■Transliteration

"Kore, Mitsu, who makes this sound
somewhat like a singing voice of bird
in the charcoal backet?"
"No, madam, it's a sound
that charcoals are making like
hiee, koto-koto
because of hot tea on them."
"Oh, do not make fun of me.
They aren't like horses!"
"But indeed, charcoals hit sparks
when they get angry."
"Ho-ho, it lacks any relationship
with birds then, doesn't it."
"Oh, you are right, madam.
Let us take half of the prize out then!"

■From Big Edo Prints■
On heating in Edo

The theory indicates that the climate in Edo era was in cold age in the long-terms weather change and is supposed to have been much colder than today where temperature is getting warmer.
Brazier were made of metal, wood and ceramic and their shapes were circular, square, rectangle. There was also a hanging brazier.
They used braziers with wood frame in common peoples' family. So called cats plate (because cats often lied there) covered one side of rectangle face to heat iron pots, chirori (sake warmer) or tea pots and a drawer is built in underneath.