Superstitions

[Lee Havana]

Just to verify, after cruising the sails/flags UC submissions I have seen a lot of dragons. If I remember correctly dragons in the conventional sense were considered to be extremely unlucky havign something to do with sea monsters?

[Mad Jack Flint]

You have a point there. Certainly in the western hemisphere, thoughts of dragons and other sea monsters would have been among one of the things you 'dont' talk about on a sea voyage...A bit like discussing the possibility of crashing with your fellow passengers on a plane. Next time you're flying over the Atlantic, try it, and see how well it's received. Har !

I'm not one to quote the bible very often, but there are several references to sea monsters and dragons among its pages. One of the best known is in the Book of Job, chapter 41
Isaiah 27:1 “In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”

So you can imagine your typical god-fearing sailor being quite convinced in his belief that such creatures did exist, because the bible says they do. Add to that the stories sailors shared based on random sightings of creatures unknown to them at the time, such a giant squid, certain whale species, even the Nile crocodile has been suggested as the source of the 'leviathan' story.

The eastern hemishere was of course quite different in its regard towards dragons, there being considered creatures of great wisdom bringing good luck. Dragons are common symbols used on far eastern fishing boats and the like even today.

[Lee Havana]

Thanks you for the response.

[Mat le Fou]

I do agree with Mad Jack, but there is one exception which has to be said.

One of the most famous privateers of all time, was a british underdog called Drake. He was the first one to get the maps to the caribes from thr spaniards, and created such a Havok in the Spainish gallions that he was called under the Name 'El Draco', which can be translated into 'The Dragon'.

Since he knew this nickname, he started to include it on his own flag. So there have been flags with dragons in the caribes

[I Been Jammin]

In China there is a legend that says four dragons made the major rivers in China, like the Yangtze and the Yellow. But, no, I totally agree, this is the Caribbean, not China.
Then again... Dragons sometimes appeared in coats of arms of nations.
Reverse psychology, maybe? Pirates having dragons, bad luck on the ocean, but who is the bad luck aimed at?

[Aeiedil]

Welsh dragon anyone?