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Many Chinese believed the dragon held, or at least chased, the sun, and many drawings depict this as a flaming red ball. However, over the years, this sun changed colour from red to a silvery-pearl colour, and gradually the ball came to be considered a flaming pearl, known as the night shining pearl. It is with this that the dragon is almost invariably associated in paintings.

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http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_a_chinese_dragon_have_a_flaming_pearl
 

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Posted by The Genuine (Member # 11446) on :
 

 

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Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
I consider since in D&D terms Dragons love hoards of valuables theyre simply holding an oversized jewel or pearl or opal.
 

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Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
 

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Originally posted by Blayne Bradley:
hoards

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Do you know, I've gotten so used to people not knowing the difference between this and 'hordes' that I now reflexively recoil from the word even when it's used correctly, as here. But you got it right. I award you two Internet Points!

Minus five for 'theyre' without apostrophe, but still.
 

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Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
 
I remember seeing a Chinese exhibit that had the male and female dragon, and I think they said it either was a giant pearl that represented wealth, or a world/sun. I don't remember very well anymore. But it was a really cool exhibit (I was 9 when I saw it).
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
In traditional modern fantasy, which I consider an triple score oxymoron, the sphere is also a "crystal ball" signifying the dragon's magical power. After all, they can't really wave wands like humans do, so they give them some extra-masculine round object to fondle--in a very non-Gay way I am sure.

I mean, you have a large headed dragon with a long neck craning upward, while it clutches one, or perhaps a pair of spheroid objects. Completely non-Phallic I am positive.

Yep.

You also have Dragon Eggs and Dragon Ball Z references as well.

We won't bring up how overcompensating Dragon Ball Z is. Nope. That would be too easy.
 

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Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
Crikes, isn't "because it's cool" sufficient enough of an answer for you?
 

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Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
 
For the same reasons pictures of kings and saints and whatnot were always pictured holding a ball.
 

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Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
 

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Originally posted by Scott R:
For the same reasons pictures of kings and saints and whatnot were always pictured holding a ball.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Noemon:
They're actually a subspecies of Ood.

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Posted by Achilles (Member # 7741) on :
 
But they don't always.

Always is a very large amount of time.
 

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Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
 

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Originally posted by The Genuine:
I was actually thinking more along the lines of the traditional "fantasy" art dragon. But maybe the answer is as simple as crossover from the Chinese tradition?

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Maybe the answer is as simple as "your premise is demonstrably incorrect?" Here is a site with 198 pictures of "fantasy" art dragons. On a quick survey of thumbnails I count:
1 holding a staff
1 holding a skull and a book
1 holding another dragon by the neck which is frickin' sweet
1 looking at an ancient elf who is holding a ball
1 holding a crystal ball

So with this brief survey we're at around one half of one percent of pictures of dragons depicting them holding a ball in their hand. And that one was really kinda resting its hand on the ball if you really get down to it. Maybe the better question is why do you think that dragons are always depicted that way when they pretty rarely are?

The only dragon art I can think of which usually has a ball is those little pewter statues where they're always sticking a multifaceted piece of glass in somewhere. They typically also have red glass eyes. I look for no reason for this deeper than "our business model is selling sparkly objects."

--Enigmatic
 

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Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
 
Artists love to draw circles.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
I haven't seen it that much in pictures, but I have seen it a lot in carvings of dragons. I'd say that they're that way in carvings because unless you make their claws be in a fist or holding something, they'd be too weak and would break off.
 

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Posted by The Genuine (Member # 11446) on :
 
Thanks to all for their input on my dragon question!
 

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Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
 

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They're actually a subspecies of Ood.

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