Where The Dragons Dwell
While in Uzbekistan, we were visiting a mountain, a tour
guide had explained
its significance in terms of mythology and prehistory, with legend stating that
a dragon had inhabited it, causing calamities for the ancients there—and to
appease the dragon, virgin sacrifices had to be made. In terms of context, the
tour guide said that universally, dragons had represented the union of the four
elements; fire—in that dragons could breathe fire, fly–air, swim–water, and
hide their gold in the earth—earth.
Whenever men were too greedy, snatching Earth’s wealth
(gold) away, taking
more than they needed, that it caused harm to the planet. Thus, as Earth’s gate
keeper, the dragon safeguarded Earth’s wealth, demanding recompense whenever
too much was taken through a price equal in exchange—Virgin Blood. Virgin blood
was said to the only thing untainted and equal in measure to gold, despite the
idea being atrocious in our own day, it was symbolic and universal to the
world’s people in pre-history. Thankfully, through time’s passing, the
world treats humans, including virgins within its populace, more humanely!
Amid this disturbing yet fascinating lecture, I being too
young to
understand, but later hearing it recounted by my sister and mom—my grandfather
was too occupied, not listening. Instead, like a water diviner he’d been
tapping his cane on the grass intently. Upon finding a spot, he’d shouted,
“Hey.. This is where I’m to be buried.” Repeating.. “This is where I’m to be
buried..”
Could my grandfather, having always championed women’s
rights long before
his time in a flavor complementary to the traditions under which he was raised,
have been sensing the sleeping dragon’s smoke breathing up from beneath the
soil, hinting where a treasure like him would find safety in Earth’s lair to
rest? Not for any recompense of the innocent’s blood, but for the gold he
carried within?
While the communists had hoarded Uzbekistan’s literal gold
and production of
cotton for so long—Uzbekistan among many other countries were pillaged for its
resources—, in my family’s eyes, the gold had been in its people’s stories,
particularly my grandfather’s.
Therefore, his heart qualified as being just the right
treasure, he and his
stories worth far more to us than gold.