There came a clear , hissing answer , like frozen words dropping round him : `` Wait till I come down . What do you want ? '' Then the white folds began to slide , like melting ice , from the black hill . Prince Prigio felt the air getting warmer behind him , and colder in front of him . He looked round , and there were the trees beginning to blacken in the heat , and the grass looking like a sea of fire along the plains ; for the Firedrake was coming ! The prince just took time to shout , `` The Firedrake is going to pay you a visit ! '' and then he soared to the top of a neighbouring hill , and looked on at what followed . CHAPTER XI . The Battle . It was an awul sight to behold ! When the Remora heard the name of the Firedrake , his hated enemy , he slipped with wonderful speed from the cleft of the mountain into the valley . On and on and on he poured over rock and tree , as if a frozen river could slide downhill ; on and on , till there were miles of him stretching along the valley -- miles of the smooth - ribbed , icy creature , crawling and slipping forwards . The green trees dropped their leaves as he advanced ; the birds fell down dead from the sky , slain by his frosty breath ! But , fast as the Remora stole forward , the Firedrake came quicker yet , flying and clashing his fiery wings . At last they were within striking distance ; and the Firedrake , stooping from the air , dashed with his burning horns and flaming feet slap into the body of the Remora . Then there rose a steam so dreadful , such a white yet fiery vapour of heat , that no one who had not the prince 's magic glass could have seen what happened . With horrible grunts and roars the Firedrake tried to burn his way right through the flat body of the Remora , and to chase him to his cleft in the rock . But the Remora , hissing terribly , and visibly melting away in places , yet held his ground ; and the prince could see his cold white folds climbing slowly up the hoofs of the Firedrake -- up and up , till they reached his knees , and the great burning beast roared like a hundred bulls with the pain . Then up the Firedrake leaped , and hovering on his fiery wings , he lighted in the midst of the Remora 's back , and dashed into it with his horns . But the flat , cruel head writhed backwards , and , slowly bending over on itself , the wounded Remora slid greedily to fasten again on the limbs of the Firedrake .
Meanwhile , the prince , safe on his hill , was lunching XXXXX the loaf and the cold tongue he had brought with him .
With behind from in like on through to up within