Dragons in eastern cultures are usually depicted as wingless, four-legged, serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence. I've been to Flores Island and seen Komodo dragons up close. They are fearful creatures. The reason there have been few attacks on humans is that contact with humans has been strictly controlled. I couldn't hike the island without a guide. But these creatures hunt buffalo, and it is not hard to imagine an even larger version terrifying human or hobbit populations.