Dragon, the Password

Computer security is ever more important as years go by and the Internet becomes an integral part of our lives. Experts are constantly trying to persuade people to protect ourselves from various forms of crime by using stronger passwords. As part of this effort, a security firm called SplashData has been releasing an annual list of the most common passwords. Last April, Wired.com published an article revealing that the word “dragon” has made the most-common-password list every year for at least two decades.

Of course, those of us reading this blog already know that dragons are amazing and memorable creatures. Still, it seems an odd choice for a password. Whimsical, even. In her article,Wired reporter Louise Matsakis delves into the reasons for choosing this particular word. She also makes sure to mention that the reason we know “dragon” is a popular password is that many accounts using it were hacked.

So if you’ve used “dragon” as your password anywhere, you might want to update that. The hackers are on to you!

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

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Dragon Crash Site

Recently my local newspaper caught my attention with travel coverage about the site of a Dragon crash. Dragons? Tell me more!

The XB-28 “Dragon” was an experimental high-altitude bomber briefly developed by the U. S. during World War II. The design work was done by North American Aviation. It was based on their earlier, successful design for the B-25 Mitchell bomber.

Several trial craft were flown in 1942 and ’43, and the tests were considered quite successful. However, military planners determined that high-altitude bombing would not be as useful in the Pacific arena as it had been in Europe. Weather conditions in the Pacific did not allow accurate bombing runs, and this would lead to wasted ammunition and other resources. Thus the XB-28 was never put into production.

The crash site mentioned in the travel article is a relic from one of the test runs. In January of 1943, a crew was flying from (probably) Twin Falls, ID to Tacoma, WA. They encountered a winter storm in the mountains. Ice built up on the wings and forced a controlled crash. The pilot spotted Loon Lake, north of Boise, and used its frozen surface as a runway. It was still a rough landing. All eight crewmen survived, although one was badly injured. They pulled together a shelter using wreckage and forest material, and hunkered down to await rescue.

The radio was no longer working after the crash, meaning that the Air Force didn’t know where they were. Search planes flew without success. After a few freezing-cold and hungry days, three of the strongest crewmen set off on foot to look for help. These three hiked forty miles over two weeks until they reached a ranger station and reported the situation. In the meantime, however, the five other crewmen had already been rescued. A bush pilot passing by had spotted the wreckage. The men who hiked out must have been frustrated, but they certainly were heroic and deserve to be called dragon riders.

The plane’s wreckage was left where it lay. It remains on the shores of Loon Lake, in the Payette National Forest. Today you can view it after a hike of ten miles round trip, starting at nearby Payette Lake.

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

 

Just For Fun 37

Here is a joke from the web site “From Russia With Love.” It features Zmey Gorynych with a different bogatyr, Ilya Murometz. The English is somewhat rough there, so I’ve cleaned it up a bit.

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One time the famous Russian bogatyr, Ilya Murometz, was enjoying a day at home. A group of elders from the village nearby came to see him and said, “Ilya, help us! Zmey Gorynych is so angry that he burned 3 villages and ate all the hens. We are in trouble!”

But Ilya did not answer them. They went away discouraged.

A few days later, the village elders returned. “Please help us, Ilya! Zmey Gorynych has destroyed 10 villages, eaten all the cows, and kidnapped our wives. You must take action!”

Again there was no reply. They went away desolate.

After a few more days, the elders came calling again. “Ilya, it’s a nightmare! He’s destroyed 20 villages, eaten every domestic animal, and snatched the princesses. He’s very close to us now. Please, won’t you do something?”

At this, Ilya got up and got dressed. The elders were relieved and grateful. “Thank you for helping us at last!”

But Ilya said, “Oh, fellows. It’s time to escape now.”

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

Zmey Gorynych, Part 2

Previously… A bogatyr (heroic knight) named Dobrynya Nikitich had fought the dragon, Zmey Gorynych, and forced her to plead for mercy. The two of them agreed never to fight again. All was well, or so Dobrynya thought.

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When he returned to the court of his patron, Vladimir the Great, Dobrynya was greeted by terrible news — none other than Zmey Gorynych had descended from the sky and snatched away Vladimir’s niece, Zabava Putyatishna! The king was furious when he learned that Dobrynya had encountered this dragon and allowed her to live. He ordered the bogatyr to rescue his niece or die trying.

Dobrynya went home to his mother and complained bitterly that he had neither horse nor weapons suited to such a task. (Never mind that he had already defeated Zmey Gorynych with nothing but a hat…) Mama Dobrynya gifted her boy with a fine horse named Burko, a spear, and a magical whip from Shamakhi (modern-day Azerbaijan) that would heal any wound.

Thus equipped, Dobrynya Nikitich set off on his quest. He followed Zmey Gorynych’s trail to the Saracen Mountains. There he rescued several Russian captives, but was unable to find the missing princess. He did locate the Zmey’s nest, where he trampled and crushed her young. Before dying, one of the dragonlings bit Burko’s leg and paralyzed the poor horse. Fortunately, Dobrynya remembered his magical whip and was able to restore his faithful steed.

Just then, Zmey Gorynych rushed from her lair in a rage over the loss of her brood. She swore that she would never release Zabava until Dobrynya had fallen before her. The battle was joined, and what a battle it was! Combat raged all over the Saracen Mountains for days on end. By the third day, the bogatyr was exhausted and had nearly decided to abandon his mission. But a voice came from the Heavens urging him to fight just three hours longer. Dobrynya Nikitich gathered his courage and fought on.

Just as the voice had promised, Zmey Gorynych lay dead less than three hours later. But Dobrynya was still in trouble. The dragon was so evil that the earth would not allow her blood to sink in. A great pool of blood collected there, and Dobrynya was at risk of drowning in it. Again a voice called down from the Heavens, telling him to speak an incantation and jab his spear into the ground. At this, the blood finally soaked into the ground. Dobrynya was able to save the Princess Zabava. (One assumes he washed the blood away before returning her to her uncle’s court, however.)

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

 

Zmey Gorynych

Dobrynya Nikitich is a great and popular character who stars in many byliny (epic poems) of Russian and Slavic folklore. Dobrynya was a bogatyr (a heroic knight). He may have been based on a real person who lived in the court of Vladimir the Great, an Eleventh Century ruler in what is now Ukraine. As often happens, the legend of Dobrynya’s cunning and skill at arms far outstrips that of any mere mortal.

Perhaps his best known adventure came when he faced the dreaded dragon, Zmey Gorynych. As the tale begins, Dobrynya’s mother warns him of four things that he must not do: travel through the Saracen Mountains, trample baby dragons, rescue a Russian captive, and swim in the Puchai River. Like many young men, the bogatyr was fearless and proud. He scoffed at his mother’s advice.

One day, as he traveled on court business, he came to that very same river. It was hot, so he decided to go for a swim. Unfortunately for Dobrynya, someone else was also bathing that day — a twelve-headed dragon burst from the water, roaring! This, of course, was Zmey Gorynych. Because they were in the water, the bogatyr was able to avoid being burned by her fiery breath, but his weapons and armor were back on the bank. If he tried to reach them, he would be incinerated! In desperation, Dobrynya groped in the water for anything that could help him. All he found was a sturdy pilgrim’s hat.

Somehow, the bogatyr was able to use this as a weapon. Now it was the dreadful dragon who feared for her life. She pleaded with Dobrynya to spare her on account of having young baby dragons at home. The courtly knight was moved to pity, and the two of them made a promise not to fight each other again. Zmey Gorynych flew away — but she was as wicked as she was fierce. As soon as Dobrynya was out of sight, she started to plan her revenge…

Come back Saturday for part two of the epic tale!

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

 

 

The Zmaj of Yastrebatz

Way back in the 14th Century, Serbia was ruled by the Tsar Lazar and his wife, Militza. The tsarina was such a great beauty that she caught the eye of a Zmaj living near Yastrebatz. Every night for more than a year, the Zmaj visited her bedchamber. (I have to think he disguised himself as Lazar, but the story doesn’t say.) Eventually Lazar realized what was going on. He demanded that his wife find out the dragon’s weakness. Militza must also have been angry at the deception, for she agreed with her husband’s request.

When the Zmaj returned to her, the tsarina pretended to be concerned for his safety. She asked if he feared anyone other than God, or if some hero might even be superior to him. The unsuspecting Zmaj replied that there was just one threat to his well-being — Vook, a Zmaj-Despot. Upon learning of this, Lazar sent his people out to search the countryside. Eventually he learned that Vook lived near a village called Koopinova on the plains of Sirmia.

Lazar promptly sent a message to Vook, complaining of his subject’s behavior. Vook arrived in a fury — and that is the last thing the story tells us about the Zmaj of Yastrebatz.

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.

Zmey

Many cultures have some form of dragon in their folklore. In Russian and Slavic legends, this creature is known as a Zmey (also spelled Zmei or Zmaj). The breed in general are gigantic reptiles living in dense forests and rugged mountains. They are green, to better blend with their habitat, and have between three and nine heads! Each of these can blow fire from their noses and smoke from their ears. As if that isn’t bad enough, Zmey also can fly, and when they do they are big enough to block out the sun.

Different cultures have different ideas about Zmey, of course. In Serbian lore, Zmey have the heads of rams and are guardians who fend off the evil Azjada who would destroy people’s crops. Bulgarian lore tells that only male Zmey are the benevolent protectors while females are the malevolent destroyers. Sounds like they have a dramatic home life!

The Serbian lore continues that Zmey may be gifted with superior strength and intellect, but they all have one major weakness — women. Several legends relate to Zmey who are captivated by human women. At times when crops failed, villagers believed that the Zmey were neglecting their duties and chasing skirts instead of chasing Azjada. In that case, the priests would go from house to house saying prayers to force the Zmey back into their usual haunts. Indeed, more than one historic leader in the region played on this folklore by claiming that they were the sons of Zmey disguised as men.

Come back Saturday for one of these Serbian dragon legends.

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Wyrmflight: A Hoard of Dragon Lore — $4.99 e-book or $17.99 trade paperback. Available at Amazon or Draft2Digital.