[Maya]

how many of us actually believe in stuff like elves and dragons? they regularly appear in myths, not to mention fantasy novels, but does anyone truly think they existed? i'm a sceptic myself but i'm not quite sure why. can anyone help?

[Azurehero]

If an elf really existed, we would be able to find some fossil evidence to support that.

I think one reason that different races came into the fantasy world was as a creative, almost metaphoric representation of our ethnicly diverse world.

But one has to wonder...does myth have any roots in reality?

Isn't the dragon originate with the Japanese culture? Perhaps way back they found an old dinosaur skull and the dragon was born...

Who knows.

[wolfshead]

Some folklorists and anthropologiss believe that the fairy folk of Ireland and Britain, who lived in the 'hollow hills' (prehistoric burial mounds)and were often described as 'small and dark' but generaly human in form (and often married humans) were really the remnants of neolithic or bronze age peoples who went into hiding during invasions/incursions of later peoples. This would also explain their fear of iron (if they hadn't that technology, iron weapons would seem dangerous and 'taboo' to them.)

[FitzChivalry]

The Dragon myth isn't originated in japanese culture, they imported their dragons from China. And the dragon myth appeared in several cultures that seem to had no real connection to the other ones (although more recent arhceological studies show that cultures in the ancient world had more connections with each other then we previously thought). Europe, China and i believe some South American cultures had it too. So it might be based on dinosaurs, who knows.

Those theories and the one wolfshead mentioned are pretty cool, but there is no real evidence to explain it.

About real dragons and elves... i'm 99% sure they never existed.
You can never be 100% sure.

[Pluvious]

I truly believe that dwarves exist!

Elves originated as demons before being converted to the friendly pointed ear folk. They were kind of combined with fairies, which were created by cultures to explain unexplainable things or just for fun or whatever. Like fairies running off with your children and such.

Things don't need to be real to have a long history and continue from culture to culture or generatin to generation.

Oh, by the way, you are just a figmant of my imagination. I'm sorry to break this news to you now, but since you don't exist I guess it doesn't matter...Get out of my head!

[Rob B]

I'm of the belief that most, if not all, myths and legends have some kind of, at least minor, basis in truth.

Not saying there were dragons flying over Japan, China and Europe, but something probably provoked people to think about these creatures.

As for Dragons, most cultures do share an idealized version of a dragon-type creature: Asiatic cultures, European cultures and even Native American cultures. The publishing company I work for recently published a book about just this--how some kind of dragon has been represented in MANY if not all human cultures.

Just my 2 Cents.

[Pluvious]

Yes, to a point. dragons=dinosaur fossils. Elves=faeries=need for explanation of some of life's mysteries.

Some people would argue that spirituality is but a means to explain existence (like me). And when creating such a concept as a divine being and other realms you tend to create other things as well. And I don't mean to offend anyone, but for example the bible and its stories or the greeks and mythology. Are we saying there is an olympus or what? Or did somebody just make it up from some tidbit of real life and expand upon it??

Who knows, but my point is that people are fully capable of creating all kinds of things from the simplest idea or belief.

[Metosblat]

The Flying lion and The unicorn.
Both examples of mythical creatures that are simply two animals blended together.
Possibly caused by an artist who decided to be creative by making unusual animals out of everyday animals. No real inspiration or actually sightings would be needed to come up with them. Fairies and Elves may have been popularised in the same way.
As for dragons i'm unsure where an artist would get an idea for that. Maby bird reptile.

[Rupert Avery]

NO to all
ITS FANTASY

[Bardos]

The only gods are the ones men create