Sea Red- transparent, crystal clear - element. The sea is quiet and deep, joyfully calling and softly whispering tells the old oriental tales. The sea, I am in the transparent depth of the emerald color, the sun refracts the rays on the foamy splashes, the sea is in me and I am inside the sea. An endless expanse of water, and down there at a depth of amazingly beautiful undersea world, living its unsolved life, attracting millions of people seeking to know the unknown. Among them there are harmless and aggressive, shy and poisonous. So who are these dangerous inhabitants red sea? Today we'll talk about them. Let's start with the most harmless:

10. Corals bright colors and you just want to touch them, but there is a special mesh fire coral(Millepora dichotoma), which, although it looks like a coral, is not. Fire corals are hydroid or polymedusa species that form large colonies on reefs in tropical waters where there is a strong current and a lot of light. They grow very quickly and look like flat bushes with short double branches. Millepores look very picturesque. Bright yellow or brown colors, pleasant roundness at the end of the branch. It makes you want to break off a piece for memory, but it is there that the stinging cells (nematocytes) are located, with which the fire coral burns. The burn site does not heal for a long time and brings a lot of inconvenience to its owner. It swells, a blister appears and the lymph nodes are greatly enlarged. It is better to wash such a wound immediately sea ​​water, removing all remnants of coral and treat with vinegar or alcohol, and if necessary, consult a doctor. It is also worth paying attention to sea ​​sponges. Sponges- These multicellular creatures, although primitive, but some species, such as Red-bearded and Fire sponges, can cause allergic reactions in humans in the form of a rash. Assistance is the same as for a coral burn.

9. Starfish, colorful and so harmless always arouse the interest of divers. Among these species, only one species of "crown of thorns" (Acanthaster planci) can really harm a person. The color scheme of these not small creatures (their length is from 25 to 35 cm, although there are especially large specimens up to 50 cm in diameter) can be very different from blue-gray to brown, from bright orange to poisonous yellow. Usually the "Crown of Thorns" has 12 - 19 rays and with age their number can increase to 23. The entire body of the star is covered with long poisonous needles up to 3 cm long. The injection can be quite painful and may cause swelling, rash, nausea, and bleeding. The first thing to do is to immerse the limb in hot water and apply a bandage to prevent further spread of the poison, then see a doctor.

8 Sea urchins. They look like prickly balls that pierce any neoprene. If you stumble upon sea ​​urchin, at the injection site there is a burning pain, shortness of breath and palpitations. First aid, as with an injection starfish: remove the needles, disinfect, keep in hot water and apply a tourniquet, go to the doctor.

7. Radiant Lionfish (Clearfin Lionfish) belongs to the scorpionfish family (Scorpaenidae) - majestic and unhurried fish. There are many varieties of this family, you can often find under water fish - zebra (Common Lionfish) and Russell's lionfish (Russells Lionfish). These are nocturnal hunters who drive small fish like a pack of wolves. And they love to swim on the verge of light and shadow. Their bodies are painted with bright stripes, and sharp poisonous spikes are hidden in luxurious fins. The injections of these insidious creatures cause severe pain, up to anaphylactic shock. A person may experience cramps and heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, numbness, dizziness, diarrhea, and heavy sweating. Some experts claim that the poison of the lionfish is not inferior to the poison of the cobra, although not a single fatal case has been recorded from this creature in official medicine! In any case, it is better to stay away from all representatives of the scorpion family and carefully look under your feet.

6. Sea snakes- one name already chills the soul, and although the poison of marine reptiles is 10 times stronger than its land relative - cobra, it acts on the human body very slowly. You shouldn't think that sea ​​snakes attack people at the first opportunity. In fact, they rarely attack them and in most cases try to swim away from annoying divers. However, if you are a fan of diving in dense underwater thickets, then you can simply not notice the snake there. Only a few hours after the bite, muscle spasms and drooping of the eyelids can begin. We apply a tourniquet above the bite site, and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

5. gray reef shark(did you think we forgot about it?) - the most common species of reef sharks in the Red Sea. Usually the gray reef shark lives at depths up to 270-280 meters. She loves clean water with a strong current. Often lives on the lee side of a reef. The gray reef shark has an average size of 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Gray reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) are very curious creatures, but unless provoked, they most likely won't attack. It's easy to piss off a shark during mating season, when it might consider you a competitor. Also, sharks do not like camera flashes. The shark expresses its aggression quite clearly, it arches its back, raises its muzzle and lowers its pectoral fins. In this case, you should not hesitate, it is better not to fuss to leave its territory, swimming away facing the shark. If it continues to swim at you, try to dodge to the side when approaching. And although a person is a big enough prey for her, she can inflict serious wounds.

It is not necessary to provide first aid to the victim slowly, to clean the wound, but be careful, a person may have a painful shock and your actions will cause an even stronger reaction of the victim. The wound can bleed heavily, so it is necessary to stop the bleeding before the doctor appears. For this, the direct pressure method must be used. A pressure bandage or tourniquet is best. Not less than efficient way it will be if you simply wrap the limbs with a circular drag. Of course, in an emergency, a tourniquet may not be at hand, and this is exactly the case in 99%, you can use any material at hand. It can be a rubber tube, scarf, belt, rope, etc.

After you have tried to stop the bleeding, the wound must be treated. It should be a solution of iodine, potassium permanganate, alcohol, vodka, cologne. If you have a cotton swab or gauze, wet them with one of the solutions and treat the edges of the wound from the outside.

Nothing needs to be poured into the wound itself. This will not only increase the already severe pain, but also damage the tissues, slowing down the healing process. If the wound was in the stomach, then you can not drink or eat anything. After treatment, a bandage is applied to the abdomen.

4. Moray eels- belong to eel-like ray-finned fish and are always shrouded in secrets and legends. Is it creepy appearance moray eels, whether their secrecy encourages our creative consciousness to hang all sorts of evil labels on them. In fact, moray eels are shy and hide in the crevices of reefs. Quite a few species of moray eels live in the Red Sea, for example: Giant moray (Giant moray), Yellowheaded moray (Yellowheaded morey), Yellowmouth moray (Yellowmouth morey), Wavy moray (Undulate morey), Moray dragon (Dragon morey), Moray zebra (Zebra morey), White-eyed moray (White-eyed morey), Peppered moray (Peppered morey), Cellular moray (Honeycomb morey), Yellow-edged moray (Yellow-edged morey) and others. recent times cases have become more frequent when, in order to lure customers, local diving clubs offer divers to hand-feed moray eels. For everyone who cares about their hands, remember that moray eels do not see well, but they feel great meat and they don’t care if it’s a piece of food or a diver’s fingers. A hundred people will feed her and everything will be fine, but 101 will pay for everyone. This is not a pet. Moray eels are smart predators, and if something gets into their mouths, they practically do not open their jaws, glaring at their prey with a bulldog grip. If they help you get rid of her grip, we urgently disinfect the wound and go to the doctor, treat the wound and head.

We've reached the top three. Let's learn more about them!

3. Stingrays belong to the class of chordates - Elasmobranchii - Cartilaginous fish.

Electric stingrays (Torpediniformes) range in size from small - 12-15 cm long, to large - up to 2 m long and weighing up to 100 kg. Unlike other rays, electric rays are often brightly colored. On the sides of the head are paired electrical organs formed by modified muscle tissue. Animal electricity condenses in the electrical organs. The discharge is carried out arbitrarily under the influence of brain impulses. A single discharge lasts 0.003-0.05 s, but usually the ramp produces a series of 20-30 discharges that follow each other quickly. The voltage during discharge can reach from 60 to 300 volts at a current strength of up to 5 amperes. Such shaking causes paralytic shock, severe pain, swelling, muscle cramps. hit by a blow electric ramp it is necessary to pull it out of the water, put it in the shade and create peace for it. Another representative of this species dangerous to humans is the stingray - the stingray (Dasyatidae) has a wide disk, a powerful tail at the base and thinning at the end. In the middle part of the tail, these creatures have dagger-shaped spikes that can grow up to 37 cm long. The tail strike is similar to the attack of a scorpion - the tail bends forward and the stingray delivers a powerful blow with a whip-like movement. The poison, penetrating into the wound, causes sharp pains, a drop in blood pressure, tachycardia, vomiting, and paralysis. The thorn that has fallen into the wound must be removed only surgically, because. often it breaks off in the wound and can cause a secondary fungal, bacterial or mixed infection. After the injection, the wound must be cleaned, disinfected, the damaged part of the body should be held in very hot water (at least 50 C), and then a pressure bandage should be applied and an urgent visit to the doctor should be made.

2. Cones. Cone clams, from the shells that we listen to the sound of the sea and enjoy the memories of the holiday, may not be so safe. Nautical gastropod hides in its beautiful mother-of-pearl shell and, in case of danger, releases its thorn forward, located at the edge of the shell. Their habitat halo is quite large, including the western part of the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the Red Sea. All cones are predators and feed on snails, marine worms and even fish. These last are the most dangerous for people. Despite poor eyesight, the cone has very developed olfactory organs. Buried in the sand, he waits for the victim, feeling the approach of the prey, sticks his proboscis into it, in which there are many small teeth - harpoons. Instantly injects toxic poison and paralyzes its victim. Cones have a special poison, which includes 50 different types of toxins and has no antidote. The most dangerous of them is the Geographic Cone (Conus geographus), which leads night image life. According to statistics, for 10 cases of a bite, three are fatal. The bite causes severe, increasing pain, convulsions, profuse salivation, difficulty swallowing, upset gastrointestinal tract, speech difficulty. The victim must be urgently hospitalized, and before that, examine the wound, remove the remnants of the thorn, treat with alcohol and immobilize the affected part of the body, apply a pressure bandage.

1. Our leader TOP 10 "The most dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea", is an…

Stone fish or wart fish(Red Sea Walkman - "Red Sea Pedestrian") - a master of disguise. Buried in the sand, she can lie motionless at the bottom for hours. She merges with environment that it is almost impossible to notice her, and it is this disguise that makes her the winner of our rating “The Most Dangerous Inhabitants of the Red Sea.” Her back can be deadly to humans, because it has a number of spikes that release poison. The pain from the injection is so strong that the person wants to cut off his injured limbs. If the poison enters the vessel, then without rendering medical care death occurs within 2-3 hours. The main symptoms are pain, shock, and limb death, depending on the depth of penetration. Injured people may experience unpleasant symptoms for a long time. By the way, the English name for the wart is “pedestrian”. When she gets tired of lying on the bottom, she uses the beams pectoral fins for "walking" on the seabed and often noticeable grooves in the sand remain behind it. When any representatives of the scorpionfish are injected, the wound must be washed, disinfected, to neutralize the poison, hold the damaged part of the body in very hot water for half an hour and apply a pressure bandage. Seek immediate medical attention after first aid.

Who is warned is armed! Your safety is in your hands:

1. Wear special shoes. Neoprene slippers have an affordable price, but they can give you incomparably more - the safety of your feet. But even in them you should not walk in shallow water from the outside of the reef. The needles of some sea creatures are very long and can accidentally touch an unprotected part of the body.

2. Do not splash in puddles at low tide, some fish, such as rays, can burrow into the wet sand and wait for the tide.

3. Divers are forbidden to swim alone, but some daredevils still break the rules. While diving, do not feed the fish or attract their attention with fresh blood. If you cut yourself somewhere or have wounds that can bleed, it's best not to risk swimming in the water. If the fish behaves aggressively in the event of an attack, hit it on the head or snout - these are the most vulnerable places, having felt a rebuff, it can swim away by itself.

4. Remove any spikes of the needle from the wounds very carefully so that they do not break and do not crumble even more. Take a soft rag or some kind of napkin and carefully pull out a foreign object. Even if you could not remove everything, limestone needles or spikes dissolve in our body over time and leave it without consequences. The main thing in such cases is to disinfect the wound well so that infection does not start.

5. It would be nice to be able to do artificial respiration and know the basics of first aid for bites, cuts, etc.

6. Be sure to take a first aid kit with you, which should contain such ointments as tetracycline, erythromycin, as well as iodine, brilliant green. Names in Arabic countries medicines write on Arabic and not the fact that the pharmacy speaks English.

7. Fans of snorkeling should not swim in unfamiliar areas, it is better to wear swimming trunks that are not easy, and a special thin neoprene T-shirt (1 - 1.5 mm will be enough) to protect against sun rays and accidental contact with the poisonous inhabitants of the Red Sea, choose reefs for swimming so that the depth is at least 2 meters, do not feed, do not stroke the fish, do not kiss for a selfie with the fish, do not break, do not unscrew, do not even touch the corals and If all the same, unforeseen troubles happened to you, keep calm and look for help.

Undersea world red sea beautiful and everything in nature is harmonious. The man discovers water element to contemplate, enjoy and explore the unknown. Do not kiss moray eels and do not feed sharks - these are not pets. We are just guests in this world, and we will be polite and prudent, and then we will not be afraid of any poisonous creatures. Even dives to all.

The family Milleporidae (Milleporidae) or fiery (burning) corals are very dangerous for humans. More than 1,500 people worldwide suffer from sting coral burns each year.

Danger:

The basis of the coral is polyps - marine invertebrates 1-1.5 mm in size or slightly larger (depending on the species). As soon as it is born, the polyp begins to build a cell house, in which it spends its entire life. The microhouses of polyps are grouped into colonies, the same "trees", "shrubs", "mushrooms" ... Hungry, the polyp sticks out tentacles with many stinging cells from the "house". The smallest animals that make up plankton encounter the tentacles of a polyp, which paralyzes the victim and sends it into the mouth opening. Despite their microscopic size, the stinging cells of polyps have a very complex structure. Inside the cell is a capsule filled with poison. The outer end of the capsule is concave and looks like a thin tube twisted in a spiral, which is called a stinging thread. This tube, covered with the smallest spikes pointing backwards, resembles a miniature harpoon. When touched, the stinging thread straightens, the "harpoon" pierces the body of the victim, and the poison passing through it paralyzes the prey. Poisoned "harpoons" of corals can also injure a person.

Short description:

The two main species are Millepora dichotoma - usually yellow-brown with white tops, branched, and Millepora platyphylla - undulating upright with white upper tips.

NET MILLEPORE (Millepora dichotoma).
Fans up to 60 cm, can form elevations up to several meters. Mustard to olive yellow, co-branching colonies. On open upper slopes, 0-15m. Numerous on most Red Sea reefs.

PLATE MILLEPORE (Millepora platyphylla).
Separate plates up to 60 cm, forms elevations up to several meters high. Mustard to olive yellow, lumpy plates. Inhabits reef slopes, lagoons and reef shallows, from 0 to 15 m. Occurs in less open places than reticulate millepora, but not so strongly.

Warning:

They settle near the coast, and this is already unsafe for diving enthusiasts. Corals are so beautiful that many cannot resist the temptation to tear off a piece as a keepsake. And after that they have to regret it for a long time. You can probably imagine how painful it is after contact with a red-hot iron. These are approximately the same sensations from a burn with this coral. Often, after burns, long-term non-healing ulcers form on the skin.

No deaths from coral venom have been recorded, but it is still possible to die. After all, the pain happens to be so strong that you can easily fall into a state of shock or lose consciousness. But, being at a depth, it is deadly. If there is no one nearby to help, you may not resurface.

Since fire corals are motionless, then, of course, they do not attack a person. In every case when people suffer, only the person is to blame. Remember once and for all - do not touch what is unfamiliar to you. Otherwise, you can stumble upon stinging corals - it seems that this is a cute plant, you try to touch it and get a severe burn.

Oddly enough, despite the name, fire corals are not corals at all. They live among real corals, but they themselves are false. They are colonies of polyps that look like huge, branched calcareous trees.

2 types of polyps live in the colony. Inside are those that are responsible for the reproduction and digestion of food. But outside - the most dangerous, with stinging cells, contain a strong poison: they catch prey and guard the entire coral, pitying anyone who dares to touch. Wounds received in contact with this coral are painful, usually shallow, but they heal for a long time and can even turn into trophic ulcers. After severe burn, similar to eczema, the swelling is noticeable after two months. Allergy sufferers may go into shock.

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The most dangerous of the corals, from which a bather or aquarist can suffer, is fire, aka millepora, and he is not a coral at all. More precisely, coral, but not real, but a very distant relative of coral. What they have in common is only belonging to the type of primitive animals ( Cnidaria). But the classes in this type are different: they belong to the class Anthozoa, which in Russian is called coral polyps. And fire corals belong to the class Hydrozoa, which are called hydroid, or polypomedusa, less often - hydrocorals.

We will still remember about jellyfish, but for now we will find out why the hydroids of the Millepora genus ( Millepora) are called corals. Yes, because they look alike. And close to the naked eye, the difference is difficult to catch. Millepora, like real corals, form colonies: massive, plate-like and branched. Colonies are hard to the touch, with a strong mineral backbone of lime-impregnated fibers and tubes.

But the differences are visible only with a careful study of the skeletons. In real corals, the polyps sit in their cups, more or less pronounced in different species (upper figure). In fire corals, the surface of the body of the colony is flat, but riddled with pores (lower figure). Millepora is translated into Russian as multi-porous. These pores contain polyps.

Functionally, polyps fall into two groups.

The protection of the colony is provided by dactylozoids: thin long polyps, armed with a different number of irregularly located tentacles thickened at the ends, but devoid of a mouth. Dactylozoids sit in dactylopores scattered throughout the body of the colony, sometimes in an orderly manner, and sometimes completely chaotically. On the tentacles of dactylozoids are stinging cells - nematocytes, they are also cnidocytes. Nematocytes serve for defense, and it is with them that the fire coral burns, as well as other cnidarians.

Nematocysts carry fighting intracellular structures - nematocysts (cnidocysts). On the outer side of the nematocyte there is a special bristle - a knidocil, upon irritation of which a shot occurs. Having received a signal from the cnidocil, the nematocyst literally turns inside out, shot spruce stinging thread. The end of the thread pierces the body of the victim and poison pours out of the thread.

The food of the colony is provided by gastrozoans (feeding polyps) sitting in the gastropores. These are short and thick polyps. For eating, they have a mouth and a corolla of 4-6 tentacles so short that they are called nematocyte tubercles. The task of these polyps is to hunt and digest prey. All gastrozoids of one colony open at their lower ends into a vascular network penetrating the skeleton. This network allows individual polyps to exchange nutrients.

Some sources indicate that only dactylozoids prey on planktonic animals, after which they pass the prey to gastrozoids for digestion. Around each gastrozoid, 5-9 dactylozoids are grouped.

Polyps are completely drawn into the pores of the skeleton and are poorly visible from the outside. The maximum that can be seen on living coral is the white fluff of tentacles covering its surface. The tentacles are spread day and night in search of prey, but in case of danger they can quickly retract inside.

In addition to food obtained by gastrozoids, the colony also feeds on symbiotic algae.

As I already wrote about many other groups of cnidarians, experts do not have a consensus on the number of species of this genus. In the latest summary of the systematics of the cnidarians, the number of species was reduced to 7, although earlier there were almost 50 of them.

Fire corals come in cream, brown, yellow and even purple, but their typical color is mustard. The shape of fire corals can be quite bizarre, as they grow not only inanimate objects, but also sessile invertebrates, especially gorgonian soft corals.

Millipores are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters of the oceans on coral reefs and shallow waters with strong currents. For reasons unknown to biologists, they are not on the reefs of the Hawaiian Islands. Along with true corals, fire corals are important reef builders.

Millipore reproduction is sexual and asexual. During sexual reproduction, small jellyfish with 4-5 tubercles of nematocytes emerge from the colony. The life of jellyfish does not last long, only a few hours, but during this time they manage to form germ cells and sweep them into the water. After fertilization, a free-living planktonic larva-planula is obtained, which soon settles from the plankton onto the substrate and forms a new colony.

There is also a non-jellyfish variant of sexual reproduction. More precisely, semi-medusa. At Millepora murrayi eggs develop directly in the body of the colony and are released into plankton directly from the colony, while sperm develop in jellyfish

At asexual reproduction for one reason or another, fragments break off from the colony, which, under favorable circumstances, attach to the substrate and give rise to a new colony

AT last years millipores have become fashionable inhabitants of marine aquariums.

Despite the stinging tentacles, fire corals have many lodgers, mostly fish and shrimp. You can often observe who has arranged for herself an observation post at the top of the coral.

For humans, contact with fire coral can be quite painful. The palm or finger may be too thick-skinned to burn, but more sensitive areas of the skin will be hurt. 5-30 minutes after contact with coral, pain or burning may begin. The burn itself is not dangerous, but in rare cases an allergic reaction may develop (the toxin is of a protein nature). As a rule, everything ends with nausea and a runny nose, passing after a couple of hours. Edema, blisters, swelling of the lymph nodes can develop, passing in a day, and in the unlucky - in two weeks. In addition to being burned by stinging cells, fire coral can simply cut the skin with its sharp edges.

• Rinse the affected area with sea water. fresh water You don't need to wash it, it will only increase the pain.
• Put a swab with vinegar or isopropyl alcohol on the wound (Why exactly isopropyl alcohol and where to get it on the beach - I don’t know, try any strong alcohol).
• Remove visible tentacles from the skin with tweezers.
• If an arm or leg is affected, immobilize the limb, as movement may spread the venom.
• If the burn is very itchy, apply hydrocortisone ointment 2-3 times a day. Immediately stop smearing this ointment if there is even the slightest suspicion of an infection.
• If shortness of breath develops after contact with coral fire; swelling of the tongue, face or throat - treat allergies. If no signs allergic reaction no, pain can be controlled with 1-2 acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours and/or 1-2 ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) every 6-8 hours.

But it is better not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor.

Tropical rest and poisoning. Why are corals and reefs dangerous?

Tropical rest and poisoning. Why are corals and reefs dangerous?

About 70 species of coelenterates dangerous to humans are known, living in the seas and oceans of tropical and temperate latitudes.

The most common lesions are caused by coral polyps of the class Anthozoa, free-swimming colonies of physalia polyps, or siphonophores, and various classes jellyfish (a subtype of cnidaria - Cnidaria), which have stinging cells (cnidoblasts or nematocytes) on their tentacles, which contain a toxic secret and a thread coiled into a spiral, ending with a bristle-like process - knidocil (from the Greek knida - thread), resembling a harpoon, or equipped with numerous backward-facing processes.

When stinging cells are touched, filaments are ejected from them, the cnidocils of which pierce the human body and provide the introduction of a toxic substance that blocks H-cholinergic receptors in neuromuscular synapses and parasympathetic ganglia, has an anticholinesterase effect and promotes the release of histamine and serotonin.

Defeat by toxins coral polyps(Anthozoa), the smallest marine animals a few millimeters in size, occurs as a result of contact of unprotected skin with corals - the calcareous skeleton of dead polyp colonies of commercial value (the most poisonous "fire polyp" Pennaria tiarella, "burning coral" Millepora alhcornis, etc.) . The effect of zootoxins manifests itself several minutes after contact with polyps and is characterized by the appearance of a strong burning sensation and pain in the affected area of ​​the skin, the development of local edema and erythema, often with the subsequent formation of long-term non-healing ulcers.

A similar local effect (“sponge catcher disease”) occurs when anemones are affected by toxins, belonging to polyps and living as independent organisms on the surface of corals or reefs - common anemone (Actinia equina), reaching a height of 3-4 cm, a diameter of 4-6 cm and equipped a large number(about 190) tentacles 2 cm long with cnidoblasts, tealia (Tealiafelina), reaching a height of 20-25 cm, a diameter of 30 cm, equipped with 80-160 tentacles, pink sea anemone, etc. Equitoxin according to medical literature in cases of severe lesions can cause headache, fever, weakness, bradycardia and hypotension. Teliatoxin can cause an increase in blood pressure, bronchospasm. In an experiment in mice, actinium toxins cause hemolysis, cardiac arrest, and apnea.

Severe lesions are caused by the toxins of the physalis Physahapelagica (" portuguese boat”), resembling a jellyfish, but representing a free-floating giant colony of polyps with a division of specific functions. The surface part of the physalia is represented by a swimming dome (pneumatophore) blue color with a bright red crest (reminiscent of the coloring of old Portuguese ships) with a diameter of about 30 cm, and the underwater part consists of many polyps connected in the form of long (10-30 m) tentacles, hardly noticeable in the water.

The dragon lived on top of a dark mountain. He found himself a deep and spacious cave, arranged it to his liking and lived quietly. He loved to listen to the singing of the storm, protected forests from fires, and on hot days drove with his wings cold air from the mountain to the valley, so that animals, plants and people would enjoy the coolness.

No one knows how long he lived on a lonely mountain. People thought he was always there. But dragons don't count the days. What's the point of an account? Does it matter how many times he circled his domain? After all, every day is different. And every day the dragon was surprised anew by the beauty that surrounded him. Each time the water seemed to him a new sweetness, and the rain now beat, then stroked his thick skin. No, the dragon didn't keep track of day and night. The dragon rejoiced each time that the sun had risen and that it had sunk into the waves of the sea.

The sea... The dragon loved to fly over the sea at night, scratching the waves with its tail. When water and sky became one, the daughter of the sea king came out to the dragon and sang to him in a silver voice. The dragon closed his eyes and listened, listened, listened...

One night at sea, he saw a lonely boat. And then, next to her, the head of a young diver appeared in the moonlight. The dragon lay down on a cloud and watched as the youngster dived into the depths over and over again and returned sad to the boat. Last time he was gone for a very long time. And then someone's thin hands pushed the young man out of the water to the surface.

He lay at the bottom of the boat and did not breathe, his skin in the moonlight seemed transparent. And then the dragon, instead of the usual singing, heard crying. His mermaid wept bitterly as she sat next to the hapless diver.

Dragons don't cry. They see too much in their long dragon life, so that if the dragons wept, the whole earth would drown in their salty tears.

Dragons see hearts. When the human heart flares up real love, it turns into the heart of a dragon.

The dragon sighed. He took in more air and swept over the sea waves, spewing fire from his mouth.

The flame sank into the black depths of the ocean. And then, in the dark bottom, fiery gardens flared up. The mermaid dived and returned with a sprig of fire coral. She put it on the young man's chest and... a huge dragon soared into the sky from the boat...

While the flames blossomed into gardens on the seabed, the old dragon flew to his cave and lay wearily on the rocks. Nothing can make the human heart beat again. Whether it's a dragon thing ... Even if it's in a person's chest.

When a dragon dies, it leaves a sprig of fire coral. The frozen flame of a hot dragon's heart. They say that in clear weather, when the surface of the water is as smooth as glass, magnificent gardens and the palace of the sea king can be seen from the shore. And on a moonlit night, you can see how the dragon listens to the magical songs of the mermaid, and on a lonely mountain, the frozen flame of the great dragon burns with a bright flame.