Arassus

In the folklore of the Alpine region of south-central Europe, the Tatzelwurm, Stollenwurm, or Stollwurm is a lizard-like creature, essentially a sort of dragon, often described as having the face of a cat with a serpent-like body which may be slender or stubby, with four short legs or two forelegs and no hindlegs, the latter a trait shared with many lindworms. Stories of essentially the same creature also exist in the folklore of South Sweden.

The creature is sometimes said to be venomous, or to attack with poisonous breath, a common trait in dragons, and to make a high-pitched or hissing sound.

Anecdotes describing encounters with the creature or briefly described lore about them can be found in several areas of Europe, including the Austrian, Bavarian, French, Italian and Swiss Alps. It has several other regional names, including Bergstutz, Springwurm, Praatzelwurm, and in French, arassas.