Here Be Dragons

2015: Dragons (Illustrator - Adrian Chesterman)

The artist Adrian Chesterman specialises in fantastical realms and for Jersey Post he created six legendary dragons.

First (40) - is a dragon from the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf (spoiler alert, they both die at the end), (50) is George and the Dragon (only the dragon dies), we next travel to the Philippines (60) - The Bakunawa is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthquakes, rain and wind.
Greek myth gives us next (70) - The Colchian Dragon which guarded the Golden Fleece, it was said to never sleep but the witch Medea put it to sleep with magic and drugs while Jason stole the fleece. European dragons are often perceived as evil and dangerous but - (82) The Chinese Dragon can be beneficial, spiritual and even sacred. The different colours have different meanings. Lastly is a Celtic dragon - (91) The Welsh Dragon whose origin may be the Great Red Serpent god Dewi.

The word dragon originates from the ancient Greek word drakon which translates as 'a giant monster serpent-like creature' so lets see one

1970: The Labours of Hercules

The Lernean Hydra, a water serpent with fatally venomous breath said to have between 5 and 100 heads with one immortal head. The stamp shows Hercules performing his second labour where he cuts off its heads with the help of his nephew (and one of the argonauts) Iolaus who singes the stump with a burning firebrand to prevent new heads growing. (The illustration is taken from an ancient Greek storage vase/stamnos). I hope you are not going to have nightmares after seeing this writhing water beast from the swamp of Lerna.