326 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



"The weather was very cold. Happening to look into 

 the fire, he spied in the middle of those most burning 

 flames a little creature like a lizard, which was sporting 

 in the core of the intensest coals. Becoming instantly 

 aware of what the thing was, he had my sister and me 

 called, and, pointing it out to us children, gave me a 

 great box on the ears, which caused me to howl and 

 weep with all my might. Then he pacified me good- 

 humouredly, and spoke as follows : ' My dear little boy, 

 I am not striking you for any wrong that you have done, 

 but only to make you remember that that lizard which 

 you see in the fire is a salamander, a creature which 

 has never been seen before, by any one of whom we 

 have credible information.' So saying, he kissed me, 

 and gave me some pieces of money." 



Even Topsell is half-hearted about its fire-resisting 

 qualities, giving no modern instances, and only, for it, 

 quoting old authors. According to his account, and to 

 the picture which I have taken from him, the Salamander 

 is not a prepossessing-looking animal: " The Salamander 

 is also foure-footed like a Lyzard, and all the body over 

 it is set with spots of blacke and yellow, yet is the sight 

 of it abhominable, and fearefull to man. The head of it 

 is great, and sometimes they have yellowish bellyes and 

 tayles, and sometimes earthy." 



He also says its bite is not only poisonous, but in- 

 curable, and that it poisons all it touches. 



THE TOAD. 



Toads were always considered venomous and spiteful, 

 and they had but one redeeming quality, which seems 

 to be lost to its modern descendants : 



