Talk:Gaping Dragon/@comment-35422172-20191023131842

The Gaping Dragon's backstory is very similar to that of the dragon Fafnir from Norse myth. Fafnir is originally a dwarf, who is corrupted and transformed into a monstrous dragon by his own greed.

In the Design Works interview, Miyazaki also describes the Gaping Dragon as an ancient creature of mineral, who was corrupted by desire. While "creature of mineral" probably also refers to the Ancient Dragons with their stone scales, it could also be applied to the dwarves of Norse myth, who live underground and can hide inside solid rock.