“Well, well,” said the Salamander, “you sha’n’t wait another minute”; and he bustled about so fast that, before he knew it, Nibbles was eating large quantities of cheese and bacon pie, and drinking cups of tea so hot that it made him wink.
Meanwhile, the Salamander had climbed up on top of the stove, where he sat with his feet hanging over the edge, nodding and dozing.
“Do you never get too hot?” inquired Nibbles.
“Oh, no,” replied the Salamander. “I belong to a very chilly family. We are all devoted to heat and poetry. Would you like to hear my favorite poem?”
“Yes, very much,” said Nibbles.
So the Salamander, in a high, squeaky voice, began to recite:
“The Salamander loves to sit
Upon the red-hot stove,