Editing European dragon (section)

== Modern dragons ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2019}}[[File:West Edmonton Mall-Fire Dragon.jpg|thumb|[[West Edmonton Mall]]'s fire-breathing dragon animatronic. Removed in 2014 due to high maintenance costs and its drying-out rubber skin]]

The [[emblem book]]s popular from late medieval times through the 17th century often represent the dragon as an emblem of greed. <!--Some quotes are needed--> The prevalence of dragons in European [[heraldry]] demonstrates that there is more to the dragon than greed.

[[Agosti Xaho]], a romantic myth creator of the 19th century, fused these myths in his own creation of ''Leherensuge'', the first and last serpent, that, in his newly coined legend, would arise again some time in the future bringing the rebirth of an independent republic for the [[Basques|Basque people]].

Dragons have long been portrayed in modern times as greedy treasure-hoarders, lusting for gold and precious gems. In such stories as ''Beowulf'', the theft of such treasure sparks a dragon's fury. In the [[fantasy]] genre, however, there has been a trend of originally depicting dragons in a positive light: as allies instead of enemies, the red dragon of Wales, and the brother dragon of Poland. Dragons are increasingly viewed as friends of humans and as highly intelligent and noble creatures, while still remaining the fearsome beasts of legend. They are frequently shown as guardians and close friends of individual humans.

After the discovery of fossil [[pterosaur]]s,{{When|date=November 2023}} European-type dragons are often depicted without front legs, and, when on the ground, standing and walking pterosaur-fashion on their back feet and the wrists of their wings.

===Recent fiction===
Dragons play prominent roles in [[J. R. R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]] legendarium, particularly in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and ''[[The Hobbit]]'', and in the unconnected ''[[Farmer Giles of Ham]]''.

Many of these modern ideas were first popularised by [[Anne McCaffrey]] with her ''[[Dragonriders of Pern]]'' series.

[[Ursula K. Le Guin]] has prominent dragons in her books about [[Earthsea]].

Later authors such as [[Christopher Paolini]] also depicted sympathetic dragon characters in ''[[Eragon]]''.

Ffyrnig, the Last Great Dragon of ''[[Legend of the Heart Eaters]]'', the first book in the story of ''[[Jonah and the Last Great Dragon]]'' by [[M.E.Holley]] is based on an actual legend of the Welsh Borders, which tells that the last great dragon is asleep under the [[Radnor Forest]], imprisoned there by St. Michael.

[[File:Draak efteling.jpg|300px|thumb|right|"The Dragon" in the [[Efteling]].]] The [[Efteling]] has since 1979 an animatronic scene in the [[Fairytale Forest]] that depicts an archetypical Western European dragon protecting a treasure from getting stolen by the public. 

[[Bryan Davis (author)|Bryan Davis]]'s ''Dragons in Our Midst'' series depicts dragons as noble and kind beasts, having the ability to marry and reproduce with humans.

[[E. D. Baker]]'s [[E. D. Baker#Tales of the Frog Princess series|''Tales of the Frog Princess'' series]] frequently includes dragons, and people who can change between human shape and dragon shape.

The ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' / ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' series includes dragons and dragon-riders.

''[[How to Train Your Dragon (novel series)|How To Train Your Dragon]]'' is a series of twelve children's books, written by British author [[Cressida Cowell]]. The books are set in a fictional Viking world and focus on the experiences of protagonist Hiccup as he overcomes great obstacles on his journey of Becoming a Hero, the Hard Way.

[[Tui T. Sutherland]]'s book series ''[[Wings of Fire (novel series)|Wings of Fire]]'' is set in a dragon-dominant world where five dragonets must complete a prophecy to end a twenty-year-long war.

The [[Temeraire (series)|Temeraire series]] by [[Naomi Novik]] combines dragons with tropes from the [[Age of Sail]].