Dragons and Treasure

I was talking with a friend about the various books we have read and it came to our attention that dragons are almost always connected to treasure and/or greed.

Take for instance Smaug, the dragon from Voyage of the Dawn Treader and various other stories. Draco from DragonHeart seems to be one of the few that doesn't follow this rule.

So my question is, where do you think this got started from? Is there some basis from mythology that I am missing perhaps?

Come to think of it.... I've never read a story from Norse mythology that had dragons associated with treasure. Now that I think about it, the Norse made no mention at all of dragons fighting their heroes and gods, except for the Midgard Serpent Jormungand. The Midgard Serpent lies in the Ocean, but guards no treasure. Treasure was associated with Dwarves, magic and curses. Heroes fought Giants and other heroes to win treasure.

This whole Dragon-Treasure thing must be a German concept.

Chinese dragons are NEVER associated with treasure, but with weather, bringing rain.

"PLUGH"?
Dare I ask what your sig means?

It's from an OLD, very old text-based game called ADVENTURE. You wander around collecting treasure in caverns and tunnels. Saying (typing) "PLUGH" at a certain place teleports you back to a house where you deposit the treasure for points.

Hey, the game was invented wayyy back in 1969!! THe great-granddaddy of all computer adventure games, and the direct inpiration of the Zork Trilogy.

I wouldn't be surprised if Smaug started it all.

Actually, now I do remember the story of the Golden Fleece. Wasn't it guarded by a dragon?