Tolkien's best Dragon - Page 2 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

GreatWarg · 01-20-2003, 04:24 PM

My vote is cast for Glaurung, I must say. I would consider him cruel, and he played a large part in the curse that Morgoth laid upon Turin.

A few words for Smaug, however; I do not cast a half vote for him, but I will say this: he was, if anything, an amusing character in my eye, and one who is overly obsessed with his hoarde.

GreatWarg

obloquy · 01-20-2003, 06:01 PM

I vote for Scatha.

01-22-2003, 10:49 AM

Chrysophylax was Tolkien's best Dragon. He's my favorite, thouh Smaug's is easier to pronounce. ;-)

littlemanpoet · 01-22-2003, 11:39 AM

Welcome to the Downs, radagast, and a very sensible first post, I might add. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Thulorongil · 01-23-2003, 07:53 PM

I haven't read of Chrysophylax, though it seems now I'm going to have to.

I'd have to say Glaurung. He was the father of all the dragons, and was such a cunning & powerful beast. But mostly, he was cool!

I think that tons of people would be thinking of Smaug, only because he's the one everyone knows about.

zacattack · 01-23-2003, 08:36 PM

Tolkeins best Dragon in my opinion is Ancalagon the Black.Glaurung is the father of Dragons and he's pretty cool but I still like Ancalagon better.

littlemanpoet · 01-24-2003, 05:47 AM

Thorongil: Maybe your vote will change after you've read Farmer Giles. I think you'll love it.

Smaug: 7 1/2
Glaurung: 8
Chrysophylax: 5 1/2
Scatha: 2
Ancalagon: 8 1/2

Ancalagon pulls away from Smaug but Glaurung slithers a neck ahead of Smaug, too, catching up to Ancalagon. Whoa! And look at ol' Chrysophylax, where'd he find that extra kick! Must have smelled unguarded treasure at the finish line....

Inderjit Sanghera · 01-27-2003, 11:10 AM

So whens the deadline for voting?

obloquy · 01-27-2003, 03:27 PM

Yeah, and when will the winners be announced? And what are the prizes?

01-27-2003, 06:21 PM

I dont remember his name but the one in the Hobbit

Inderjit Sanghera · 01-28-2003, 02:58 AM

Smaugs the name and now he is level with Angy and Glaurung. As for prizes. A dragon maybe?

littlemanpoet · 01-28-2003, 09:32 AM

From my view they're only on the back straightaway...

As for prizes, what prize do you give a dragon?

Inderjit Sanghera · 01-28-2003, 09:41 AM

Gold? Jewels? Mithril? A chicken mcnugget?

Tinuviel of Denton · 04-22-2003, 05:43 PM

I like Chrysophylax and all those others, but my vote has to go to Smaug because I'm currently in a play version of "the Hobbit" and where would I be without loyalty.
(By the way, add me to the list of people who want a dragon and for real dragonlovers, check out the Elvenbane series. The dragons are the principle characters.)

Daewen · 04-22-2003, 05:57 PM

Smaug, definetly, because he has an interesting personality and he was, for a dragon, civil to Bilbo.

**The Saucepan Man** · 04-22-2003, 06:15 PM

My vote definately goes to Glaurung. I like my Dragons evil, and Glaurung's just about as evil as they get. OK, he hasn't got the overbearing winged power of Ancalagon the Black, or the smug arrogance of Smaug. But for sheer, unrelenting malevolence, Glaurung beats them all hands down.

Indeed, Ancalagon wouldn't even make the shortlist for me, given that he couldn't even see out his first engagement in battle without getting himself slayed. Glaurung, on the other hand, hung around for thousands of years making the lives of Elves and Men alike (and the family of Hurin in particular) a misery.

Smaug comes a close second. But after his onslaught on the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and the Men of Dale, he became more concerned with protecting his pile of treasure than rampaging about like a proper Dragon should. And, becoming overly-confident in his arrogance, he allowed himself to be easily tricked into revealing his vulnerable spot. In order to defeat Glaurung, however, Turin had to come up with a very clever, and highly risky, strategy. And even when he lay dying, Glaurung was unrepentant, preferring instead to further the malice that he had wrought:

Quote:

Hail, Nienor, daughter of Hurin. We meet again ere the end. I give thee joy that thou hast found thy brother at last. And now thou shalt know him: a stabber in the dark, treacherous to foes, faithless to friends, and a curse unto his kin. Turin son of Hurin! But the worst of all his deeds thou shalt feel in thyself.

Now that's what I call a proper Draconian way to behave. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Aiwendil · 04-22-2003, 06:53 PM

I vote for Glaurung - the perfect combination of malice, cunning, brute strength, and evil will. Smaug is a great character as well, but somehow Glaurung seems to me to be more intense, more starkly and dramatically drawn.

Dain · 04-23-2003, 03:05 AM

Glaurung definitely was an evil wyrm, and I'm sure Ancalagon the black was very powerful, but just for this comment:

Quote:

They're only Dwarves, after all!

I'll have to vote for Smaug the Magnificent, if only because he ruined the fortunes of my people for centuries. Anyway, Glaurung couldn't even fly!

Tinuviel the Nightingale · 04-23-2003, 03:25 AM

Ancalagon the Black all the way.

Nuranar · 04-23-2003, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Glaurung, on the other hand, hung around for thousands of years making the lives of Elves and Men alike (and the family of Hurin in particular) a misery.

Attaboy - er, Man [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] - Saucepan! Malevolent, malicious, malignant, merciless, murderous, monstrous, maleficent...who needs wings?

Mitheithel · 04-25-2003, 08:51 AM

I like Acalagon the Black, though the guy in "Farmer Giles of Ham" was extremely funny
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

littlemanpoet · 04-25-2003, 10:58 AM

I'm glad to see new life breathed into this particularly enjoyable discussion. Allow me to raise the ante... thusly:

Everybody seems to think that since we're comparing Tolkien's dragons to Tolkien's dragons, that it's apples to apples, so to speak. But The Silmarillion is quite a different book from The Hobbit, and Farmer Giles of Ham is quite different from either of the other two. Thus, one may conceivably compare Ancalagon the Black and Glaurung without having to account for legendarious (new word, eh? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ) differences, but Smaug's milieu is that of a classic fairy tale with its happy ending, whereas Glaurung's is of mythic scope, and tragic. By comparison, Chrysophylax's milieu is unabashed farce. So...

Given the farcical underpinnings of Chrysophylax and the happy ending underpinnings of Smaug, and the mythic tragedy underpinnings of Glaurung, a lot of the arguments raised in defense of this one or that being best, is mitigated by these very underpinnings. Thus, Smaug letting Bilbo discover his weakness is part of the nature of fairy tale, and is not as valid a mark against him as Ancalagon losing his first battle. There are probably many more examples of just such a thing.

All of this to say, given the farcical nature of Farmer Giles of Ham, all the mitigations therein accounted for, such as Chrysophylax being a groveling, treasure loving sycophant set aside, his sheer wrath at the stupid giant, and cleverness at all times, not to mention his ability to stay alive in the face Caudimordax, Chrysophylax, is clearly the best dragon. Of course, I've already voted, so this is redundant. But necessary. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Afrodal Fenyar · 04-25-2003, 11:02 AM

Ancalagon the Black's pretty cool, simply because he is great, but my vote goes to Glaurung. Why? It's already said here. I need not to add anything.

**The Saucepan Man** · 04-25-2003, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Thus, one may conceivably compare Ancalagon the Black and Glaurung without having to account for legendarious (new word, eh? ) differences, but Smaug's milieu is that of a classic fairy tale with its happy ending, whereas Glaurung's is of mythic scope, and tragic. By comparison, Chrysophylax's milieu is unabashed farce.

Ah, but they stand or fall by the style in which they are written. So a perceived fault derived from their legendarious (great word, lmp [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ) setting (such as Samug's weak spot) is nevetheless a valid fault for the person casting the vote. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

By my calculations, the scoreboard currently stands at:

Smaug: 11 1/2
Glaurung: 12
Chrysophylax: 5 1/2
Scatha: 2
Ancalagon: 10 1/2

So, Ancalagon drops from first to third, while Glaurung (yay! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] ) takes the lead, with Smaug in close pursuit. "Who needs wings" indeed. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Sophia the Thunder Mistress · 04-25-2003, 05:02 PM

Glaurung made Turin's life a wreck, and since I am quite fond of Turin in his better moments, I can never quite forgive Glaurung for it. So while he's quite good as dragons go, my vote goes for the far end of the spectrum and.... *drumroll*

Chrysophylax- an excellent dragon, and an excellent cook (as represented in Revenge of the Entish Bow [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]-- almost as funny as the original)

Sophia

littlemanpoet · 04-25-2003, 09:00 PM

:Sniff!: Excuse me as I :sniff: in indignation that such a nonentity as Ancalagon has so many votes compared to the ever wondrous Chrysophylax! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

It seems to me there should be somewhere around here .... :: LMP peers around his mug of ale :: ... Ah! Yes! I have here a little bit of historolexicography that proves - proves! - mind you, that Chrysophylax is indeed the greatest of Tolkien's dragons. It was brought to my attention by a very, very short man (who just happened to wear very, very large shoes). It seems that there is this ancient booklet written in a rare form of West Saxon. The book's title is somewhat smeared, and the title page is worse, but I think I can just make it out: "Annals of the Wild Hills and Legendarious Accounts of Wyrms and Giants". So you see, the word 'legendarious' cannot be said to originate with this writer, much to my own chagrin. In any case, in this singular book it says that - excuse me, the pages are ever so delicate - seems to indicate that Chyrsophylax lived long years after the shortlived incident of the Little Kingdom, and that he routed out every last giant from Wales, sent them packing north where they shrank over time and turned into - Shetland ponies? No. I read that wrong. Scottish sheepherders is what is says. The writing is somewhat smeared right there. But I'm quite certain that it says Scottish sheepherders. There's a reference to the Highlands and Loch Ness. Something about Chrysophylax enjoying a good swim now and then. What that might mean I leave to your deductions. In any case, this book makes it quite clear that Chrysophylax had a most illustrious career and is perhaps still with us to this day. I'm sorry, but he must stand as Tolkien's best dragon. And if my illustrious colleague, The Saucepan Man, Esquire, is to be granted his contention that the legendarious mitigations must be allowed to stand, then this newly discovered "Annals" book must also be included as evidence. I wish I could show it to you... Respectfully, Littlemanpoet. Now where did that verrry little man with the verrrry big shoes get to? I swear I saw him just over ... there... He seemed ... English .... somehow.... OxfordShire, perhaps? Just a guess.

Keneldil the Polka-dot · 04-26-2003, 10:59 PM

Glaurung for me, with Smaug a close second.

Quote:

Which do you think is Tolkien's best dragon

Sounds to me like littlemanpoet is asking for opinions obloquy. So voting for Scatha is legit, however misguided, and does not merit your sarcasm (not that you ever require merit), or your second guessing.

the guy who be short · 04-27-2003, 10:38 AM

definitely glaurung, for all the reasons the saucepan man said. i mean, smaug was just... i dont know... he seemed weaker. i mean, he killed sheep or ponies or something didnt he? how noble and powerful is that? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Schmendrick · 04-27-2003, 10:52 AM

I'm gonna have to vote Glaurung, too. For me he is THE perfect dragon ; cunning, evil and mysterious...

littlemanpoet · 04-27-2003, 11:35 AM

'Kay, guy who be short, jush fer argumensh shake, who ever shez a drrrrragun is sh'posed te be noble? 'Scuze me while I go burry me face in me beer...

06-25-2003, 09:23 AM

Ancalagon the Black - blatently, he was the first flying dragonthe when he arrived he was a new and evil force theres no way you can compare smaug to to him smaug just sat on his butt all day every day for however many years, you may say 'oh but he was feared by all peoples near him' that doesnt really say much, they didnt seem to need much scaring - the people only moved away as far a esgaroth thats not a great distance, plus he was camp [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ... who ever heard of a camp dragon? no, Ancalagon definitly has my vote.

Helkahothion · 06-25-2003, 09:54 AM

Glaurung for me. Smaug was stupid, he was too arrogant and it lead to his death. The others, I don't know. What I do know is that GLaurung had much power and was golden. Well, that should be enough for me [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Suilad,

Anuion

Finwe · 06-25-2003, 09:59 AM

Ancalagon for me! Now that Dragon died in style! It took Earendil and a fleet of Eagles to kill him, not just a random guy with a black sword like Glaurung, or a random guy with a bow and arrow like Smaug!

obloquy · 06-25-2003, 12:49 PM

Turin's just some 'random guy'?

Beren87 · 06-25-2003, 12:55 PM

Chrysophylax of course! The most amusing dragon in all Fantasy, beaten by a farmer. Lovely dragon, Chrysophylax.

Yavanna228 · 06-25-2003, 01:44 PM

Heh heh, never underestimate a farmer with a mission. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
Chrysophylax gets my vote too. Although Glaurung is the more 'dragony' dragon. Chrys is endearing. Sort of.
Peace

**The Saucepan Man** · 06-25-2003, 05:15 PM

Smaug: 11 1/2
Glaurung: 16
Chrysophylax: 8 1/2
Scatha: 2
Ancalagon: 12 1/2

Glaurung now pulling away from the chasing pack. Just as it should be. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ June 25, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

StarJewel · 06-29-2003, 04:51 PM

My vote would have to go to Glaurung. He actively sought to make Turin's, Nienor's, and anyone else's lives he came across a living hell. (Dont ya love my abuse of the good old English language?) Just for pure nastiness, he gets my vote.

Although, Ancalagon's taking out mountains was pretty coolnull [img]null[/img]

Lord of Angmar · 06-29-2003, 06:58 PM

My vote for Tolkien's best dragon goes to Glaurung. He was by far the cruelest of all the Uruloki, the father of the dragons and the epitome of all that Morgoth represented. In many ways he was the physical embodiement of Morgoth in the first age, since Morgoth never appeared from his fortress in Angband except for his battle with Fingolfin and in the War of Wrath. Glaurung's cruelty, malice and treachery, and his sheer cunning, make him the best dragon.

However, when I read about the battle between Ancalagon and Earendil, I did get chills, but there's simply not enough written about him to compare him to Glaurung. Smaug is more two-dimensional I think, since the Hobbit was (let's face it) a children's book, more so than LotR and DEFINITELY more than the Silmarillion. As for Chrysophylax, I don't think his personality was as well crafted as Glaurungs.

Shouldn't this be under Novices and Newcomers, as I am told that all "best/favorite" posts should be there? Just wondering....

Has anyone kept a running count of who has obtained the most votes of the 4 aforementioned dragons? I'm too lazy to go back and count, but my guess from skimming through entries is Glaurung.

[img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

06-30-2003, 04:01 AM

But you have forgotten the best dragon of all Gandalf's firework [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] . But seriously I don't know much about this subject but in the Shadow of the Past Gandalf seems to think Ancalagon was the most powerful (or at least the one with the best fire breath) and I suspect he knows what he's talking about.

01-20-2003, 04:24 PM	#41
GreatWarg Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2002 Location: East of the Misty Mountains Posts: 339	My vote is cast for Glaurung, I must say. I would consider him cruel, and he played a large part in the curse that Morgoth laid upon Turin. A few words for Smaug, however; I do not cast a half vote for him, but I will say this: he was, if anything, an amusing character in my eye, and one who is overly obsessed with his hoarde. GreatWarg __________________ "What shall we do, what shall we do!" he cried. "Escaping goblins to be caught be wolves!"

01-23-2003, 07:53 PM	#45
Thulorongil Haunting Spirit Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: wherever the road may take me Posts: 97	I haven't read of Chrysophylax, though it seems now I'm going to have to. I'd have to say Glaurung. He was the father of all the dragons, and was such a cunning & powerful beast. But mostly, he was cool! I think that tons of people would be thinking of Smaug, only because he's the one everyone knows about. __________________ I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago, And people who will see a world that I shall never know.

01-23-2003, 08:36 PM	#46
zacattack Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Angband Posts: 70	Tolkeins best Dragon in my opinion is Ancalagon the Black.Glaurung is the father of Dragons and he's pretty cool but I still like Ancalagon better. __________________ "The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark "What an excellent spot I choose"-Gimli "Would you like me to describe it to you or just fetch for a box"-Legolas

01-27-2003, 11:10 AM	#48
Inderjit Sanghera Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England Posts: 716	So whens the deadline for voting? __________________ “If I’m more of an influence on your son as a rapper then you are as a father then you've got to look at yourself as a parent” ~>Ice Cube. "Life is so beautiful"->Don Vito Corleone

01-28-2003, 02:58 AM	#51
Inderjit Sanghera Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England Posts: 716	Smaugs the name and now he is level with Angy and Glaurung. As for prizes. A dragon maybe? __________________ “If I’m more of an influence on your son as a rapper then you are as a father then you've got to look at yourself as a parent” ~>Ice Cube. "Life is so beautiful"->Don Vito Corleone

01-20-2003, 06:01 PM	#42
obloquy Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: WA Posts: 939	I vote for Scatha.

01-22-2003, 10:49 AM	#43
radagast Guest Posts: n/a	Chrysophylax was Tolkien's best Dragon. He's my favorite, thouh Smaug's is easier to pronounce. ;-)

01-22-2003, 11:39 AM	#44
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Welcome to the Downs, radagast, and a very sensible first post, I might add. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

01-24-2003, 05:47 AM	#47
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Thorongil: Maybe your vote will change after you've read Farmer Giles. I think you'll love it. Smaug: 7 1/2 Glaurung: 8 Chrysophylax: 5 1/2 Scatha: 2 Ancalagon: 8 1/2 Ancalagon pulls away from Smaug but Glaurung slithers a neck ahead of Smaug, too, catching up to Ancalagon. Whoa! And look at ol' Chrysophylax, where'd he find that extra kick! Must have smelled unguarded treasure at the finish line....

01-27-2003, 03:27 PM	#49
obloquy Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: WA Posts: 939	Yeah, and when will the winners be announced? And what are the prizes?

01-27-2003, 06:21 PM	#50
A Dwarf Friend Guest Posts: n/a	I dont remember his name but the one in the Hobbit

01-28-2003, 09:32 AM	#52
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	From my view they're only on the back straightaway... As for prizes, what prize do you give a dragon?

01-28-2003, 09:41 AM	#53
Inderjit Sanghera Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England Posts: 716	Gold? Jewels? Mithril? A chicken mcnugget? __________________ “If I’m more of an influence on your son as a rapper then you are as a father then you've got to look at yourself as a parent” ~>Ice Cube. "Life is so beautiful"->Don Vito Corleone

04-22-2003, 05:43 PM	#54
Tinuviel of Denton Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Amid the hills and dales of the Shire... or not. Posts: 579	I like Chrysophylax and all those others, but my vote has to go to Smaug because I'm currently in a play version of "the Hobbit" and where would I be without loyalty. (By the way, add me to the list of people who want a dragon and for real dragonlovers, check out the Elvenbane series. The dragons are the principle characters.)

04-22-2003, 05:57 PM	#55
Daewen Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stuck inside an Aquafina bottle...HELP! ...seriously, I'm getting claustrophobic Posts: 153	Smaug, definetly, because he has an interesting personality and he was, for a dragon, civil to Bilbo. __________________ Thrust and the nuns will come. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do the wave for Boromir the Disco King!

04-22-2003, 06:53 PM	#57
Aiwendil Late Istar Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,224	I vote for Glaurung - the perfect combination of malice, cunning, brute strength, and evil will. Smaug is a great character as well, but somehow Glaurung seems to me to be more intense, more starkly and dramatically drawn.

04-23-2003, 03:25 AM	#59
Tinuviel the Nightingale Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Splashing around in Galadriel's Mirror Posts: 299	Ancalagon the Black all the way. __________________ I am no longer Saruman the White... I am Saruman THE BRINGER OF ALL THINGS FLUFFY AND SPECIAL! Join Legends of Middle Earth!

04-25-2003, 08:51 AM	#61
Mitheithel Pile O'Bones Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Estonia Posts: 24	I like Acalagon the Black, though the guy in "Farmer Giles of Ham" was extremely funny [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ As grey as winter storms up there Are silver waves of Mirrormere.

04-25-2003, 10:58 AM	#62
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I'm glad to see new life breathed into this particularly enjoyable discussion. Allow me to raise the ante... thusly: Everybody seems to think that since we're comparing Tolkien's dragons to Tolkien's dragons, that it's apples to apples, so to speak. But The Silmarillion is quite a different book from The Hobbit, and Farmer Giles of Ham is quite different from either of the other two. Thus, one may conceivably compare Ancalagon the Black and Glaurung without having to account for legendarious (new word, eh? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ) differences, but Smaug's milieu is that of a classic fairy tale with its happy ending, whereas Glaurung's is of mythic scope, and tragic. By comparison, Chrysophylax's milieu is unabashed farce. So... Given the farcical underpinnings of Chrysophylax and the happy ending underpinnings of Smaug, and the mythic tragedy underpinnings of Glaurung, a lot of the arguments raised in defense of this one or that being best, is mitigated by these very underpinnings. Thus, Smaug letting Bilbo discover his weakness is part of the nature of fairy tale, and is not as valid a mark against him as Ancalagon losing his first battle. There are probably many more examples of just such a thing. All of this to say, given the farcical nature of Farmer Giles of Ham, all the mitigations therein accounted for, such as Chrysophylax being a groveling, treasure loving sycophant set aside, his sheer wrath at the stupid giant, and cleverness at all times, not to mention his ability to stay alive in the face Caudimordax, Chrysophylax, is clearly the best dragon. Of course, I've already voted, so this is redundant. But necessary. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

04-25-2003, 11:02 AM	#63
Afrodal Fenyar Haunting Spirit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Finland Posts: 94	Ancalagon the Black's pretty cool, simply because he is great, but my vote goes to Glaurung. Why? It's already said here. I need not to add anything. __________________ "Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!" ~Eomer

04-25-2003, 05:02 PM	#65
Sophia the Thunder Mistress Scent of Simbelmynë Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Aboard Highwind, bound for Traverse Town Posts: 1,780	Glaurung made Turin's life a wreck, and since I am quite fond of Turin in his better moments, I can never quite forgive Glaurung for it. So while he's quite good as dragons go, my vote goes for the far end of the spectrum and.... drumroll Chrysophylax- an excellent dragon, and an excellent cook (as represented in Revenge of the Entish Bow [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]-- almost as funny as the original) Sophia __________________ The seasons fall like silver swords, the years rush ever onward; and soon I sail, to leave this world, these lands where I have wander'd. O Elbereth! O Queen who dwells beyond the Western Seas, spare me yet a little time 'ere white ships come for me!

04-25-2003, 09:00 PM	#66
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	:Sniff!: Excuse me as I :sniff: in indignation that such a nonentity as Ancalagon has so many votes compared to the ever wondrous Chrysophylax! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] It seems to me there should be somewhere around here .... :: LMP peers around his mug of ale :: ... Ah! Yes! I have here a little bit of historolexicography that proves - proves! - mind you, that Chrysophylax is indeed the greatest of Tolkien's dragons. It was brought to my attention by a very, very short man (who just happened to wear very, very large shoes). It seems that there is this ancient booklet written in a rare form of West Saxon. The book's title is somewhat smeared, and the title page is worse, but I think I can just make it out: "Annals of the Wild Hills and Legendarious Accounts of Wyrms and Giants". So you see, the word 'legendarious' cannot be said to originate with this writer, much to my own chagrin. In any case, in this singular book it says that - excuse me, the pages are ever so delicate - seems to indicate that Chyrsophylax lived long years after the shortlived incident of the Little Kingdom, and that he routed out every last giant from Wales, sent them packing north where they shrank over time and turned into - Shetland ponies? No. I read that wrong. Scottish sheepherders is what is says. The writing is somewhat smeared right there. But I'm quite certain that it says Scottish sheepherders. There's a reference to the Highlands and Loch Ness. Something about Chrysophylax enjoying a good swim now and then. What that might mean I leave to your deductions. In any case, this book makes it quite clear that Chrysophylax had a most illustrious career and is perhaps still with us to this day. I'm sorry, but he must stand as Tolkien's best dragon. And if my illustrious colleague, The Saucepan Man, Esquire, is to be granted his contention that the legendarious mitigations must be allowed to stand, then this newly discovered "Annals" book must also be included as evidence. I wish I could show it to you... Respectfully, Littlemanpoet. Now where did that verrry little man with the verrrry big shoes get to? I swear I saw him just over ... there... He seemed ... English .... somehow.... OxfordShire, perhaps? Just a guess.

04-27-2003, 10:38 AM	#68
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,343	definitely glaurung, for all the reasons the saucepan man said. i mean, smaug was just... i dont know... he seemed weaker. i mean, he killed sheep or ponies or something didnt he? how noble and powerful is that? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

04-27-2003, 10:52 AM	#69
Schmendrick Wight Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: unidentified Posts: 105	I'm gonna have to vote Glaurung, too. For me he is THE perfect dragon ; cunning, evil and mysterious... __________________ Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier, I have seen worse sights than this. - Iliad -

04-27-2003, 11:35 AM	#70
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	'Kay, guy who be short, jush fer argumensh shake, who ever shez a drrrrragun is sh'posed te be noble? 'Scuze me while I go burry me face in me beer...

06-25-2003, 09:23 AM	#71
Este Guest Posts: n/a	Ancalagon the Black - blatently, he was the first flying dragonthe when he arrived he was a new and evil force theres no way you can compare smaug to to him smaug just sat on his butt all day every day for however many years, you may say 'oh but he was feared by all peoples near him' that doesnt really say much, they didnt seem to need much scaring - the people only moved away as far a esgaroth thats not a great distance, plus he was camp [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] ... who ever heard of a camp dragon? no, Ancalagon definitly has my vote.

06-25-2003, 09:54 AM	#72
Helkahothion Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The inside of Legolas' lungs Posts: 1,005	Glaurung for me. Smaug was stupid, he was too arrogant and it lead to his death. The others, I don't know. What I do know is that GLaurung had much power and was golden. Well, that should be enough for me [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Suilad, Anuion

06-25-2003, 09:59 AM	#73
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	Ancalagon for me! Now that Dragon died in style! It took Earendil and a fleet of Eagles to kill him, not just a random guy with a black sword like Glaurung, or a random guy with a bow and arrow like Smaug! __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.

06-25-2003, 12:49 PM	#74
obloquy Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: WA Posts: 939	Turin's just some 'random guy'?

06-25-2003, 12:55 PM	#75
Beren87 Master of the Secret Fire Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Between fire and ice, death and life Posts: 2,241	Chrysophylax of course! The most amusing dragon in all Fantasy, beaten by a farmer. Lovely dragon, Chrysophylax.

06-25-2003, 01:44 PM	#76
Yavanna228 Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2003 Location: on the wings of the morning Posts: 394	Heh heh, never underestimate a farmer with a mission. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Chrysophylax gets my vote too. Although Glaurung is the more 'dragony' dragon. Chrys is endearing. Sort of. Peace __________________ 'Dulaman na Binne Bui, Dulaman Gaelach/ Dulaman na farraige, 's e b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn!'

06-25-2003, 05:15 PM	#77
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	Smaug: 11 1/2 Glaurung: 16 Chrysophylax: 8 1/2 Scatha: 2 Ancalagon: 12 1/2 Glaurung now pulling away from the chasing pack. Just as it should be. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [ June 25, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ] __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

06-29-2003, 04:51 PM	#78
StarJewel Wight Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: I'm in my dear Maedhros' arms, dreaming the day away. Oh, who am I kidding, Chicago is nothing like that! Posts: 116	My vote would have to go to Glaurung. He actively sought to make Turin's, Nienor's, and anyone else's lives he came across a living hell. (Dont ya love my abuse of the good old English language?) Just for pure nastiness, he gets my vote. Although, Ancalagon's taking out mountains was pretty coolnull [img]null[/img] __________________ Visit my writing site...if you dare http://www.fanfiction.net/~mirielamarian

06-29-2003, 06:58 PM	#79
Lord of Angmar Tyrannus Incorporalis Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: the North Posts: 833	My vote for Tolkien's best dragon goes to Glaurung. He was by far the cruelest of all the Uruloki, the father of the dragons and the epitome of all that Morgoth represented. In many ways he was the physical embodiement of Morgoth in the first age, since Morgoth never appeared from his fortress in Angband except for his battle with Fingolfin and in the War of Wrath. Glaurung's cruelty, malice and treachery, and his sheer cunning, make him the best dragon. However, when I read about the battle between Ancalagon and Earendil, I did get chills, but there's simply not enough written about him to compare him to Glaurung. Smaug is more two-dimensional I think, since the Hobbit was (let's face it) a children's book, more so than LotR and DEFINITELY more than the Silmarillion. As for Chrysophylax, I don't think his personality was as well crafted as Glaurungs. Shouldn't this be under Novices and Newcomers, as I am told that all "best/favorite" posts should be there? Just wondering.... Has anyone kept a running count of who has obtained the most votes of the 4 aforementioned dragons? I'm too lazy to go back and count, but my guess from skimming through entries is Glaurung. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ ...where the instrument of intelligence is added to brute power and evil will, mankind is powerless in its own defence.

06-30-2003, 04:01 AM	#80
BobTheGrey Guest Posts: n/a	But you have forgotten the best dragon of all Gandalf's firework [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] . But seriously I don't know much about this subject but in the Shadow of the Past Gandalf seems to think Ancalagon was the most powerful (or at least the one with the best fire breath) and I suspect he knows what he's talking about.