Balrogs vs Dragons

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Essence of Darkness
Posts: 531</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
I seem to have noticed an uncanny regularity concerning fights between Balrogs and people, and Dragons and people. Every duel with Balrogs that is described afterwards in which the Balrog is slain ends up leaving the other contestant dead also; and yet the slayer of a Dragon always seems to come out alive.

Some examples:

The Dead Balrog-slayers
Ecthelion -- fell with Gothmog in the sack of Gondolin
Glorfindel -- killed and was killed by a Balrog while crossing the Echoriath out of Gondlin
Gandalf -- slew Durin's bane in Moria and passed away

The Living Dragon-slayers
Bard of Esgaroth -- shot Smaug of Erebor and after became king
Túrin Turambar -- stabbed Glaurung father of Dragons with Gurthang; swooned but recovered and returned to Brethil
Fram of the Rohirrim -- slew Scatha the Worm in Rhovanion and became very rich
Eärendil the Mariner -- struck Ancalagon the Black out of the sky in the Great Battle; lived on and became the voyager of the skies for eternity

And yet were the Dragons not more dangerous than the Balrogs?

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