Castles were not built to keep
dragons out, but rather as a defense against human invaders. What we recognize
as castles were being built as early as a thousand years ago. There is a whole
dictionary of terms associated with the battlement structure and function
of castles, but one of the most recognizable features is the parapet on a
tower’s turret. For me, that makes a castle a castle. It is what makes
a rook a castle. The parapet is the low wall atop the towers and outer walls
that have gaps for shooting arrows at attackers. The gaps are called embrasures
or crenelles, and the higher portions between them are merlons.
Homeowners in medieval England who wished to fortify their properties with
battlements such as adding crenelles, were required to obtain a License to
Crenellate. Crenellation is described as cutting crenelles into existing walls.
Those who crenellated without a license were fined.
As a general rule, dragons didn’t care much about castles, although
there were isolated reports of dragons nesting in the turrets atop the guard
towers.
King Theo (not a king; King is his given name) built this castle in the south
of Lower Burgundy about 990 CE, and he hosted lavish parties for his friends,
relatives and business associates from Upper Burgundy and Great Moravia. There
is anecdotal evidence he hosted Egyptian Pharaoh Pinedjem II. He ruled in
southern Egypt, his kingdom encompassing most of Sand County, including Bone
Dry Heights and the retirement community, Pyramid Acres. (This info is sketchy.
You get odd results with Google’s Hieroglyphic to English translator.)
A shuttle service transported guests to the top of Castle Mount. The backyard
featured two Olympic-sized swimming pools, a sauna, tennis court and a natural
amphitheater. An amusement park was started, but ultimately abandoned because
no rides had been invented. Only a lonely see-saw remains.
Although Blue-green Dragons, like the one seen here, were a common sight,
they were rarely a problem. Generally not aggressive to humans, they did love
to chase pigs, but never ate them. These medium-sized dragons fed primarily
on flying fish from the nearby Mediterranean Sea.
Interestingly, it was there at the castle that several common phrases were
coined regarding the dragons, including:
“Don’t bother it and it won’t bother you;”
“He’s more afraid of you than you are of him;” and
“A dragon a day is about average.”
Needless to say, not all sayings survive the test of time.
Every effort was made to supplement factual information with spurious drivel.
Not all historical accounts are fully verifiable. But you can try.
© 2023 Scott Wright
