Smaug: Wyvern or Dragon?

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

I could have sworn I'd read somewhere that the original dragons created by Morgoth had no wings. Glaurung, appears to have 4 legs and no wings. Winged dragons were later developed, so I think it'd be safge to assume they'd have 4 legs and wings. Smaug would have 4 legs and wings.

G. R. R. Martin's dragons, on the other hand, have only 2 legs and wings. His reasoning for why his dragons have 2 legs and wings rather than the 4 legs and wings is that there are no real-life creatures which have developed with 4 legs and wings. To that I just have to say...

 

[Dioltach]

One of these turned into rug the size of a bear, or a cloak, would make for a pretty bad-ass statement.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

One of these turned into rug the size of a bear, or a cloak, would make for a pretty bad-ass statement.

If you gave it sonar and had it live in the Underdark, it'd be terrifying!

 

[Andvari]

One of these turned into rug the size of a bear, or a cloak, would make for a pretty bad-ass statement.

That's just a Cloaker with a high Charisma score.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

One of these turned into rug the size of a bear, or a cloak, would make for a pretty bad-ass statement.

How dare you speak such blasphemy?!?! When the squirrel invasion begins, we shall make a rug out of you!!!!

 

[Dioltach]

How dare you speak such blasphemy?!?! When the squirrel invasion begins, we shall make a rug out of you!!!!

"There s a famous human saying: Who ever heard of a worm-skin rug?"

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Who'd steal a gigantic red trash can with no brakes and three million years on the clock?

"There s a famous human saying: Who ever heard of a worm-skin rug?"

Who'd steal a gigantic red trash can with no brakes and three million years on the clock?

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

A dragon is a dragon no matter how many damn legs it has.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

He may have associated wyverns with Norman heraldry.

Smaug is probably based on the dragon on the Welsh flag (the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr) given that Smaug is stated as being red-gold. The dragon on the Welsh flag has four legs.

The version of Smaug in The Hobbit movie is based on modern reconstructions of Pterosaurs. These are to recent for Tolkien to have been familiar with them.

There used to be a restaurant in Cardiff called The Armless Dragon but unfortunately it is now closed.

Its location? Wyeverne Road.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

A dragon is a dragon no matter how many damn legs it has.

Not true. A one-legged dragon is a yoga pose.