Dragons and other mythical serpents often connote dangerous or destructive powers. In Western cultures, there they are usually slayed by heroes who, in this way, restore order to the world. But there are just as many stories and traditions around the world that celebrate the dragon and its scaly kin as sources of life, healing and even goodness. This illustrated lecture will focus on the benevolence of the dragon and its kin, looking at the ways in which the serpent is seen the source of benefit and a form of regeneration—one of the most important aspects of the snake, and perhaps its most potent metaphor.