Smaug
Tolkien's Gold-Hoarding Fire Dragon
Smaug is the most famous dragon of modern fantasy, appearing in J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit. He is the direct archetype for all subsequent 'fire dragon sleeping atop treasure' imagery. A massive crimson dragon with two legs, a pair of huge bat wings, and devastating fire breath, he conquered the Lonely Mountain (Erebor) two centuries before the story, slaughtering the dwarves of Durin's Folk and stealing all their gold to sleep upon. Bilbo Baggins discovered his vulnerability — a missing scale on his left breast — during their famous riddling encounter, and the human hero Bard the Bowman later struck this exact spot with the Black Arrow, killing him.
