Where did dragons come from?

[plums_deify]

Don't bring Bigfoot into this! He exists!

[wobnam]

Well, if you are short, like some people...it could be really really really scary enough to be considered a dragon. Is it a dragon? I don't know. It might be to me.

You don't want a tennisball stuck in your nose either, but that doesn't make it a dragon. (...or maybe it does, to you.)

I fail to understand why some people choose to believe in something without a single shred of evidence, just because they "want to". Sounds like very naive wishful thinking to me.

I also fail to understand why anyone would want to take a dragon - a mythical, incredible, magical creature - and reduce it all to next to nothing by making it something as lame and boring as "real".

If I were to start blindly believing my daydreams, I'd go with something cool - like gophers not being real, but a sophisticated disguise utilized by a certain gang of giraffes currently operating in the New Zealand Himalayas.

Dragons evolved, got smart, moved to the Scandinavian countries, and now post on forums trying to disprove their existence.

Uh-oh, posting stuff like that online usually ends up generating a DRAGCON 5 alert[1], which means it could easily have been your last post ever.

[1] Not to be confused with the famous convention for men in women's clothing. All information contained in this message approved by the Norwegian Council of Ill-tempered Dragons. Batteries not included.

[plums_deify]

Clearly, Wob, if you're so scared of a level 5, then you've not had the privledge of a number two--or even a number three.

Last time I heard about a number one alert, well...I daresay the Atlantians are STILL trying to pump out their city after that catastrophe.

[Robin Hood]

I fail to understand why some people choose to believe in something without a single shred of evidence, just because they "want to". Sounds like very naive wishful thinking to me.

Course, since you say so, it is just wishful thinking on my part that you live in Norway. Since I want to, and there is not a shred of evidence to support it. Since you say so.

Dan

[Bluesecrets]

I also fail to understand why anyone would want to take a dragon - a mythical, incredible, magical creature - and reduce it all to next to nothing by making it something as lame and boring as "real".

I was not trying to make it boring. Just point out that to some people, they are real and give some examples as to how they could be considered real. Boring is finding empirical evidence, or searching the net for hours to find links that may or may not prove a point. (Trust me..it was not exciting).

But if we are going to continue this, being real is not boring. You exist, you are real...not boring or lame. Evidence is the above discussion.

If I were to start blindly believing my daydreams, I'd go with something cool - like gophers not being real, but a sophisticated disguise utilized by a certain gang of giraffes currently operating in the New Zealand Himalayas.

Hush! Don't be telling one of the world's best kept secrets!

[Ye Olde Republic]

Anyone who doesn't believe in dragons hasn't met my mother-in-law.

[Elephant Knight]

So some people don't think that Dragons exist?

Well, I have proof that they do!

If this is't a dragon, I don't know what is!

EKnight

(I just had to do it!)

[Ye Olde Republic]

Interesting, it's wings are on backwards.

[wobnam]

Interesting, it's wings are on backwards.

It's in reverse.

[Maedhros]

I fail to understand why some people choose to believe in something without a single shred of evidence, just because they "want to". Sounds like very naive wishful thinking to me.

Could also be the last lifeline for someone finding the world of today despairingly barren and void of possibilities, all catalogued by men in white coats. And do remember that you can't prove that something doesn't exist

[Bluesecrets]

Maybe the possibility that something magical and mythical existing or being real could give hope that magic does still exist in the world, that not everything has to be so cynical, cold, and sarcastic. Regardless, the possibility that dragons once existed means they could very well still exist, somewhere in some forgotten area of this world.

At one point everyone thought the selakant was extinct and miracle of miracles it isn't. They are finding new creatures all the time, on land and under the sea.

Then there is the little fact that when people kill something menacing and threatening, they take souvenirs, or they could use it for eating, or the local voodoo priest (or other folk type healer) may use it for magic or healing. There might not be remains intact for people to find now.

There are all kinds of possibilities.

[Ye Olde Republic]

Living fossils are a far cry from a creature who has never left a fossil or any other type of proof of their existence. That's almost like saying there is life on other planets, we may think that the chances are high that "we can't be the only ones out here" or even just that it's fun to believe it. Doesn't make it true/real.

Hey, maybe dragons are the aliens that built all the pyramids in Egypt and south/central America? That's probably the correct era and certainly would explain the mysterious disappearance of our dragons. Oh, yeah, they probably took the unicorns with them, you have to have a snack when you're travelling across the vast reaches of outer space.

[Maedhros]

Oh, yeah, they probably took the unicorns with them,

I've actually seen one of the old "proofs" of unicorns, in Venice. The horn in question did originate from a whale but I could clearly understand what they were thinking.

I might add that I don't believe in dragons having existed either, but I'm with Blue in her suggestions of what might have inspired the myths...

[Bluesecrets]

Every day we find something new. Every day there is someone out there exploring, digging, and tripping over amazing finds. In the pirate world, there existed in myths and legends, large squid. We had not proof of those until dead ones showed up and finally off the coast of Japan they filmed one.

If we are going to get all analytical, I do question the existence of a large reptile in northern Europe. Reptiles are cold blooded and need the sun to survive to warm them up. Now I know several areas are tempered and do not get as cold as life where I am, which doesn't get as cold as life other places. If a dragon was to exist, I think it would have to have a lot warmer climate to keep its body at a temperature that it could keep its blood flowing. Well, I guess maybe that it taking a lot for granted that a dragon would be a reptile, but it was to have scales.

[Ye Olde Republic]

OK, that sounds reasonable. I'm not convinced that a dragon would be cold blooded if there were known to breathe fire. That sounds like something a warm blooded creature would do. Maybe dragons were more avian than reptilian and that may even explain the flying and even their obsession with bringing shiny objects back to it's nest. Gold, gems and the odd knight in shining armour.....