Dragon

This article describes the mythological creature. For other uses, including extant animals, see dragon (disambiguation)

A dragon is a mythological beast widely featured in human literature and lore. There are two major divisions: the dragons of the Western and Eastern traditions. Western European dragons are usually cast as the "bad guys" in stories, while Eastern and particularly Chinese dragons are seen as more benevolent. Dragons are imagined as reptilian; European dragons are portrayed with wings, while Chinese dragons are understood to be more like large snakes.

Modern authors, particular in the fantasy genres, often develop stories in which dragons feature prominently. Occasionally there are tales in which dragons are portrayed sympathetically, some stories are even told from the dragons point of view.

Real animals

There are extant modern animals (usually lizards) called 'dragons'. To find articles on any of these, please see Dragon (disambiguation).