Salamanda
This dragon/lizard like creature is cold to the touch and can withstand fire. It's skin is decorated by star shaped markings which exude a milky substance which is highly toxic and burns human skin and flesh right down to the bone. This is why the salamanda has the reputation for being able to raise fire. The only creature reported to be able to withstand the toxic fluid is the pig which eats salamandas and stores the toxin under it's skin in fatty deposits which, in turn, makes the pig the pig toxic to other animals and humans.
It is likely that the name
'salamanda' come from the Greek 'salambe' which means 'fireplace'
and it is said that salamandas were sometimes found in a
fireplace containing a newly lit fire. It is likely that this is
due to the fact that salamandas often curl up holes in trees to
hiberbnate and so could have been brought in accidentally with
the firewood. They do have an amazing ability to withstand heat
and are also believed to be able to extinguish fire at will by
projecting a freezing wave which can douse the fiercest of
flames. The salamanda was adopted by King Francis the First of
france as his emblem. He displayed it with the motto 'I nourish
and extinguish'. Because of it's ability raise, withstand and
douse flames the salamanda has been associated with purity and
permanence.
