Dragons, Elves and Heroes

Faerie is a Perilous Land

“I propose to speak about fairy-stories, though I am aware that this is a rash adventure. Faerie is a perilous land, and in it are pitfalls for the unwary and dungeons for the overbold. And overbold I may be accounted, for though I have been a lover of fairy-stories since I learned to read, and have at times thought about them, I have not studied them professionally. I have been hardly more than a wandering explorer (or tresspasser) in the land, full of wonder but not of information.” (On Fairy Stories, J RR Tolkien)

I, too, propose to speak about the written world of fantasy. To delve into an enchanting world of words gives me great pleasure. Do such ideas stir your soul? What is it about fantasy or “fairy-stories” that you like? Perhaps it is the amazing, unique creatures like dragons, griffins, and unicorns that roam the lands? Or is it the majestic landscapes of endless beauty, dark caverns, and mighty magic? What about the heroes of great valor, love, and sacrifice?

In my carefree youth, such adventures entertained my thoughts as I wandered the woods or as I lay in bed. To this day, I am still guilty of such endeavors, though more concerns clutter my mind than in those days. So what is it that draws me to fantasy stories? How would I answer these questions?

Mythical or Magical Creatures

J R R Tolkien stated this:

“I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in timid body did not wish to have them in the neighborhood. But the world that contained even the imagination of Fafnir was richer and more beautiful, at whatever the cost of peril.” (Of Fairy Stories, 1939)

The creatures we share this world with are wonderful and interacting with them brings me joy. We all love our pets and horses or whatever else we keep around the homestead. I once had the pleasure of managing a county park that had a nature center with snakes, tortoises, lizards, spiders, and scorpions. Wildlife was common as well. Every one of the creatures in our care had a unique personality, even the tarantula. It was such a delight to watch them and see their reactions to the life about them. So, how much more delightful would it be to talk to a friendly griffin? Or what about a majestic unicorn? Maybe they have the ability to talk back, too. Is not talking animals one thrill of the world of Narnia? But Bilbo reminds us to be wise when talking to dragons.

Dragons are the most amazing of creatures. Stories of Fafnir, Glaurung, and Smaug the Golden are some of my favorite stories. Here is a classic description of a dragon:

“The dragon, which had watched over its hoard for hundreds of years, and knew each costly thing by heart, saw at once that it had been robbed. At nightfall, it crept out of its hole to look for traces of the thief. Finding none, it lifted up its voice and howled so loud that the earth shook, at the same time flames issued from its mouth and burnt up the granges and homesteads far and wide. The men, who sought to put out the fire, fell victims to its fury, or else were dragged into the monster’s cave, where they perished miserably. This happened night after night; the devastation had no end. Many brave warriors went out against the dragon, and tried to kill it, but none of them could withstand the fiery blasts with which the creature defended itself.” (The Legend of Beowulf, by Wilhelm Wagner)

However, dragons may not be so mythical, for there are many historical accounts of dragons:

“Dio the Roman (A.D. 155–236) who wrote the history of the Roman empire and republic, reports the following: one day, when Regulus, a Roman consul, was fighting against Carthage, a dragon suddenly crept up and settled behind the wall of the Roman army. The Romans killed it by order of Regulus, excoriated it and sent the hide to the Roman senate. When the dragon’s hide, as Dio says, was measured up by order of the senate, it happened to be, amazing, one hundred and twenty feet long, and the thickness was fitting to the length.” (St John of Damascus, on Dragons)

Another wonder is the unicorn. Today, they portray most as cute and colorful for little girls, but historically, they were pure and powerful. The Roman historian Aelian (c. AD 220) says of a horse-sized creature in India,

“… It possesses a mane and reddish hair… it exceeds in swiftness, like an elephant it has spatulate feet and has a boar’s tail and one black horn projecting from the eyebrows, not awkwardly, but with a certain natural twist and terminating in a sharp point. It has, of all animals, the best and most contentious voice.” (Unicorns, The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures)

But there are many other creatures, some of which the encounter may be more frightening. Minotaurs, goblins, and basilisks come to mind. Foes for our heroes to fight.

Fantastical and Magical Worlds

A forest of mountainous oaks. A vast cavern glowing with luminous light. Floating castles and landscapes of colors too many to count and shorelines yet unreached. Wander into enchanted forests. They draw us in:

“The tree under which I seemed to have lain all night was one of the advanced guard of a dense forest, towards which the rivulet ran. Faint traces of a footpath, much overgrown with grass and moss, and with here and there a pimpernel even, were discernible along the right bank. ‘This,’ thought I, ‘must surely be the path into Fairy Land…’” (Phantastes, George MacDonald)

Visit an elven paradise like Rivendell:

“‘ You’ve come to the very edge of the Wild, as some of you may know. Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House.’” (The Hobbit, J R. R Tolkien)

Or places of mighty magic and power:

“The air turned to fire, the fire to light liquefied. The bolt that struck from the heavens would have seared and blinded any eye that glimpsed it, even for an instant. From the heavens it came, blazed through Lews Therin Telamon, bored into the bowels of the earth… At last the wind died, the earth stilled to trembling mutters. Of Lews Therin Telamon, no sign remained. Where he had stood a mountain now rose miles into the sky, molten lava still gushing from its broken peak. The broad straight river had been pushed into a curve, away from the mountain, and there it split to form a long island in its midst. The shadow of the mountain almost reached the island; it lay dark across the land like the ominous hand of prophecy.” (The Eye of the World, Robert Jordan)

Personally, I favor stories set in ancient or medieval cultures (especially European) sprinkled with magic and monsters, but there are many imaginative places to visit in books.

Legends of Valor

As much as I love mythical creatures and magical realms, it is deeds of valor that move me the most. Tales of self-sacrifice, great courage in the face of danger, and good triumphing over evil stir the soul.

Let us continue the story above of Beowulf and the dragon:

“The old king [Beowulf] heard of the story of these events with infinite sorrow. He determined himself to attack the monster, and when his friends remonstrated with him on his rashness, he replied that it was his duty to defend his people from all their enemies…”

“Upon this the dragon dropped the king, and encircled both its enemies with its tail, but Beowulf at the same moment made a lunge at its open mouth, driving his weapon so deep that the point came out at the dragon’s throat…” (The Legend of Beowulf, Wilhelm Wagner)

Or in The Hobbit:

“No one dared to give battle to him for many an age; nor would they have dared now, if it was not for the grim-voiced man (Bard was his name), who ran to and fro cheering on the archers and urging the Master to order them to fight to the last arrow. Fire leaped from the dragon’s jaws…” (The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien)

What other great heroes come to your mind?

A Better Man

“…Roonwit the Centaur lying dead with a Calormene arrow in his side. I was with him in his last hour and he gave me this message to your Majesty: to remember that all worlds draw to an end and that noble death is a treasure which no one is too poor to buy.” (The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis)

Fantasy fuels in me a desire to be a better man. To stand against evil and fight for what is good. Protect the innocent, even at the cost of your own life. To be a steward of this world and its creatures. It encourages me to know what is right, good, and just and to not be afraid. To be brave and to be more. Moreover, reading classical fantasy stories stirs my creativity in writing and art, to use words and colors to pour forth beauty for God’s glory. It reminds me that in the end, good will triumph over evil, no matter how powerful evil seems in this world.

I will let Tolkien have the last word as I count myself fortunate:

“The realm of fairy-story is wide and deep and high and filled with many things: all manner of beasts and birds are found there; shoreless seas and stars uncounted; beauty that is an enchantment, and ever-present peril; both joy and sorrow as sharp as swords. In that realm a man may, perhaps, count himself fortunate to have wandered…” (On Fairy Stories, J RR Tolkien)

The Inn at the Forest’s Edge

My first published novelette, The Inn at the Forest’s Edge, takes place in Veardalan, a medieval style world with goblins and elves, unicorns and dryads roaming an ancient, enchanted forest. A young hero must enter the mystical woods, learn to face his doubts, and find his courage. If that stirs wander in you, you may purchase it here.

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