Dragon Tail From the Old Country
Kept in an American Attic
As Protection From Beasts in the Night
I have a friend who is the great, great, great, great-granddaughter of King Ludwig III, of Lithuania. In her family mythology, there are tales of dragons. Curiously, in her family’s archives, there is an artifact they call the Dragon Tail. It’s articulated and narrow, with plate-like armor and a sort of spear at the end. According to legend, the family has kept it because they believe it has mystical properties, invisible energy, and the power to protect against dangerous creatures.
I’m always interested in a good story, and I was fascinated by the fact they had this artifact from the old country. I asked if I could borrow the tail to use as inspiration for a jewelry design. My friend hesitated, then agreed, as long as I gave her the first one we made. We had a deal.
It took a while; good design takes time. The necklace is gold with red rubies flowing along the nine articulated links (the rubies are dragon’s blood). The spear at the end of the tail has eight tiny white diamonds. It’s a really lovely piece with a natural swing and sway to the middle section. My friend loved her new dragon tail necklace.
Everything I have written up to this point is 80% true. At this point, I’m about to leap off a creative cliff where 50% of everything written is absolutely true.
The Painting
King Ludwig’s castle was built in 1222. Ludwig didn’t build it; his ancestors did. Imagine it’s 800 years ago. You are walking outside the castle walls in the moonlight. The road is just two parallel ruts. The woods on either side are dark. Occasional fireflies spark under the trees. There is a cool breeze rustling the leaves. There are no street lights. Flashlights won’t be invented for 700 years, and because of the full moon, you didn’t bring a lantern.
Something goes crunch in the woods. You slow, listening; there it is again. You stop. It stops. You think you hear breathing. It’s moving along slowly with you. You know something is there. You feel your heart racing. You wait. Nothing, nothing, nothing, silence…
A twig snaps, a bush rustles, then you remember. You reach with your right hand and grip your ruby diamond dragon tail necklace. For a moment, all is still. You hear a scurrying sound in the dark. Whatever it was, it’s fleeing. Just to be sure, you hold on, gripping the tail. You wait, staring into the dark, listening to the sounds of the night. Because you know this is a talisman of protection against dangerous creatures, you feel safe.
You relax your shoulders and turn. There is your castle on the hill silhouetted against a full moon. Soon you will be safe inside.
My friend told me that according to the family story, just having a dragon’s tail in the castle created an aura of protection. That’s how their story went and why castles in Europe secured a good dragon tail as early as possible.
We are imbuing our precious metal gem-set Dragon Tail necklace with the same powers as the original and magically transporting it back 800 years to this moment and lady in need of protection. Our small jeweled gem necklace must be worn to protect and be touched to scare away beasts of the night.
If You’ve Been Thinking About
Acquiring a European Castle
As the American dollar continues to strengthen, European castles are becoming better values. Some already are going for a song. Yes, while the upkeep may be substantial, repointing stonework, and rebuilding roads and bridges come with a cost.
As you consider castles, study the real estate ads carefully, an often-overlooked asset is land. Look for actual acreage and what crops, like grapes may come with the property. Titles sometimes accompany the acquisition of a castle. And while the title Viscount of Dalmatia won’t buy you a loaf of bread in the local town any longer, when you get back to the states, a title does cause people to sit up and take notice. If you’re running for the school board, just list Bob Smith, V.C. of Dalmatia. You’ll be voted in.
Dragon’s Tail Necklace
Protection From Beasts in the Night
14K Yellow Gold
34 Graduated Rubies = .73ct total
8 Diamonds = .03 carat total in the spear
Size: 2 3/8″ Total Length
18″ 14K Yellow Gold Chain
X4302……$1,222
Why We Love This Piece
This is fun. Rarely do we enter into fairytale and the wonder and magic of a land far away and a long time ago. This speaks to the child within in a language kids understand. For grownups, it’s kind of fun to have a magical piece of jewelry. The rubies are part of the articulated section that really does swing and sway. The piece does look awesome on. And yes, just maybe some night there’s a rustling in the bushes… you’ll know what to do.
