Appreciate a Dragon Day: Famous Dragons

Jan. 16 is Appreciate a Dragon Day, an annual "holiday" launched in 2004 by award-winning novelist Donita K. Paul to celebrate the release of her book, “DragonSpell.”

These mythical creatures have fascinated folks for centuries. Highly intelligent, dragons often resemble lizards or snakes. Some have wings and breathe fire while others are poisonous. Some have more than one head and/or tail and others have scales and horns. Dragons typically live far away from humans and have a voracious appetite that includes snakes, birds, rats and children.

Whether from folklore or legend, or in literature, music or film, there have been many famous dragons over the years.

• Puff the Magic Dragon is one of the friendliest and most famous dragons of all time.

• Smaug is the evil dragon in the 1977 television movie, "The Hobbit. "

• Norberta is a Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon in the blockbuster film, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. "

• And speaking of Harry Potter, Hungarian Horntail stars in the 2005 "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" film.

• Elliot is the magical dragon in the 1977 Disney film, "Pete's Dragon. "

• Eddie Murphy plays Mushu in the 1988 Disney film, "Mulan."

• Penelope is actually a female dragon in the 2002 video, Barbie as Rapunzel.

• Dragon from "Shrek."

• Toothless is a young dragon in the 2010 film, "How to Train Your Dragon."

• Spyro the Dragon is the "feisty little flame-spouting dragon" in this amazing 3D adventure.

Today is also National Nothing Day.