Wyvern folklore is rarely fire-breathing like the four-legged dragon. Sometimes modern fantasy book and media authors have wyverns that are frost-breathing or poison-breathing instead of fire-breathing. The current spelling "wyvern" is not attested before the seventeenth century as "winged two-footed dragon". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is an alteration of Middle English "wyver" (attested thirteenth century), from Anglo-French "wivre" (cf. French "guivre" and "vouivre"), which originate from Latin "vīpera", meaning "viper", "adder", or "asp". Conversely, medievalist William Sayers proposes a more complex origin for the term. He notes that the Anglo-French "guivre" and its Middle English derivative ceased to
Wyvern (film) wyvern. The next morning, Sheriff Dawson (John Shaw) and Jake hear gunshots and find Haas (Barry Corbin), a redneck attacked by the wyvern. Colonel (Don S. Davis), who has seen the Wyvern, goes to town to warn the citizens; but they disbelieve him, and he goes to kill it. Dawson radios to his Deputy Susie (Elaine Miles) to watch the town, but fails to convey his meaning. Dawson finds his friend dead, and returns. At the town, the wyvern kills Susie and several other people. Jake, Claire, Haas, and the eccentric Edna (Karen Austin) take shelter in the cafe. Later,