Knucker Dragon

 


The knucker dragon was a water dragon who lived in a pond in Sussex England during the medieval and renaissance periods. It was a water dragon, but didn't have many water like features to its appearance. It looked like a stretched out western dragon with a long serpent like body. It is consistently depicted as red in color. The dragon was also considered unusually clever and conniving, and was capable of talking, which usually wasn't something dragons were capable of doing until modern fantasy. The name knucker is derived from words like nix or nacken, showing a connection back to malicious water fae. The pond the dragon inhabited is known as the knucker hole, and still exists on the Somptings Estate.

Legend goes that the knucker dragon was quite a threat to the surrounding communities, coming out of its pond at night and eating livestock and people. The people begged an authority figure, in some version the local mayor of Lyminster, in other version they went all the way to the king. A reward was put out to kill the knucker dragon. Many local men tried to kill the dragon and all lost their lives. Word spread of the dragon and knights from far around showed up. They too were unsuccessful. The people of Lyminster thought that they would never be rid of the dragon.

Then a man named Jim Puttock came forward and said he could kill the dragon. Everyone laughed at him and pointed out how he was weak and shy, not the sort to kill dragons. But Mr Puttock had a clever idea to kill the dragon with his wits rather than force. He baked pie full of poison for the dragon.

When Mr Puttock took the pie down to the knucker hole the dragon said “How do you do, human?” In a suave but unconvincing tone.

“What do you have for me there?” The dragon asked.

Mr Puttock held up the pie for the dragon to see, “It's an offering for you.”

“Aye, bring it here!” The dragon said.

Mr. Puttock left the pie at the edge of the pond and cautiously backed away. The dragon gluttonously gobbled up the pie. The poison worked immediately and with much roaring and writhing the dragon died.

The townsfolk came out and celebrated Mr. Puttock's victory. They brought him down to the local pub and all had drinks. But Mr. Puttock forgot to wash the poison off his hands after making the pie and died that night. He was buried in the Lyminster church's graveyard, where the slayer's slab can still be found and a stained glass window depicts his encounter with the dragon.


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