Dragons: Bhutan and Vietnamese

1.       Druk: Bhutan (Dzongkha)

The people of Bhutan refer to their nation as the “Land of the Druk” (Thunder Dragon).  The dragon depicted on their flag is long and sinewy with no wings.  It has four legs with three claws on each foot.  The druk’s snarling mouth represents the deities who protect Bhutan.  In addition, the pearl that the druk holds represents the wealth of the country. 

2.      Rong (Long): Vietnamese

Through the ages, Vietnamese dragons went through various depictions.  Originally the rong was a combination of a crocodile, snake, lizard, and bird.  Later it morphed into a slender snake-like dragon with a tapering tail.  The rong had fins, a mane and beard.  It also possessed small thin legs that ended in three toes.  Under Chinese influence, the rong became more like the Chinese lung.

Works Used:

-----, “Bhutan”, “Flags of the World”, http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bt.html, 2010 (20 September 2010)

-----, “The Legend of the Wawel’s Dragon”, “Polish Culture”, http://culture.polishsite.us/articles/art292fr.htm, 2006 (20 September, 2010)

Persico, Marisa, “Russian Dragons”, “Dragons”, 2007 http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/russian_dragons.php (20 September, 2010)

 “The Slavic Dragons”, “Dragons”, 2007 http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/slavic_dragons.php (20 September, 2010)

-----, “Smok Wawelski”, “Monstropedia”, http://www.monstropedia.org/, 2006 (20 September 2010)

-----, “Vietnamese Dragon”, “Monstropedia”, http://www.monstropedia.org/, 2008 (20 September 2010)

-----, “Zilant”, “Monstropedia”, http://www.monstropedia.org/, 2009 (20 September 2010)

-----, “Zmej”, “Monstropedia”, http://www.monstropedia.org/, 2008  (20 September 2010)

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Dragons; Polish, Russian, and Tartar

1.      Smok: Polish

The smok once lived in a cave under the Wawel Hill (near the Vistula River) which is in Krakow, Poland.  This dragon is referred to as “Smok Wowelski” (Dragon of Wawel Hill), which is near the Vistula River.  The City of Krakow placed a sculpture of the smok near the spot where it lived.  This sculpture depicts a scaly, wingless dragon with six legs.  It also breathes fire (with the help of natural gas).

2.       Zmey: Russia

The zmey is described as being a snake-like dragon with multiple heads.  The number of the heads was an odd number between three and nine.  (Zmey’s heads will grow back unless the stump is sealed by fire.)  The zmey also had two wings, two small forearms, and two hind legs.

3.      Zilant :Tartar (Yilan) [Ajdaha: Persian]

As depicted on the Coat of Arms of Kazan Governorate (Tartarstan, Russia), the zilant had two chicken legs, bat wings, a bird body, and snake tail.  It also spits fire.  However in various stories, this dragon had four chicken legs, and was regarded to be a flying snake.  The zilant of stories also lived in water.

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