Azhdaho is the dragon of Talysh myth, a serpentine monster and 'negative hero' descended from the ancient Iranian Aži Dahāka. He is the devouring beast whom the champion must slay, and in later tradition his reptilian image blurs into that of the demon-giant, so that dragon and ogre become nearly interchangeable adversaries. He preserves in Talysh folk narrative one of the oldest figures of Indo-Iranian myth, the great serpent of chaos held at bay by the hero.