从中西“龙”文化发展差异浅谈如何英译龙

从中西“龙”文化发展差异浅谈如何英译龙COMPARISONSONDIFFERENTCULTURALDEVELOPMENTSOFDRAGONINCHINAANDWESTERNCOUNTRYTODISCUSSHOWTOTRANSLATE“DRAGON”INTOENGLISHACKNOWLEDGEMENTACKNOWLEDGEMENTSMYDEEPESTGRATITUDEGOESFIRSTLYANDFOREMOSTTOMYSUPERVISOR,MSZHANGXUAN,FORHERINESTIMABLEHELP,CONSISTENTENCOURAGEMENTANDVALUABLEINSTRUCTIONIWOULDALSOLIKETOEXTENDMYSINCERETHANKFULNESSTOMYCLASSMATES,WHOHAVEBEENSUPPORTINGANDENCOURAGINGMECONSISTENTLY,ANDALSOHELPINGMEINWORKINGOUTTHEDIFFICULTIESDURINGTHEPROCESSOFSEARCHINGFORMATERIALS,WRITINGTHISPAPER,ETCIAMINDEBTEDTOTHOSEWRITESANDEDITORSWHOSEWORKSIAPPRECIATEANDBENEFITFROMGREATLYWITHOUTTHESEVALUABLEMATERIALS,MYARGUMENTATIONWOULDNOTHAVEBEENAUTHORITATIVELYSUPPORTEDIALSOTHANKTHOSEWHOHAVEHELPEDMEINCOURSEOFWRITINGANDTHOSEWHOSENAMEICANTLISTHEREONEBYONEORIGINALITYRESEARCHSTATEMENT论文原创声明INLIGHTOFTHEPRINCIPLESOFACADEMICMORALSANDETHNICS,IHEREBYDECLARETHATTHISTHESISREPRESENTSTHEORIGINALRESEARCHEFFORTTHATIHAVEMADEONTHEADVICEOFMYACADEMICSUPERVISORTOTHEBESTOFMYKNOWLEDGE,NOPORTIONOFTHISTHESISHASBEENCITEDWITHOUTBEINGPROPERLYREFERENCED,ANDWHOEVERHASCONTRIBUTEDTOTHISTHESISISEXPLICITLYIDENTIFIEDANDAPPRECIATEDINTHEACKNOWLEDGEMENTSSECTIONIAMFULLYRESPONSIBLEFORANYBREACHOFTHECOPYRIGHTLAWTHATMIGHTARISE根据学术道德规范，本人承诺如下本论文由本人在导师的指导下独立完成。据本人所知，本论文所引用部分均已注明出处，对论文有帮助的人员均已在鸣谢部分阐明，不存在侵犯知识产权的文字。本人对本论文导致的任何违反知识产权的情况承担全部责任。签名SIGNATURE日期DATECONTENTSIINTRODUCTION7IIDIFFERENTCULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTSOFDRAGONINCHINAANDWESTERNCOUNTRIES1021THECULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFCHINESE“LONG”10211INANCIENTTIMES10212INTHEMIDDLEAGE11213INCONTEMPORARYTIME1322THECULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFWESTERNDRAGON13221INANCIENTTIME13222INMEDIEVALTIMES14223INNEOTERICTIMES16IIITHECULTURALSYMBOLANDCONTENTOFDRAGONINCHINAANDWESTERNCOUNTRY1631THECULTURALSYMBOLANDCONTENTOFDRAGONINCHINA1732THECULTURALSYMBOLANDCONTENTOFDRAGONINWESTERNCOUNTRIES17IVENGLISHTRANSLATIONOFDRAGONANDITSRESPECTIVEPROBLEM1941METAPHASE1942TRANSLITERATION2043FREETRANSLATION2244TRANSFORMATION23VCONCLUSION26BIBLIOGRAPHY28ABSTRACTTHISPAPERISFIRSTLYDESIGNEDTOMAKEACOMPARISONBETWEENCHINAANDWESTERNCOUNTRIESONTHECULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFDRAGONINTOTHREESTAGES,THENACONCLUSIONHASBEENDRAWNTHATALTHOUGHDRAGONISANIMAGINARYCREATUREBOTHINCHINAANDWESTERNCULTURE,THECHINESE“LONG”ISNOTEXACTLYEQUALTOWESTERN“DRAGON”,THISISMAINLYBECAUSEEACHONEHASITSOWNCULTURALORIGINS,IMAGES,POSTSINANCIENTMYTHS,ASWELLASTHEIRSYMBOLSTHUS,DUETOTHEIMPORTANTROLESDRAGONPLAYINCHINESEANDWESTERNSOCIALCULTUREANDGREATCONSEQUENCESITHASFORETHNICANDCULTURALPROMOTIONITISACRITICALPOINTTODISCUSSHOWTOTRANSLATEDRAGONINTOENGLISHINCOMPLEXCULTURALCONTEXTSSOTHATINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONCANBEPROCESSEDEFFECTIVELYANDTHISKINDOFENGLISHTRANSLATIONVERSIONSHOULDBEOURULTIMATEGOALOFWHOLEPAPERSTHESISKEYWORDSDRAGONDEVELOPMENTCULTURESYMBOLTRANSLATION摘要本文首先通过比较龙分别在中国与西方国家的文化与历史发展，接着得出结论尽管龙都是想象虚拟的产物，但它们之间并不对等，不仅文化渊源不同，形象不同，神话中的职守各异，象征意义也大相径庭。因此，正因为龙在中西方所占的重要地位与其在民族精神与文化生活中的不同影响，如何对龙给出一个合理的英译版本，以便对其进行正确的英译，以达到准确的中西文化交流与传播的目的，这是本文探讨与研究的重点。关键词龙，发展，文化，象征，翻译IINTRODUCTIONLANGUAGEANDCULTURE,INTRINSICALLYDEPENDENTONEACHOTHER,HAVEEVOLVEDTOGETHERTHROUGHTHEHISTORY13THEIRMUTUALINTERINTERDEPENDENCECANFINDPROOFINTHERISEOFCIVILIZATION,THEDEVELOPMENTOFWRITINGANDHUMANCOMMUNICATIONMUCHOFTHERECENTWORKHASREVEALEDTHATLANGUAGEISRELATEDTOCOGNITION,ANDCOGNITIONINTURNISRELATEDTOTHECULTURALSETTINGTHENTRANSLATION,ASANIMPORTANTMEANSOFCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONAMONGHUMANBEINGS,HASBEENEXERTINGAPROFOUNDINFLUENCENOTONLYONTRANSFORMINGBETWEENTWOKINDSOFLANGUAGES,BUTALSOONINTERACTINGANDCOMBININGTWODIFFERENTCULTURESFORINSTANCE,UNDERSTANDINGTOWARDDRAGONFROMPEOPLEWITHVARIOUSCULTURALBACKGROUNDSVARIESTOAGREATEXTENTONONEHAND,IFWEAREASKEDTONAMESOMENATIONALEMBLEMSOFCHINA,DRAGONISPRONETOBEONEOFFAMOUSIMAGESTHATPOPINTOOURMINDSWECHINESEOFTENVIEWOURSELVESAS“THEDESCENDANTSOFTHEDRAGON”ITISNOTUNFAMILIARTOUSTHATCHINESEPARENTSEAGERLYHOPETHEIROFFSPRINGMAYBECOMETHE“DRAGON”ASAMYTHICALCREATURE,THECHINESE“LONG”HASDEEPLYROOTEDINCHINESECULTURETRADITIONALLY,DRAGONINCHINAISCONSIDEREDTOGOVERNRAINFALLTHEYHAVETHEPOWERTODECIDEWHEREANDWHENTHERAINFALLSINADDITION,DRAGONINCHINASTANDSFORTHEIMPERIALPOWERTHEEMPERORSTHOUGHTTHATTHEYWEREREALDRAGONSANDSONSOFTHE“GOD”ONTHEOTHERHAND,WHILECHINESEBELIEVETHATDRAGONCANBRINGPROSPERITYANDGOODFORTUNE,THISMYTHICALISREGARDEDQUITEDIFFERENTLYINWESTERNCOUNTRIESINTHEBIBLE,DRAGONREPRESENTSTHEDEVILANDITTENDSTOTRICKSTHEWORLD“WESTERNERSUSUALLYSEEDRAGONASCOLDBLOODEDREPTILES,JUSTRESEMBLESSNAKES”,QUOTEDFROMACOPYEDITORFORTHETEENS“THEYARECRUELKILLERS,BREATHINGOUTFIREANDCAPTURINGWOMEN”,HEALSOADDSTHATPEOPLETHINKOFDRAGONASBEINGDISHONESTBECAUSEOFTHEIRFORKEDTONGUESMOREOFTHANNOT,DRAGONINWESTERNLITERATUREISWITHOUTEXCEPTIONPRESENTEDASMONSTERSAGAINSTWHICHTHEHEROMUSTBATTLENOWWEAREGOINGTODISCUSSTRANSLATIONTHEFUNDAMENTALFUNCTIONOFTRANSLATIONISTOPASSONINFORMATIONTHATCANMAKETEXTSUNDERSTOODBYREADERSADESIRABLEONESHOULDBECAPABLECONVEYINGMESSAGESBETWEENTHELINES,INCLUDINGCULTURALEFFECTSINTHECOURSEOFTRANSLATING,READERSOUGHTTOBETAKENINTOACCOUNTTHANKSTOTHEIRSIGNIFICANTPARTSPLAYEDINCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONASSUCH,FOCUSESINDIFFERENTTRANSLATIONSOFDRAGONINTHISPAPERCONSISTOFTHERESULTSDERIVEDFROMCULTURALDIFFERENCESFORANOTHER,ONTHEBASISOFTRANSLATIONSTRATEGIES,THEMEANSTORENDER“LONG”INTO“DRAGON”BELONGSTODOMESTICATION归化，INCHINESE,WHICH,ALONGWITHFOREIGNATION异化，ISCALLEDONEOFCOMMONLYUSEDTRANSLATIONSTRATEGIESASWEREFERTOIT,DOMESTICATIONISSUCHAMEANSOFTARGETLANGUAGECULTUREORIENTEDTRANSLATIONTHATADOPTSEXPRESSIONSTAILOREDFORTARGETLANGUAGECULTURETOMALETRANSLATIONREADSMOOTHLYANDFLUENTLYBYCONTRAST,FOREIGNIZATIONISANOTHERMEANSOFSOURCELANGUAGEORIENTEDTRANSLATIONWHICHATTEMPTSTOKEEPTHELINGUISTICSTYLEOFORIGINALTEXT,MAKINGITPOSSIBLETOPRESERVE“EXOTICFLAVOR”OFSOURCELANGUAGETHEREFORE,DOMESTICATIONANDFOREIGNIZATIONARETWOOPPOSITEOPINIONSSTEMMINGFROMCONTROVERSIESABOUTHOWTOHANDLECULTURALDIFFERENCESWHILETRANSLATINGASFARASCULTURALTRANSFORMATIONINVOLVEDINTRANSLATIONISCONCERNED,WEMAYDEFINEDOMESTICATIONANDFOREIGNIZATIONASTWOPRINCIPLESONEISNAMEDTARGETLANGUAGECULTUREORIENTEDORTLCULTUREORIENTEDANDTHEOTHERSOURCELANGUAGECULTUREORIENTEDORSLCULTUREORIENTEDBOTHOFDOMESTICATIONANDFOREIGNIZATIONCOULDBETREATEDASCONCEPTUALEXPANSIONOFMETAPHRASEANDFREETRANSLATION,FORTHEREARENOEQUALITIESAMONGTHEMTHEPROFOUNDEFFECTSOFCULTURAL,LITERARYEVENPOLITICALINTENTIONSWOULDBEINCLUDEDINDOMESTICATIONANDFOREIGNIZATION,IFAIMSOFMETAPHRASEANDFREETRANSLATIONWERETOCONVEYINFORMATIONONLANGUAGELEVEL,WECANBESURETHATSPOTLIGHTSOFDOMESTICATIONANDFOREIGNIZATIONCONCENTRATEONCULTURE,POETRYANDPOLITICSITISINSUCHACOMPLICATEDCONTEXTTHATONCETRANSLATINGDRAGONINPRACTICALWRITING,MOSTOFUSARESUPPOSEDTOFULLYCONSIDERLINGUISTICORIGINANDPAYADEQUATEATTENTIONTOCORRECTWORDSANDPHRASESFORCULTURALMEANINGASUCCESSFULANDEFFECTIVETRANSLATIONAPPROACH,THEREBY,ISCAPABLEOFCONVEYINGCULTURALMESSAGESFAITHFULLYTOACHIEVEAREASONABLECOMBINATIONLITERALLYANDMEANINGFULLYNEXTWEWILLSWIFTOURNOTICETOTHEDEVELOPMENTOFDRAGONINCHINAANDWESTERNWORLDIIDIFFERENTCULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTSOFDRAGONINCHINAANDWESTERNCOUNTRIES21THECULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTOFCHINESE“LONG”211INANCIENTTIMESCHINESELONGINITIALLYTURNEDUPASANAUSPICIOUSCREATUREACCORDINGTOTHEARCHAEOLOGICALSTUDIES,EVEN7,000YEARSEARLIERTHANNOWADAYS,ANCIENTCHINESEPEOPLEHADBEGUNTOOBSERVEALLKINDSOFCEREMONIES,INWHICHTHEYSHOWEDGREATRESPECTANDHONORFORLONGFROMCHINESEPEOPLESPOINTOFVIEW,LONG,BROADLYSPEAKINGISAMYTHOLOGICALCREATURE,WITHTHEHEADOFCAMELORHORSEORSNAKE,THEHORNSOFADEER,THEEYEOFARABBIT,THEEARSOFACOW,THESCALESOFACARP,THECLAWSOFAHAWK,THEPALMOFTIGER,WHISKERSANDBEARDLONGHASNOWINGSANDITWILLBECOMEYINGLONG（翼龙）AFTERAONETHOUSANDYEARSSELFTEMPERINGLONGISGENERALLYREGARDEDASBENEVOLENT,POWERFUL,WORSHIPFULANDLUCKYITISALSOTHOUGHTOFASTHEPRIMARYSOURCEOFWINDANDRAIN,ESPECIALLYINLABORERSOPINIONFURTHERMORE,LONG,WHICHAPPEAREDONTHEDESCRIPTIONOFCHINESEFAIRYTALES,OFTENISSAIDTOSITUATEINTHEBOTTOMOFSEAORRIVERRARELYDOESTHISPOWERFULDEITYCOMETOCONTACTSWITHCOMMONCIVILIANSLIVINGONTHEGROUND,NORWILLTHEYSTAYINACERTAINLOCATIONTHATFAILSTOPROVIDEAQUIETENVIRONMENTFORTHEMWITHTHELARGEAMOUNTOFMYTHOLOGICALDESCRIPTIONABOUTTHEMAGICBEAST,CHINESELONGISWIDELYCHERISHEDASALUCKYCREATURE,INMOSTCASESLONGISEVENREGARDEDASTHEAMBASSADOROFGOD,COMMANDINGSUPERNATURALPOWERANDSERVESFORTHEIMMORTALSNOMATTERINARTICLESOFCHINESEFOREBEARSORMODERNMEDIAMATERIALTHATVIVIDLYDEPICTMAJORDUTIESOFCHINESELONG,ITISNOTUNCOMMONTOSEETHATLONGALWAYSMAKESITSAPPEARANCEASAIDSFORTHEIROWNMASTERSWHOUSUALLYARETHECELESTIALBEINGSWITHMAGICPOWER212INTHEMIDDLEAGECHINESELONGHASBECOMECLOSELYINTERTWINEDWITHEMPERORSOFFEUDALSOCIETIES,ANDTHISKINDOFSUBTLERELATIONSHIPEVENTUALLYRENDERSLONGASTHEPRIMEREPRESENTATIONOFROYALTYASEARLYASINTANGDYNASTY200BCINCHINA,THEDATEHADREVEALEDTHATTHEIMAGEOFLONGHASBEENUSEDTOSTANDFORTHEEMPERORFIRSTOFALL,NEARLYALLTHEDICTATORSOFANCIENTCHINESENATION,RANGINGFROMEMPERORHUANG黄帝，EMPERORYAN炎帝,EMPERORYAO尧帝,SHUN舜ANDYU禹,THEIRORIGINALSPIRITSWERESAIDTOBETHEVERY“DRAGON”WHICHCAMEINTOBEINGFROMTHESKYMOREOVER,ITISALKNOWNTOUSTHATCHINESE,FORQUITEALONGTIME,HAVEBEENSHOWINGHONORSFORANCESTORSSOTHATINTHEIROPINION,SINCETHEPASTEMPERORSWERECALLEDASDRAGON,THEPRESENTMONARCHSHOULDALSOCLAIMTOBETHEDESCENDENTSOFDRAGONNOTSURPRISINGLY,LONGSSTATUSASTHESYMBOLOFSUPREMEGOVERNORSHASBEENPASSEDDOWNFROMGENERATIONTOGENERATIONSECONDLY,ITISACKNOWLEDGEDFORALONGPERIODTHATLONGMUSTHAVEASPECIALTALENTTOCOMMUTEBETWEENTHEWORLDANDTHEPARADISE,ASARESULTOFTHEACCEPTEDBELIEFTHATLONGISRESPONSIBLEFORADMINISTRATINGWATERONTHEGROUNDANDRAINFALLFROMTHESKYTHEABILITYTOFLYBETWEENDIFFERENTPLACESENABLESLONGTOPERFORMTHEROUTINEOFREPORTINGGENERALSITUATIONABOUTCOMMONPEOPLETOTHESUPREMEEMPERORWHOGOVERNSIMMORTALWORLDASWELLASTHEMORTAL,CONVEYINGREQUIREMENTSFROMIMMORTALDEITIESTOTHEMORTALWORLDINTHATCASE,BECAUSEEMPERORSINFEUDALSOCIETIESCLAIMTOBETHE“SON”OFLONGANDEXECUTEPLANSINACCORDANCEWITHSPIRITUALBEINGSCOMMAND,THEYTHUSGRADUALLYACCEPTDRAGONTOBETHESYMBOLFORTHEMSELVESANDLOOKUPONITASTHEIROWNEMBODIMENTCHINESELONG,DURINGTHATTIME,WASENDOWEDWITHALOTOFCHARACTERISTICSSUCHASMONARCH,EMPEROR,SACRED,NOBLEANDPROPITIOUSNOSINGLEEMPERORINFEUDALSOCIETYWOULDNOTCALLALLHIMSELFORHERSELFASDRAGON,ANDDESCENDENTSOFROYALFAMILYWEREALLNAMEDAS“DRAGONSGENERATIONBESIDES,THEPALACESWHEREEMPERORSLIVEANDAPPARELSWITHWHICHTHEYDRESSINDAILYLIVESAREBOTHNAMEDAFTERWITHDRAGONTHEREARESOMEEXAMPLESOFWORDS,LIKETHEPALACEOFEMPEROR（龙廷）,THEBEDOFEMPEROR龙床,THEOVERCOATOFEMPEROR龙袍,THEEMPERORLOOKSGREATLYPLEASED龙颜大悦THATFULLYDISPLAYTHESUBTLERELATIONSBETWEENLONGANDEMPERORFROMTHENON,THEPOSITIVEANDCOMMENDATORYMEANINGOFDRAGONINCHINAHASBEENFURTHERDEVELOPED213INCONTEMPORARYTIMELONGINCHINAWASONCEUSEDASTHEMARKTOBEPRINTEDONTHENATIONALFLAGTHEREFORE,THROUGHOUTTHEHISTORYOFEASTERNCOUNTRIESINASIAINMODERNTIMES,MANYNATIONSINCLUDINGCHINAHAVEALWAYSHONOREDDRAGONASNATIONALSPIRITSFORINSTANCE,QINGDYNASTY16161911INITIALLYCONSIDEREDLONGASTHEUNIQUESYMBOLOFEMPERORWHILELATERDEALINGWITHTHEPEOPLEOFWESTERNCOUNTRIES,THEAUTHORITYATTHATTIMEWASBELIEVEDTOPORTRAYTHEPICTUREOFDRAGONONTHEFLAGINTENTIONALLYANDWHATTHEYSOUGHTTODOWASEXPRESSINGTHEIDEATHATDRAGONWASTHEREPRESENTATIONOFSUPREMEPOWER,YOURFOREIGNVISITORSTHUSSHOULDBOWDOWNBEFOREOURCHINESEEMPERORFORRESPECTINTHEBEGINNING,THISKINDOFFLAGAPPEAREDINTHESHAPEOFTRIANGLEHOWEVER,WHENGOVERNORSREALIZEDTHATNATIONALFLAGSOFOTHERSTATESWEREWITHOUTEXCEPTIONARECTANGLESHAPEAFTERWARDS,THEYDECIDEDTOCHANGETHESHAPEACCORDINGLYSOASTOFOLLOWTHECUSTOMOFOTHERNATIONSDURINGTHISTIME,SHORTLYAFTERTHEAPPEARANCEOFDRAGONFLAGCOMETHENATIONALANTHEMSWHOSEMAJORCONTENTCENTEREDONCHINESELONGIN1906,THEMINISTRYOFLANDFORCEINQINGGOVERNMENTCOMPOSEDASONGFORTHEARMY,WHICHWASCALLED“ODETOTHEDRAGON”ATATIME,THISSONGWASTAKENASTHEACTINGNATIONALANTHEMTHELYRICSOFTHESONGREADSINCHINESE“于斯万年，亚东大帝国，山岳纵横独立帜，江河漫延文明波，四百兆民神明胄，地大物博，扬我黄龙帝国威，唱我帝国歌”FROMTHESONG,THESYMBOLOFCHINESELONGASEMPERORCANBESTRONGLYSENSEDITISAMIDTHECONTEMPORARYTIMESWHENWESTERNERSGETTOKNOWTHEDIFFERENCESOFIMAGEBETWEENCHINESELONGANDTHEIROWNDRAGONGRADUALLYANOTHERCRUCIALEVENTTAKINGPLACEINTHISTIMEISTHEREVOLUTIONOF1911LEDBYDRSUNYATSENWHICHOVERTHREWTHEQINGDYNASTYITSUCCESSFULLYOVERTHREWTHEFEUDALSYSTEMTHATHASBEENDOMINATINGCHINAFORNEARLYTWOTHOUSANDYEARSTHISREVOLUTIONEVENTUALLYALTEREDTHEROLEOFDRAGONINMONARCHY,MAKINGCHINESELONGBECOMETHEEMBLEMFORTHECHINESENATIONAGAIN22THECULTURALANDHISTORICALDEVELOPMENTSOFWESTERNDRAGON221INANCIENTTIMESDRAGONINWESTERNCOUNTRIESOFTENPLAYEDTHEROLEASTHELOYALBODYGUARDWHOINCHARGEOFKEEPINGANEYEONSUCHPRECIOUSTHINGSASPEARLSANDJEWELSATTHISAGE,THISDEVOTEDCREATUREWASALLDEPICTEDASEITHERAHUGE,UGLYANDFEROCIOUSSNAKEORASIMPLEMINDEDMONSTERWITHALIZARDLOOKBODYTHESKINCOLOROFTHESEFIERCE“SNAKES”WASMOSTLYDARKGREENANDONTHESURFACEOFSKINGROWSTHESQUAMATHATISCAPABLEWITHSTANDINGANYEXTERIORATTACKATTHESAMETIME,WESTERNDRAGONWASCOMMONLYTHOUGHTOFHAVINGAPEGSHAPEHEADANDLONGPOISONOUSTEETH,SOMEOFDRAGONSEVENHADMORETHANONEHANDWHICHBREATHEDOUTFIRETHEREWASAFAMOUSSTORYINGREEKTALESTELLINGTHATTHEKINGOFTHEBES,CADMUSSUCCEEDEDINKILLINGAGIANTDRAGONWHICHWASRESPONSIBLEFORWATCHINGTHEFOUNTAININBOIOTIAITWASSAIDTHATAFTERKILLINGTHEMONSTER,THEKINGCADMUSDECIDEDTOPULLOUTITSTEETHANDSOWEDTHEMINTOSOILASSEEDSTOHISGREATSURPRISE,THESETEETHSOONTURNEDINTOWARRIORSWHOPROCEEDEDTOFIGHTAGAINSTEACHOTHERIMMEDIATELYATLENGTH,THENUMBEROFTHESEBRUTALWARRIORSWASLEFTONLYFIVETHEREFORE,ENGLISHIDIOM“TOSOWDRAGONSTEETH”HADBEENREGARDEDTOGETORIGINFROMTHISANECDOTENOWADAYS,THEIDIOMMEANSTHAT“KEEPINGTHEHIDDENTROUBLEBUTPROVOKESCONFLICTSANDSTARTAWAR”5ITISNOTUNIQUEBUTHASITSSIMILARCASESABOUTINTHEMID5THCENTURYOFANGLOSAXONS,THEBRITAINHADAMASTERPIECEWHICHWASHONOREDASTHENATIONALEPICOFTHEANGLOSAXONSNATIONITWASCALLEDBEOWULFITSCENTEREDONASTORYINWHICHTHEHERO,BEOWULF,STRUGGLEDTOSLAUGHTERAFIERCEMONSTERLIKETHECREATUREOFGREEKTALESABOVE,THISSORTOFMONSTERWASNONEOTHERTHANADRAGONTHATGUARDEDTHETREASUREALTHOUGHBEOWULFWASBADLYINJUREDBYTHEDRAGONSFIRE,HEFINALLYPUTANENDTOMONSTERSLIFETHROUGHCOURAGEANDDETERMINATION222INMEDIEVALTIMESEUROPEANDRAGONINWESTERNHASBEENDEGENERATEDASTHEEMBODIMENTOFDEVILGREATCHANGESTOOKPLACEWITHTHEIMAGEOFWESTERNDRAGONAMIDTHEMIDDLEAGEASARESULT,DRAGONWASDEPICTEDLIKEAHUGEANDPOISONOUSDEMONWHICHCANRELEASEFIREOUTOFMOUTH,BEINGENDOWEDWITHWINGSTHATBATSCOULDHAVE,ANDAFATABDOMENAVARICE,GUILEANDATROCITYCONSTITUTEDDRAGONSPRIMARYFEATURESOFNATUREONTHEOTHERHAND,DRAGONWASBELIEVEDTOBEFONDOFINHABITINGCAVES,CRATER,LAKESORSEASONCEDISTURBEDORENCROACHED,ITWASPRONETOTAKEREVENGEONANYONEWHOGOTCLOSETOTHEIRTERRITORIESRUTHLESSLYINTHEBIBLE,THEDEMONSATANTRANSFORMEDHIMSELFINTOATREMENDOUSREDDRAGON,WHOSETAILWASSOLONGTHATITCOULDREACHTOTHESKY,SWEEPINGTHROUGHONETHIRDOFSTARSTHISREDDEMONHADGOTNINEHEADS,EACHOFWHICHWOREELEGANTCROWNANDITDEVOUREDTHENEWLYBORNINFANTSGREEDILYINCONSEQUENCE,THEROLEOFWESTERNDRAGONSHIFTEDFROMTHE“MISER”TO“EVILDEMON”,BEINGREDUCEDTOTHEVERYREPRESENTATIONOFCRIME,CRAFTINESSANDCRUELTYALARGENUMBEROFMYTHSABOUTSLAUGHTERINGDRAGONWEREALSOPOPULARINEUROPEDURINGTHEMEDIEVALPERIODBRAVEMENSWRESTLINGAGAINSTDRAGONINTHESEMYTHSWEREUNIVERSALLYHELDASTHEFIGHTOCCURREDBETWEENGOODANDEVILAMONGTHESEWIDESPREADLEGENDSWASONEOFCHRISTIANTALESMOSTLYWELLKNOWNSAINTGEORGEWASACHRISTIANANDAROMANGENERALLIVINGIN4THADINTHECOURSEOFHISJOURNEYATONEOFDESTINATIONS,THEREHEWASTOLDBYTHELOCALPEOPLETHATAHUGEANDVIOLENTDRAGONROOTEDINTHELAKEANDITTHREATENEDTOCUTOFFWATERSUPPLYPROVIDEDTHATITSREQUIREMENTOFCLAIMINGAYOUNGGIRLEVERYDAYCOULDNOTBEMETSUBSEQUENTLY,THEDRAGONWASABOU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