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In Slavic mythology, European dragons have their peculiarities. A dragon is called 'zmey' in Russian and Bulgarian, 'zmiy' in Old Church Slavonic and Ukrainian, 'zmaj' in Serbian, Croatian and Slovene, and 'żmij' in Polish. Most of these words are masculine forms of the Slavic word for "snake". In Romania, there is a similar figure, derived from the Slavic dragon and named ''zmeu''. In Polish and Belarusian culture there is the word 'smok'.

Contents

East Slavic

South Slavic

See also

East Slavic

In Russia and Ukraine, a particular dragon-like creature, 'Zmey Gorynych', has three heads, is green, walks on two back paws, has small front paws, and spits fire. According to one bylina, Zmey Gorynych was killed by Dobrynya Nikitich.
Other Russian dragons (such as Tugarin Zmeyevich) have Turkic names, probably symbolizing the Mongols and other steppe peoples. Accordingly, St George (symbolizing Christianity) killing the Dragon (symbolizing Satan) is represented on the coat of arms of Moscow. Some prehistoric structures, notably the Serpent's Wall near Kiev, have been associated with dragons as symbols of foreign peoples.
Russian dragons usually have heads in multiples of three. Some have heads that grow back if every single head isn't cut off.

South Slavic

In Slovenia a dragon is called ''zmaj'', although ''pozoj'', an archaic name of unclear origin, is sometimes used as well. Dragons in Slovenia are generally negative in nature, and usually appear in relation with St. George. Other, presumably pre-Christian folk tales relate stories of dragons defeated similarly as the Polish Wawel Dragon, i.e. by tricking them into devouring a modern fire-extinguisher. However, the dragon is not always harmful to man. The best example of this is the Ljubljana dragon, who benevolently protects the city of Ljubljana and is pictured in the city's coat of arms.
In Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro a dragon is called ''zmaj'', ''zmej'' or ''lamja''. It is a multi-headed dragon (with 3, 7 or 9 heads) who breathes fire. Also in Serbia and Bosnia it is also called ''ažda'j'a'' (Serbian language), ''ažda'h'a'' (Bosnian language) (see Azhi Dahaka and Zilant). Ala (in Serbian) or hala (in Bulgarian) is, by a belief, a female dragon, but generally she is a creature separate from dragons: her anus does not get as coverred in filthy welts as do the anuses of her male counterparts. Most probably from Bulgarian, the word for 'dragon' (''zmeu'', with E and not with A as in Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian) was borrowed among the Romanians.

See also

★ European dragon

★ Chuvash dragon

★ Smok Wawelski - dragon of Kraków

★ Zilant - dragon of Kazan

★ Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych (2006 animated feature film)

★ Zirnitra - Wendish dragon and god of sorcery