Last Update: 29 July 2003
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Red and White Dragons of Wales and Britons / Ddraig Goch Y
Return to the British Isles Page

Region: England
Time Period: Unknown
References in Literature: Legend, Tale of Lludd and Llevelys, Historia Regnom Britanniae
Sources: Dragons and Dragon Lore, Giants, Monsters and Dragons pg 94, DevilinDenim, Geog309i, Nukapai, Alara

See Also: Dewi

  • Considered the national symbol of war standards.
  • Ddraig Goch Y is the correct name for the Red Dragon of Wales
  • Re-written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regnom Britanniae
  • Generally associated with Merlin
There's a lot of mismatched information here, so please bear with me.

In Mabinogion, the tale of Lludd and Llewelys, tells of long ago when the white dragons (the Saxons) invaded and battled with the red dragons (the Welsh). Near the end of the battle, they became drunk on mead and were buried together in a stone coffin in the center of Britain. Legend also has it that as long as they remain buried together, no other may invade the island.

A long time ago, when the island of England was the dragon's domain, all was well and magical. Then one day a white dragon (the English?) swooped down with his army and trapped the red dragons (the Cymry?) on the southern coast while searching the island for the last female Welch Dragon and her children. But the Welch dragons fought and never gave up until they finally lost their lives.

Another version of this tale appears in The Enchanted World: Dragons from Time Life Books, 1984.

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