Hotu-puku2
Type/Species: Taniwha
Origin: New Zealand
History: Many people going between Rotorua and Taupo began to disappear. Thinking that neighboring countries were the problem, a war band was set out. Instead of finding attackers, however, they encountered a dragon called Hotu-puku.
Hotu-puku became very agrivated and attacked the war band. Many warriors were killed and the rest of the band fleed so that they may tell the story.
A man named Pitaka then arrived and organized a dragon-hunting party. Using himself as bait, he managed to hang a noose around the tail of the dragon. This worked when Hotu-puku attack, was ensnared by the net, and eventually died of strangulation.
They made sure that this was the same dragon by cutting him opened. There they found the remains of the other victims, and they burried them. After this, they roasted and ate Hotu-puku.
Symbolism: I am unsure of the symbolic nature of Hotu-puku. The story's moral, however, was to not to assume. (Had they not assumed that their neighbors were involved with the missing people, they would not have lost their warriors.)
Physical Description: A huge lizard, one of the few famous Taniwha.
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Humbaba3
Type/Species: Dragon/Lion Beast
Origin: Babylonian and Sumerian Mythology
History: Humbaba appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The dragon, as it seems, was a threat to a nearby town, so Gilgamesh and his companion Enkidu set out to slay the dragon. It was not enough, however, for Gilgamesh to slay the dragon. For him, he had to be remembered for it, so, at first, he put off killing the dragon.
Humbaba, however, was a guardian of the forests. He had the body of a lion, and he also had horned scales all over his body. He also possesed two bulls horns, as well as a tail that ended in a snake's head. He also possesed vulture traits: that is, his feet and his claws.
Shamash aided Gilgamesh in his quest. Furthermore, he continued to sent dreams to him so that he may attack the creature. Humbaba was favored by Enlil, who was not happy to find that Gilgamesh had slain his guardian.
Symbolism: Humbaba was a guardian and protect of the forest. The symbolism in the story (in the overall Epic of Gilgamesh) is that their is no such thing as immortal life.
Physical Description: Humbaba had a human-like body with the legs of a lion which ended with the talons of a vulture. There were scale plates all over him. He had the horns of a bull, and his tail was long and had the head of a snake at the end of it.
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