Indian Flying Fox: Fearless Exploring

By Dibyendu Ash [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

One of the largest of Bats, Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) has a wingspan of more than a child's height. During her flight, She extends her legs outward to expand the span of her wings. A strong swimmer, Indian Flying Fox crosses rivers using her wings as flippers.

Less feared than other types of Bats, Indian Flying Fox eats only fruit. Her favorite is very soft bananas which She swallows whole.  However, with mangoes, She extracts the juice and spits out the seeds. Indian Flying Fox is an important pollinator in the tropics, and a major dispenser of seeds. In certain parts of India, She is regarded as sacred.

Unfortunately for Her, her desire for fruit has led Indian Flying Fox in conflict with people. Because She causes extensive damage to fruit orchards, many farmers consider Indian Flying Fox to be a pest. Governments in South Asia have instituted kill programs to stop Her, since they consider Indian Flying Fox to be “vermin.”

Found throughout South Asia and the Maldives, Indian Flying Fox prefers living near large areas of water. She is often found in tropical forests and swamps. Once, She settles into a suitable place, Indian Flying Fox makes it her permanent Camp. (Groups of Flying Foxes are called “camps.”) Because of her strong flying abilities, Indian Flying Fox colonized many islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Many species of Flying Foxes found on these islands can be traced to her.

Indian Flying Fox flies long distances at night to search for her food. Some of her travels have led her to distant lands. She is fearless in what She does knowing that She can navigate anywhere. A dauntless explorer, Indian Flying Fox travels to islands near and far. Traversing over vast stretches of ocean, She is unafraid of never reaching land. Indian Flying Fox is confident in her navigation skills. Because of her self-assuredness, She has become the mother of many island species. Take wing and fly. Just be care not to be a pest.

Wisdom of Indian Flying Fox:
 Strength
 Confidence
Having Adventures
Learning Not to be a Pest  

Note: Indian Flying Fox is also known as Greater Indian Fruit Bat.

Mythic Animals: Horses: Karkadan of Persia

Many modern depictions of Unicorns are of peaceful, shy, gentle horse creatures. For that reason, I think of them as steeds for fairy princesses. This refined image of the Unicorn is something that I do not relate to. However, learning about the Karkadan, the Unicorn of Ethiopia, India, and Persia, changed my point of view about Unicorns in general. Unlike the seemingly passive European Unicorn, the Karkadan protects its territory. Well-known for its fierceness, the Karkadan preys on elephants and lions. Moreover, this solidly built beast shakes the ground as it runs. It tickles me that only the ringdove is unafraid of the Karkadan. Sitting on the Karkadan’s back, this bird sings to it. In return, the beast protects the ringdoves from harm. I think of this as gratitude for beauty and grace that the ringdove brings to the Karkadan.

“Wikipedia” reports that that the Iraqis have a tradition called the “tears of the Karkadann.” According to this myth, the Karkadan wanders in the desert looking for water. When “he” does find it, “he weeps out of fatigue and thirst-pain.” “His” tears, as they fall into the water, become beads, which are then used for prayer beads. After learning about this tradition of the Karkadan, I have come to regard this beast as ancient, fierce, and wise.

What Karkadan looked like

Works Used:

Allan, Tony, “The Mythic Bestiary,” Duncan Baird: London, 2008.

---, “Karkadann,”, Wikipedia, 13 May, 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karkadann.

Nigg, Joseph, “The Book of Dragons and Other Mythical Beasts,” Quarto: London, 2002.

---, “Persian Unicorns,” Unicorn Dreams, http://lair2000.net/Unicorn_Dreams/Types_of_Unicorns/Persian/karkadann.html.

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary,” New Page Press: Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.

Dragons of Various Asian Myths

Myth:  Goolung Bridge (Chinese)

Type:     Li-lung

Description:  Not described in story.  Normally a serpentine Chinese dragon

Actions:  Dislikes people.  Changed into humans to take water from the area to drive people away their territory

Norm:  No

Why:  Unlike the usual li-lung, the two dragons of the story would not share their water.

Myth:  Dragon Pearl (Chinese)

Type:  Li-lung

Description:  Has two long-scales on its body, horns on its head, and two wings on its back

Actions:  Born from a pearl.  Brings water to the people

Norm:  Yes

Myth:  Pai-Lung (Chinese)

Type:  Pai-Lung

Description:  White dragon

Actions:  Acted as a benevolent dragon

Norm: No

Why:  Born from a human woman

Myth:  Koshi Dragon (Japanese)

Type:  Yamata dragon

Description:  Had eight heads and whiptails, and flaming eyes

Actions:  Abducted and ate people.  Drank sake

Norm:  No

Why:  Does what European dragons usually do

Myth:  Kiyo’s Lesson (Japanese)

Type:  Kiyo

Description:  Not described in story.  Probably the usual Japanese dragon with three toes

Actions:  Human woman shape-shifts into a dragon.  Sought revenge and flamed a priest.

Norm:  No

Why:  Was a human, and not a dragon

Myth:  Indra and Vritra (Indian)

Type:  Vritra

Description: Great limbless dragon, resembles a snake

Actions: Held the waters of the world.  Fought Indra

Norm:  Yes

Why:  Holding the waters is what most cosmic Asian dragons do

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Dragons Around the World

Mandarin Chinese: Lung (Loong) (Wade-Giles Romanization)

The Lung is the stereotypical Oriental dragon. Long and snake-like, the Lung has four claws and carries a pearl. According to traditional lore, this dragon has the head of a camel, horns of a deer, ears of an ox, eyes of a devil, neck of a snake, belly of a clam, scales of a fish, talons of an eagle, and paws of a tiger. A Lung often starts as a snake and go through a series of changes before becoming a dragon.

Hindi: Naga (Naaga)

The Naga is a multi-headed serpent. Usually resembling a king cobra, this dragon possesses a pearl between its coils. Some Indian Nagas have human heads and upper bodies.

Australian Aboriginal –Kunwinjku tribes: Ngalyod, the Great Rainbow Serpent (male), and Yingarna (female)

The Great Rainbow Serpent is a large snakelike dragon, striped with the colors of the earth and sky. There are two Rainbow Serpents – the female is the Mother and the male, the Transformer. According to some Australian tribes, the Great Rainbow Serpent is blind. In addition, some Australian artists depict the Rainbow Serpent with a kangaroo head and crocodile tail.

Latvian: Pukis (Pukys, Puhkis)

In the air, the Pukis is a flying fiery ball. On the ground, it takes the form of a cat. This household dragon can be bought, and then bred by the family it resides with.

Hawaiian: Mo’o’inanea, Mo’o

The Mo’o traditionally resembles a large lizard. For Hawaiians, the Mo’o is a shape shifter, who can appear either as a woman or a boulder. This dragon is often found near groves of hau trees.

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Works Cited:
____. “The Rainbow Serpent”, Aboriginal Art Online, 2001, 28 April, 2009, .

____. “Indigenous Australia: Spirituality”, Australian Museum, 2004, 28 April, 2009, .

DeKirk, Ash “LeopardDancer”, Oberon Zell Presents Dragonlore, New Page, Franklin Lakes (NJ), 2006.

Dobell, Steve, ed., Dragons: Heroes and Legendary Beasts in Poems, Prose, and Paintings, Anness Publishing, London, 2004.

Nigg, Joseph, The Book of Dragons and Other Mythical Beasts, Quarto Press, London, 2002.

The Serene Dragon, 2002, 28 April 2009,

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash “LeopardDancer” DeKirk, A Wizard’s Bestiary, New Page, Franklin Lakes (NJ), 2007.
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