Paw Prints ponders: Dragons

Today (January 16) is Dragon Appreciation Day. There are, as we all know, three types of dragons – but do you know how to tell them apart?

A little ditty:

DRAGON CASTE

The Imperial dragon, the prince of the blood
To which our traditions are owed,
Can be seen at a glance to be lord of them all:
Imperial dragon – five toed.

And how do you ascertain a dragon’s rank?
Count the claws, dear, count the claws.
How tell the monarch from the mountebank?
(I’ve said it before) count the claws.

The Mandarin dragon is second in line.
Though not as elite as the first,
Four claws on his paws his degree clearly show:
By no means of dragons the worst.

And how do you ascertain a dragon’s status?
Count the claws, dear, count the claws.
How to tell which one is second-rate is
(I’ve said it before) count the claws.

The thrice-digital dragon – that’s three-toed to you –
Who was wont upon maidens to dine,
Got a lot of PR from his fight with St George
But he’s last in hierarchical line.

And how do you ascertain a dragon’s caste?
Count the claws, dear, count the claws.
How tell which should be first and which the last?
(I’ve said it before) count the claws.

Five, four and three, the dragon’s claws
Assign to each his place.
But dragons, whether great or small
Are still a noble race.

Does it matter what a dragon’s caste is?
Damn the claws, dear, damn the claws.
Of snobberies, I think the nastiest
Is counting claws, dear, is counting claws.