The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1882-04-15
The Dragon in Trad tion.


the shores Of Greece, and embodied in
classic literature, it received many new de-
velopments and was presented in several
different forms. But the central idea was
the monster engendered in the darkness
and slime Of the marshes, the Python slain
by Apollo; and the struggle between
Bellerophon and Chimera, Hercules and
the Lsernian Hydra, Edipus and the
Sphinx, are but versions Of the same story
The fable Of the dragon whose ravenous
appetite could be arpeased only BY the pc.
riodical sacrifice IF beautiful maiden.
which is told In the story Of Perseus and
Andromeda, has since been many times
reproduced; and, in the more general form
of damse! delivered from the keeping Of
a monster, was a frequent theme in medi.
rval romance. In the former case it will
invariably be found that the hero arrives |
just In time to deliver the Kings daughter
from the terrible fate which otherwise
awaits her; and, as in the classic story, is
generally rewarded with the lady's hand
AS the classic gods and heroes are found
In the mythologies Of the north under diff:
'erent names and in different circumstances
so the dragon is still preserved as the op.
ponent Of all that is good and virtuous. In
the older Edda, which belongs to the ninth
century, but was collected by Seemund in
the eleventh or twelfth, It is Siyurd, the
popular Scandinavian hero, who slavs the
dragon Faft,ir, by whom the earth has been
robbed Of Us treasure. lie des cends to the
internal regions to recover this, and there
stabs the monster who addresses to him the
following serious words: Youth and
youth, of what youth art thou horn: OF
| what men art thou the man: When thou
didst tinge red in Fafnir that bright blade
Of thine, in my heart stood the sword;" at
the same time foretelling that the recovered
treasure will prove to b. his ruin. Sigurd
then takes the monsters heart, which he
roasts; and through touching It 10 sec il it
is done enough, burns, his finger. With
the familiar action which has since been
immortalized BY Charles Lamb, In his
"Dissertation on Roast Pig" the hero then
puts the injured to his lips an: is immedi
ately enabled IT. understand the language
Of the birds. He thus learns that he must
slay Reginn, the dragons brother, who
Otherwise would defraud him OF the re-
covered wealth. This singular story is
slightly varied in the Teutonic version, in
the "Nibelungen Licrd," in which Sieg.
fried, after staying the dragon and his
hoard, bathes in the monsters blo'd, and
IL rendered invulnerable. There is an
evident connection between these stories OF
treasure.keeping dragons and those Of the
slcepless dragon Of the ga, den Of the Hes.
perides, and that which KEEP! watch over
the golden fleece.
1t was dolbtle.~ from this Tcutonis
source that the dragon found its way into
English literature. In Beowulf the ear
Hest poem Of our Saxon ancestors which
has been preserved to US, The hcro's fathe,
is dragon slayer: ITO Sigemund sprans
after the deaths day-glory no little
since battle hardy-he the worm slew-th,
boards guardian;" and Beowulf himsel
destroys monster, the keeper Of treasure
+ as in the tales Of Sigurd and Sicgfried
Among the English people. with whom
the gr,tesque and romantic found always
ready acceptance stories Of dragons had
wide popularity, and, no doubt, were ofte'
told on winter nights in huts Of swine.herd
and huntsmen, or were the theme Of stir
ring songs in the rude hall. Of thames AM
franhlins. Sitting by his log-fire, or look
ing out from his cottage dotr as the shade
, If night drew OH, the Saxon peasant pee
> pied with elves the forests and morasse
around him, and gave to the dragon.myt
Of past ages and distant chimes distinc
and local application. Hence it is that III
a stories of "worms," which may still
: heard in many parts Of the north Of Eng
+. land, obtained their place in popular lore
!. All The Year Round.
= n