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Dragons of the Dark Continent
Africa
The Dark Continent contains peoples and myths so diverse that to prove anything about them is nearly impossible. There are however many dragon stories that abound and have interested cryptozoologists and are being studied even today. Draconic creatures have been reported as recently as 1971 when several native and non-native peoples supposedly witnessed a dragon in flight. Ethiopian "magicians, or holy men were said to have killed and eaten dragons and even Marco Polo hiimself wrote that he witnessed great flights of dragons flying from Europe to Ethiopia. The Egyptians also stated that winged serpents often came to their land from the desert.
Hydra
The most common dragon in Africa is also known as the water dragon or the hydra. These are dragons that controlled the waters of the land and were often offered gifts to ensure that the rivers would not cease to flow. Most hydras are said to have more than one head, usually up to seven and that to cut one head off will cause two to sprout up in it's place. A most formidable creature indeed.
Wyvern
The second most common dragon of the desert is the wyvern. Wyverns are small but very vicious. They were reported to bring pestilence and famine not only to the african peoples but also to Greece and Europe. A wyvern has the typical draconic body but only two legs with sharp talons like that of a raptor and a pair of wings.
Isa Bere
From Futa Jallon a mountain dragon by the name of Isa Bere supposedly caused a drought by drinking the entire Niger River. The story goes that a king by the name of Samba and his bard Tarafe sought out this dragon and battled him for over 8 years. Finally they were sucessful in slaying the dragon with a sword to the heart and the waters once more flowed freely.
^Congo^
Nguma-monene
In 1971 a creature was reported to have been seen in the Congo. It was approximately 40 to 60 meters long and resembled a large snake. A serrated ridge ran from head to tail and also had a forked tongue like that of a snake. This creature is known as the Nguma-Monene. This story has captivated cryptozoologists and even now they still are trying to find this facinating creature.
Emela-ntouka
Another creature that has cryptozoologists intrigued is an animal explained to be a new type of rhinoceros. The size of an elephant with a heavy tail like that of a crocodile and a single horn on the front of its head . It has four legs and the skin is textured like an elephants and colored a brownish/gray. The tracks discovered are said to be clawed and very large. They are reported to have killed elephants and water buffalo with their horn but they do not seem to eat meat.
^West Africa^
Rainbow Serpent
Also known as the rain maker this creature is a winged serpent that is more god than dragon however it is supposed to be able to fly although it does not have wings. It is also known in Africa and North America and it is said that the appearance of a rainbow is the Rainbow serpent flying from one water source to the next.
Bida
A Dausi legend has it that a King sent for his sons as he lay dying nad none but the youngest came to his side. He sent his son on a quest to find nine jars of water and bathe in them and then he would become king. Then he must find a drum names Tabele and strike it in the desert. After he had done these things a great city rose from the sand guarded by the dragon Bida. The dragon demanded virgin sacrifices and upon recieving them he would shower the city in gold. For generations this occurred until the lover of one of the virgins decided to slay the dragon. He chopped off the dragon's head sending it flying to the Gold Coast. The legends says that this is why gold is found in plenty there.
^East Africa^
Olitiau
Flying lizards like the long extinct pterodactyls are said to grace the skies in many areas of eastern africa. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zaire, Mount Kenya, and the Camaroons all have stories of the winged creatures. Cryptozoologists are still trying to discover if these creatures are real or not.
^Mali^
Virgin Sacrifices
A young mainden was born in a village by a lake. This lake was inhabited by a dragon that demanded payment of a virgin sacrifice that he may devour so that the village coul remain close to a water source. Each year a virgin was chosen and each year the dragon came and took its victim. The day came when the last maiden Fatouma was the only virgin remaining and so she was left on the shore of the lake to wait for the dragon. As she waited a young man by the name of Hammadi came along and fell in love with her at first sight and in turn he slew the dragon and married Fatouma.
^Egypt^
Nehebkau
This serpent like dragon was a fiercesome crature with the arms and legs of a human but a dragon like body. He provided protection against snakes and scorpions and also protected the dead pharoahs in the afterlife as well as guarded the entrance to the underworld. He was tamed my Ra and rode with him in his great boat across the sky.
Toeris
A goddess of child birth, her appearance was sometimes seen as having the head of a hippopotomus, arms and legs of a lion and the tail of a crocodile.
Ammut
This goddess was the devourer of souls. She awaited those that passed into the afterlife to weigh his sins and if they were excessive she ate his soul. Her appearance was that of having the torso of a lion, the hindquarters of a hippo and the head of a crocodile.
Uadjit
A winged cobra with a womans head she was the mistress of Lower Egypt. This creature was said to have risen upon the forehead of the sun god and destroyed her enemies with her fiery breath.
Winged Serpent
There is one creature often used in tombs that is very mysterious. This is known as The Winged Serpent. It is a serpent with wings which stands for the soul of the departed.
Some Egyptian winged serpents were said to guard the trees which grew frankincense, which to many was a sacred incense. Their wings were like those of bats, not feathered like the sylized versions. They were either depicted as having two wings or four.
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