Dragon Earrings, Fishhook

Y Ddraig Goch, The Red Dragon of Wales, is the symbol of resurgent Wales. The Red Dragon was originally a griffin on the standard of a Roman legion headquartered in North Wales, but early on came to be associated with the fighting dragons imprisoned by Lludd and Llefelys. The significance of these dragons was pointed out by Myrddin, the Merlin of Arthurian legend, in the time of Vortigern. The two dragons, one white, one red, had fought for many years. The white dragon at first prevailed but in the end the red dragon overcame the white. Myrddin explained that the Welsh would ultimately, after a long period of adversity, overcome the foreign invaders, and maintain their language, lands and freedom.