Ulrich Magin on Tame Dragons

[Richyboyo]

Ulrich Magin sent me this e-mail on February 17th 2017 which I am including in # 12 of my magazine Flying Snake:

TAME DRAGON



“In the “King`s Mirror”, a Norwegian book of the 13th century which lists all knowledge of the world (including a synopsis of the Old Testament), there is a reference to the letter which Prester John allegedly had sent from India. The book says about the wonders of that far-off land: “If I may be amazed about something which is described therein, and which to me is not the last of wonders, it is the fact that small people there tame the big flying dragons which dwell in the mountains and ride on them, just as on horses.” I have translated this from the German edition “Königsspiegel” ( Gustav Kiepenheur: Leipzig 1978, p.47) There will surely be an English translation.

I hope you are fine,

Ulrich.

 

[EnolaGaia]

The American-Scandinavian Foundation sponsored a 1917 English translation of:

The King's Mirror
(SPECULUM REGALE -- KONUNGSS KUGGSJÁ)
Translated from Old Norse into English by Professor Laurence Marcellus Larson

... which can be accessed as a large PDF file at:

https://ia600300.us.archive.org/22/items/kingsmirrorspecu00konuuoft/kingsmirrorspecu00konuuoft.pdf

The passage you cited occurs on p. 103 in this edition (within Chapter VIII: The Marvels of Norway).

The book is structured as dialogues between a father and son.

Prior to launching into discussion of marvels found in Nordic lands (at the son's request), the father says (p. 101) he's disinclined to relate such stories without first-hand knowledge:

"I am not much disposed to discuss the wonders that exist among us here in the North, though my reason may be rather trivial: many a man is inclined to be suspicious and think everything fiction that he has not seen with his own eyes; and therefore I do not like to discuss such topics, ..."

Having said that, the father refers to the purported Letter from Prester John as a recent example of something subject to such precautions:

"My reason for bringing up this objection is that a little book has recently come into our country, which is said to have been written in India and recounts the wonders of that country. The book states that it was sent to Emmanuel, emperor of the Greeks. ... "

(Larson notes this 'little book' as referring to the Prester John letter.)

The father continues (pp. 101 - 102):

"Now it is the belief of most men who have heard the book read, that such wonders are impossible, and that what is told in the book is mere falsehood. But if our own country were carefully searched, there would be found no fewer things here than are numbered in that book which would seem as wonderful, or even more so, to men of other lands who have not seen or heard anything like them. Now we call those things fiction because we had not seen them here or heard of them before the coming of that book which I have just mentioned. That little book has, however, been widely circulated, though it has always been questioned and charged with falsehood; and it seems to me that no one has derived honor from it, neither those who have doubted it nor the one who wrote it, even though his work has been widely distributed and has served to amuse and tickle the ear, seeing that what is written in it has always been called fiction."

... [W]e need not be so very skeptical of this book which is said to have been written in India, though many marvels are told in it; for there are many things in our own country, which, though not strange to us, would seem wonderful to other people ...

But if I should express surprise at any of those tales that are told in that book, it seems to me not least wonderful that manikins are able to subdue those great winged dragons which infest the mountains and desert places there, as the book tells us, and tame them so completely that men are able to ride them just as they please like horses, fierce and venomous beasts though they are said to be and not inclined to allow men in their neighborhood, still less to be tamed and to do service."

I find it interesting that this more directly translated text (with additional preceding context-setting):

- addresses skepticism as a general topic of particular relevance to the alleged letter;
- claims the alleged letter had long been considered fiction;
- recommends always remembering any such report may be considered suspicious for no more reason than conveying subject matter beyond the reader's experience or ken;
- cites the dragon bit as the letter's marvel he (the father) seems to have the biggest issue in accepting at face value; and
- specifies that 'manikins' (wee folk) tamed the dragons, whereas it was 'men' who eventually rode them.

 

[Richyboyo]

Thanks for this info Enola Gaia, very interesting

 

[EnolaGaia]

The ostensibly complete and original Letter of Prester John (in Latin) is accessible at:

http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/presterjohn.asp

An unabridged English translation (whose quality / completeness I cannot vouch for ... ) can be accessed at:

http://my-ear-trumpet.tumblr.com/post/153705530655/letter-of-prester-john-unabridged-english

Neither mentions anything about dragons.

It's well known that the Letter was recurrently embellished as it disseminated throughout Europe, with the result that some later versions are far longer than the Latin original.

I wonder when and where the dragon story to which the Norwegian work refers got added into the mix ...

 

[Richyboyo]

Thanks very much indeed for this info Enola.
Are you familiar with any out of place crocodile stories within the UK?

 

[EnolaGaia]

... Are you familiar with any out of place crocodile stories within the UK?

No ... Sorry ... But ...

You might check these FTMB threads:

Out of place animals

Out of place Crocidilians

 

[Richyboyo]

Thanks