L.O.T.R. - Dragons

Dragons appear in every mythology around the world. Mundane scientists think that ancient peoples found dinosaur bones sticking out of the earth and imagined giant creatures that breathed fire. But mythologies need heroes and heroes who fight dragons are just way cooler than the dragons. When Jason and the Argonauts went after the golden fleece the myth-makers saved the baddest evil for last: the dragon that guarded the fleece itself.

Tolkien only names four dragons in Middle-earth: Glaurung father of dragons, Ancalagon the Black, Scatha the Worm, and Smaug. Glaurung led armies and destroyed whole kingdoms. Ancalagon led the attack of the flying dragons at the end of the First Age of the Sun. Scatha and Smaug appear to have acted alone. But Sauron supposedly set fire to the lands of western Middle-earth during the Second Age. Do you wonder if he used dragons?

Glaurung's great enemy was Turin Turambar. Turin was the greatest and most tragic of the man heroes of the First Age. He was blinded by his pride and anger and he was never satisfied with his lot in life. While a little ambition may be good for anyone Glaurung used Turin's emotions against him. The confrontations between Turin and Glaurung are stunning and believable. And it is ironic that Glaurung is responsible for his own undoing because he didn't kill Turin when he first had a chance to.

Smaug is a lot like Glaurung. He became proud and overconfident. Success destroys a winner faster than success mixed with failure. If you don't learn how to deal with setbacks then when you are finally faced by one it overcomes you. Smaug was defeated by the most innocent of creatures: a thrush. The bird overheard Bilbo tell the Dwarves about Smaug's vulnerable spot and the thrush told Bard the Bowman where to shoot his last arrow.

Tolkien's dragons look like caricatures of our own worst traits. We will lead armies in swathes of destruction. We will topple kingdoms and slaughter women and children. We set ourselves up to be kings over our own desolations. And when we are challenged by someone who doesn't know any better than to challenge us, we inevitably defeat ourselves because of our pride and confidence.

Being a dragon is like being a king for a day. The dragon sleeps on the bed of gold and jewels but he has to listen for the sound of approaching footsteps. Anyone brave enough to wake a sleeping dragon is most likely man enough or smart enough to defeat it. Let the dragons beware!