Each beast was bigger than an elephant, and three times as long, and there were a dozen or more of the creatures scattered here and there about the cavern.

On their bodies were big scales, as round as pie-plates, which were beautifully tinted in shades of green, purple and orange.

On the ends of their long tails were clusters of jewels.

Around the great, moon-like eyes were circles of diamonds which sparkled in the subdued light that glowed from the eyes.
Woot saw that the creatures had wide mouths and rows of terrible teeth and, from tales he had heard of such beings, he knew he had fallen into a cavern inhabited by the great Dragons that had been driven from the surface of the earth and were only allowed to come out once in a hundred years to search for food.

Of course he had never seen Dragons before, yet there was no mistaking them, for they were unlike any other living creatures.
Woot sat upon the floor where he had fallen, staring around, and the owners of the big eyes returned his look, silently and motionless.
Finally one of the Dragons which was farthest away from him asked, in a deep, grave voice: "What was that ?" And the greatest Dragon of all, who was just in front of the Green Monkey, answered in a still deeper voice: "It is some foolish animal from Outside." "Is it good to eat ?" inquired a smaller Dragon beside the great one.
"I'm hungry." "Hungry!" exclaimed all the Dragons, in a reproachful chorus; and then the great one said chidingly: "Tut-tut, my son! You've no reason to be hungry at this time." "Why not ?" asked the little Dragon.