Glaurung was the fictional father of dragons in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Glaurung appears in the stories of the First Age and is described as the first of the great dragons bred by Morgoth. He is a wingless fire-drake and serves Morgoth during the wars against the Elves and Men of Beleriand.
His most important story concerns Túrin Turambar and Nienor. Glaurung uses deception and a powerful gaze to manipulate the characters, making him a major force in the tragic tale later known as The Children of Húrin.
Glaurung is distinct from Smaug, the dragon in The Hobbit, and Ancalagon the Black, a winged dragon from the War of Wrath. Their different ages and stories are a frequent source of confusion.