Chuvash dragon

Verechelen(IPA:[ʋʲɘrʲɛʑʲɘˈlʲɛn];Chuvash:ВӗрӗҫӗленVĕreśĕlen,orВӗриҫӗлен,Вӗриҫлен,Вриҫлен;Russian:Вереселень), also known asChuvashdragons,are winged fire-breathing andshapeshiftingdragons. The legend originates with the ancestral people of theChuvashians.

The name means 'invisible snake'. These differ from theirTurkiccounterparts (such asZilant), as they are supposed to reflect themythologyofVolga Bulgaria.

Varieties

Chuvash dragon isVěri Şělen(Вӗри Ҫӗлен, lit. "fire snake" ).Like the RussianGorynych,the creature has multiple heads and leaves a fiery wake when flying. The wood demon Arşuri oftenturns intoa snake, but more often he looks likeŞüräle.

Legends

ShaitanTower inAlabuğa.

According to one legend, when theBulgarscame to found the town ofBilär,they discovered a big snake living in the area. When they decided to kill it, the snake begged for peace and askedAllahto give him wings. Once he got wings, the snake flew away from Bilär.

Another great snake, or dragon, was said to live in apagantower temple atAlabuğa.Although the Bulgars adopted Islam as early as the tenth century, the snake allegedly survived until the time ofTamerlane's invasion.

Ibn Fadlan,who visited Volga Bulgaria in the 10th century, referred to numerous snakes, especially on trees. Once he saw a big fallen tree, which was longer than a hundredells.Ibn Fadlan wrote that he'd seen a big snake at the trunk that had been almost as large as the tree itself. The Bulgars allayed his fears, assuring him that the snake was not dangerous.

See also

• List of dragons in mythology and folklore

References

• Чӑваш халӑх пултарулӑхӗ: Мифсем, легендӑсем, халапсем. — Шупашкар: Чӑваш кӗнеке изд-ви, 2004.(in Russian)