Nidhögg, Tiamat & Co.

Det vimlar av drakar av olika slag i konsten, litteraturen och inte minst i mytologin — och på nätet. Det finns snälla drakar — och det finns gruvliga drakar, som måste bekämpas. 

Inom olika konsthantverk var drakar populära i början av förra seklet. De textila drakarna i det här inslaget skapade min mormors syster, som var brodös. Den ovan är en applikation på på boj, med band av läder som kontur.

Den här sidenduken med silkebroderier, har tyvärr förvarats hopvikt — nu funderar jag på om jag vågar stryka den innan jag skaffar en rulle att förvara den på.

En av barnlitteraturens snälla drakar skapades av Edith Nesbit.

For there, by the pillar, lay a very large purple dragon. His wings were like old purple umbrellas that have been very much rained on, and his head was large and bald, like the top of a purple toadstool, and his tail, which was purple too, was very, very, very long and thin and tight, like the lash of a carriage whip.

It was licking one of its purple umbrella-y wings, and every now and then it moaned and leaned its head back against the rocky pillar as though it felt faint. Tom saw at once what had happened. A flight of purple dragons must have crossed the island in the night, and this poor one must have knocked its wing and broken it against the pillar.

Everyone is kind to everyone in Rotundia, and Tom was not afraid of the dragon, although he had never spoken to one before. He had often watched them flying across the sea, but he had never expected to get to know one personally.

So now he said: "I am afraid you don't feel quite well."

The dragon shook his large purple head. He could not speak, but like all other animals, he could understand well enough when he liked.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Tom, politely.

The dragon opened his purple eyes with an inquiring smile.

"A bun or two, now," said Tom, coaxingly. "There's a beautiful bun tree quite close."

The dragon opened a great purple mouth and licked his purple lips, so Tom ran and shook the bun tree, and soon came back with an armful of fresh currant buns, and as he came he picked a few of the Bath kind, which grow on the low bushes near the pillar.

                                             ur "The Book of Dragons"

Läs mer:

Tremendous Trifles, av G. K. Chesterton

(kapitlet The Dragon's Grandmother

The Book of Dragons, av Edith Nesbit

My Father's Dragon, av Ruth Stiles Gannett

(som jag skrivit om tidigare)

The Evolution of the Dragon, av G. Elliot Smith

The Dragon's Secret, av Augusta Huiell Seaman

och Nidhögg och Tiamat.