At last she paused in a room which looked almost like a kitchen , it was so full of pots and pans , but the tables were of mahogany and the sofas and chairs covered with the richest stuffs . ` Sit down , ' said the old woman pleasantly , and she pushed Jem into a corner of a sofa and put a table close in front of him . ` Sit down , you 've had a long walk and a heavy load to carry , and I must give you something for your trouble . Wait a bit , and I 'll give you some nice soup , which you 'll remember as long as you live . ' So saying , she whistled again . First came in guinea pigs in men 's clothing . They had tied on large kitchen aprons , and in their belts were stuck carving knives and sauce ladles and such things . After them hopped in a number of squirrels . They too walked on their hind legs , wore full Turkish trousers , and little green velvet caps on their heads . They seemed to be the scullions , for they clambered up the walls and brought down pots and pans , eggs , flour , butter , and herbs , which they carried to the stove . Here the old woman was bustling about , and Jem could see that she was cooking something very special for him . At last the broth began to bubble and boil , and she drew off the saucepan and poured its contents into a silver bowl , which she set before Jem . ` There , my boy , ' said she , ` eat this soup and then you 'll have everything which pleased you so much about me . And you shall be a clever cook too , but the real herb -- no , the REAL herb you 'll never find . Why had your mother not got it in her basket ? ' The child could not think what she was talking about , but he quite understood the soup , which tasted most delicious . His mother had often given him nice things , but nothing had ever seemed so good as this . The smell of the herbs and spices rose from the bowl , and the soup tasted both sweet and sharp at the same time , and was very strong . As he was finishing it the guinea pigs lit some Arabian incense , which gradually filled the room with clouds of blue vapour . They grew thicker and thicker and the scent nearly overpowered the boy .
He reminded himself that he must get back to his mother , but whenever he tried XXXXX rouse himself to go he sank back again drowsily , and at last he fell sound asleep in the corner of the sofa .
As At about for in into like on to with