George Joy’s Guide to Faerytale Creatures, No 9: Firebrands

Now believed to be extinct, Firebrands were small creatures that travellers of all kinds would take on long journeys both to help keep them company and to light their fires for them.  The creatures would travel in a pouch swinging from their owner’s belt or in the top pocket of their coat or shirt - their heads invariably poking out the top in order to look around.

They were created and given as gifts by the warring wizard, Mars, to those who, like him and Mercury, travelled following the First War of This World.  Indeed, it is often said that the one held by Mercury helped create weapons during the next war - in particular, the Underearth’s Dragons.

The creatures themselves were like newts in appearance with long bodies and tails bordered by four short legs, each with their own individual pattern of white, black, red, orange and yellow stripes running from nose to tail.  When commanded, and only when commanded, they would breath fire until the object they were told to aim at (generally kindling) took up that fire.

It is believed they became extinct as each would either die at the same time as their owner or crawl into his or her mouth so as to be buried with them.  

And that is all that can be said, more or less.  Another creature lost way back in the mysterious mists of time.