed on from generation to generation. There is probably not a human being who has not yet heard a dragon story. Children relate in various ways to these mythical beasts. Young boys fantasize about slaying them and being knighted for bravery. Girls dream about being rescued from a gigantic monster-dragon by a handsome, brave prince. These days, dragons are also portrayed as loving, kind and even cuddly creatures in every second childrens book about dragons.
What make these mystical creatures so special? What do they have that fascinates people from all over the world? And why are people, even today, so intrigued by stories and folklore about a species that only existed in man's imagination?
But then again, who said dragons are not real? There is no real proof that they never existed and may even still be around! Maybe, just maybe, they are among us, but can only be seen through the eyes of a child . . .
Kids will tell you there are many kinds of dragons. Big ones and small ones. Kind ones and cruel ones. They all look different and each one has different magical powers and purposes. In the world of dragons, magic is real!
Today, there are literally a whole world of dragons for kids to play with and read about. Popular characters in the dragon world, such as Puff, the Magic Dragon, pop up like magic in video games, coloring books, pencil boxes, TV programs, puzzles, stickers and even on candy wrappers. Dragon lovers can take their favorite hero everywhere with them - even to bed in the form of a dragon doll or a printed duvet cover and pillow case! Children can even check out all facts about them on a new Kids Wikipedia about Dragons.
Clever artists and illustrators know there is no scientific proof of what a dragon truly looks like, and that only children can see them. That's why they listen to kids and study children's drawings of dragons to get an idea of how to portray them. Unlike in the human world, dragons can be any color, size or shape. Some can fly, while others have long legs and huge claws to jump across mountains and oceans. Cruel, man eating dragons have horns and razor sharp teeth, while baby dragons are cute and cuddly.
One would expect such a huge, fierce animal to be a mammal that gives live birth, but in many stories, baby dragons are hatched from huge eggs. The age old battle between good and evil are also fiercely fought in children's books about dragons. Many dragon stories have a deeper moral lesson where the kind, friendly dragon, representing good, has to save a princess, or even an entire town or country from the evil, bloodthirsty enemy.
It is still a mystery where dragons come from and where they live. Tales from the Middle Ages portray them as cruel, blood-thirsty land dwelling man eaters. In the days of Christopher Columbus, it was believed that they live in the sea. Most dragons have huge wings, indicating that they might even live somewhere up high in the sky or on another planet from where they watch and visit us.
Nobody can say with certainty that dragons never existed in prehistoric times. We don't know if they originated from myths and folklore during the days of dinosaurs. We do know, however, that they still fascinate and intrigue people and as long as children can see, hear and draw them, speak to them, play with them and read about them, dragons will be around!