Appreciate a Dragon Today with Dragon Trivia

Did you know today is Appreciate a Dragon Day? Yes, there is an entire day devoted to appreciation of one of the coolest mythological beasts of all time. I mean, who doesn’t appreciate dragons? That should be a daily event! To celebrate this awesome holiday, I’ve gathered up some fun trivia for you, because I’m all about helping you become the next Jeopardy champion…or at least give you an edge in Trivial Pursuit. So check out some fun dragon trivia, and let me know if I missed anything important in the comments!

Basic Dragon Trivia

• The word “dragon” comes from the Greek word “drakon,” which translates to a serpent of huge size, or a water snake.
• Both Western Europe (namely Greece) and Asian cultures were pivotal in creating the dragon mythology. In fact, in many Asian cultures, it’s still a very important symbol.
• Dragons didn’t really get legs until around the Middle Ages. Before that, they were depicted as resembling giant snakes.
• In Greece, dragons first appeared in The Iliad, the classic tale by Homer.
• While many possible animals could have inspired the creation of dragon mythology, some theorize that a chance discovery of dinosaur bones were the underlying inspiration.

The top 10 coolest dragons in movies and literature (according to me).

1. Puff the Magic Dragon,  made famous by the song by Peter, Paul and Mary. Actually, though, the inspiration for the song came from a poem written by 19-year-pld Leonard Lipton. His poem was based on yet another poem called “Custard the Dragon,” written by Ogden Nash.
2. Elliot, aka Pete’s Dragon, from the Disney Movie. I wish I had an imaginary dragon friend!
3. Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback from Harry Potter.
4. Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon
5. Falkor the Luck Dragon  from The Neverending Story
6. Draco in Dragonheart
7. Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon in Merlin (the BBC show).
8. Mushu from Disney’s Milan
9. The dragon that plays Donkey’s girlfriend in Shrek.
10. The Jabberwocky from Through the Looking Glass.

Real-life Dragons

• Australian Water Dragon- These cute little omnivores live close to the water’s edge in Australia. They love basking in the trees, especially since they can just hop down into the water to escape nasty predators.
• Bearded Dragon- A common household pet now, the Bearded Dragon is also indigenous to Australia. It prefers the dessert-like regions. While insects are their preferred meals, it’s also recommended to keep non-toxic plants in their tank, as they use that as a source of hydration.
• Chinese Water Dragon- These gorgeous green lizards require a lot of care when it comes to setting up the tank. They need a hiding box to get away from it all, some branches to hang out on, water to swim in, and sand throughout the tank. When they get huge, they enjoy eating mice, so your cat may have some competition as the resident mouser!
• Mountain Horned Dragon- These cuties come from the rainforest in Southeast Asia, and they prefer their environment to be really moist. They love climbing, and only grow to about a foot long. If you plan to keep one as a pet, it is recommended that you spritz them constantly with a water bottle.
• Komodo Dragon- My favorite of all the lizards, the Komodo Dragon is way too big to keep in a tank. They live in Komodo, and in a few other areas of Indonesia. These giants can grow to be 10 feet long, making them the closest thing on the planet to a mythological dragon.

So there you have it, a bit of dragon trivia to celebrate Appreciate a Dragon day. How will you show your love for dragons? I definitely don’t suggest hugging a Komodo! Although, honestly, I would love to do that!

Photo Credit:Dragon Heart by Derek Comach

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