The Wawel dragon (smok Wawelski) is the most famous beast in Poland. It is rooted in Krakow`s tradition and culture and is well known to every Polish child. The dragon symbol can be find on the streets, in schools, offices, radio and TV stations, literature and theatre, advertisements and commercials. Wawel dragon is not the only dragon known in Poland, Warsaw has its own dragon called Bazyliszek.

The word smoczek means the small dragon, it also means a baby pacifier in Polish. Sometimes one can buy a toy which has a small dragon on it but can be used as a pacifier (since both are "smoczek").