the adventures of pinocchio-第17章

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〃But　if　I　help　you；　will　you　promise　not　to　bother　me　again　by　running　after　me？〃

〃I　promise！　　I　promise！　　Only　hurry；　for　if　you　wait　another　second；　I'll　be　dead　and　gone！〃

Pinocchio　hesitated　still　another　minute。　　Then；　remembering　how　his　father　had　often　told　him　that　a　kind　deed　is　never　lost；　he　swam　to　Alidoro　and；　catching　hold　of　his　tail；　dragged　him　to　the　shore。

The　poor　Dog　was　so　weak　he　could　not　stand。　　He　had　swallowed　so　much　salt　water　that　he　was　swollen　like　a　balloon。　　However；　Pinocchio；　not　wishing　to　trust　him　too　much；　threw　himself　once　again　into　the　sea。　　As　he　swam　away；　he　called　out：

〃Good…by；　Alidoro；　good　luck　and　remember　me　to　the　family！〃

〃Good…by；　little　Pinocchio；〃　answered　the　Dog。　〃A　thousand　thanks　for　having　saved　me　from　death。　You　did　me　a　good　turn；　and；　in　this　world；　what　is　given　is　always　returned。　　If　the　chance　comes；　I　shall　be　there。〃

Pinocchio　went　on　swimming　close　to　shore。　　At　last　he　thought　he　had　reached　a　safe　place。　　Glancing　up　and　down　the　beach；　he　saw　the　opening　of　a　cave　out　of　which　rose　a　spiral　of　smoke。

〃In　that　cave；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃there　must　be　a　fire。　So　much　the　better。　　I'll　dry　my　clothes　and　warm　myself；　and　thenwell〃

His　mind　made　up；　Pinocchio　swam　to　the　rocks；　but　as　he　started　to　climb；　he　felt　something　under　him　lifting　him　up　higher　and　higher。　　He　tried　to　escape；　but　he　was　too　late。　　To　his　great　surprise；　he　found　himself　in　a　huge　net；　amid　a　crowd　of　fish　of　all　kinds　and　sizes；　who　were　fighting　and　struggling　desperately　to　free　themselves。

At　the　same　time；　he　saw　a　Fisherman　come　out　of　the　cave；　a　Fisherman　so　ugly　that　Pinocchio　thought　he　was　a　sea　monster。　　In　place　of　hair；　his　head　was　covered　by　a　thick　bush　of　green　grass。　　Green　was　the　skin　of　his　body；　green　were　his　eyes；　green　was　the　long；　long　beard　that　reached　down　to　his　feet。　　He　looked　like　a　giant　lizard　with　legs　and　arms。

When　the　Fisherman　pulled　the　net　out　of　the　sea；　he　cried　out　joyfully：

〃Blessed　Providence！　　Once　more　I'll　have　a　fine　meal　of　fish！〃

〃Thank　Heaven；　I'm　not　a　fish！〃　said　Pinocchio　to　himself；　trying　with　these　words　to　find　a　little　courage。

The　Fisherman　took　the　net　and　the　fish　to　the　cave；　a　dark；　gloomy；　smoky　place。　　In　the　middle　of　it；　a　pan　full　of　oil　sizzled　over　a　smoky　fire；　sending　out　a　repelling　odor　of　tallow　that　took　away　one's　breath。

〃Now；　let's　see　what　kind　of　fish　we　have　caught　today；〃　said　the　Green　Fisherman。　　He　put　a　hand　as　big　as　a　spade　into　the　net　and　pulled　out　a　handful　of　mullets。

〃Fine　mullets；　these！〃　he　said；　after　looking　at　them　and　smelling　them　with　pleasure。　　After　that；　he　threw　them　into　a　large；　empty　tub。

Many　times　he　repeated　this　performance。　　As　he　pulled　each　fish　out　of　the　net；　his　mouth　watered　with　the　thought　of　the　good　dinner　coming；　and　he　said：

〃Fine　fish；　these　bass！〃

〃Very　tasty；　these　whitefish！〃

〃Delicious　flounders；　these！〃

〃What　splendid　crabs！〃

〃And　these　dear　little　anchovies；　with　their　heads　still　on！〃

As　you　can　well　imagine；　the　bass；　the　flounders；　the　whitefish；　and　even　the　little　anchovies　all　went　together　into　the　tub　to　keep　the　mullets　company。　　The　last　to　come　out　of　the　net　was　Pinocchio。

As　soon　as　the　Fisherman　pulled　him　out；　his　green　eyes　opened　wide　with　surprise；　and　he　cried　out　in　fear：

〃What　kind　of　fish　is　this？　　I　don't　remember　ever　eating　anything　like　it。〃

He　looked　at　him　closely　and　after　turning　him　over　and　over；　he　said　at　last：

〃I　understand。　　He　must　be　a　crab！〃

Pinocchio；　mortified　at　being　taken　for　a　crab；　said　resentfully：

〃What　nonsense！　　A　crab　indeed！　　I　am　no　such　thing。　Beware　how　you　deal　with　me！　I　am　a　Marionette；　I　want　you　to　know。〃

〃A　Marionette？〃　asked　the　Fisherman。　　〃I　must　admit　that　a　Marionette　fish　is；　for　me；　an　entirely　new　kind　of　fish。　So　much　the　better。　　I'll　eat　you　with　greater　relish。〃

〃Eat　me？　　But　can't　you　understand　that　I'm　not　a　fish？　Can't　you　hear　that　I　speak　and　think　as　you　do？〃

〃It's　true；〃　answered　the　Fisherman；　〃but　since　I　see　that　you　are　a　fish；　well　able　to　talk　and　think　as　I　do；　I'll　treat　you　with　all　due　respect。〃

〃And　that　is〃

〃That；　as　a　sign　of　my　particular　esteem；　I'll　leave　to　you　the　choice　of　the　manner　in　which　you　are　to　be　cooked。　　Do　you　wish　to　be　fried　in　a　pan；　or　do　you　prefer　to　be　cooked　with　tomato　sauce？〃

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃if　I　must　choose；　I　should　much　rather　go　free　so　I　may　return　home！〃

〃Are　you　fooling？　　Do　you　think　that　I　want　to　lose　the　opportunity　to　taste　such　a　rare　fish？　　A　Marionette　fish　does　not　come　very　often　to　these　seas。　　Leave　it　to　me。　I'll　fry　you　in　the　pan　with　the　others。　　I　know　you'll　like　it。　It's　always　a　comfort　to　find　oneself　in　good　company。〃

The　unlucky　Marionette；　hearing　this；　began　to　cry　and　wail　and　beg。　　With　tears　streaming　down　his　cheeks；　he　said：

〃How　much　better　it　would　have　been　for　me　to　go　to　school！　I　did　listen　to　my　playmates　and　now　I　am　paying　for　it！　Oh！　　Oh！　　Oh！〃

And　as　he　struggled　and　squirmed　like　an　eel　to　escape　from　him；　the　Green　Fisherman　took　a　stout　cord　and　tied　him　hand　and　foot；　and　threw　him　into　the　bottom　of　the　tub　with　the　others。

Then　he　pulled　a　wooden　bowl　full　of　flour　out　of　a　cupboard　and　started　to　roll　the　fish　into　it；　one　by　one。　When　they　were　white　with　it；　he　threw　them　into　the　pan。　The　first　to　dance　in　the　hot　oil　were　the　mullets；　the　bass　followed；　then　the　whitefish；　the　flounders；　and　the　anchovies。　　Pinocchio's　turn　came　last。　　Seeing　himself　so　near　to　death　（and　such　a　horrible　death！）　he　began　to　tremble　so　with　fright　that　he　had　no　voice　left　with　which　to　beg　for　his　life。

The　poor　boy　beseeched　only　with　his　eyes。　　But　the　Green　Fisherman；　not　even　noticing　that　it　was　he；　turned　him　over　and　over　in　the　flour　until　he　looked　like　a　Marionette　made　of　chalk。

Then　he　took　him　by　the　head　and



CHAPTER　29

Pinocchio　returns　to　the　Fairy's　house　and　she　promises　him　that；　on　the　morrow；　he　will　cease　to　be　a　Marionette　and　become　a　boy。　A　wonderful　party　of　coffee…and…milk　to　celebrate　the　great　event



Mindful　of　what　the　Fisherman　had　said；　Pinocchio　knew　that　all　hope　of　being　saved　had　gone。　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　waited　for　the　final　moment。

Suddenly；　a　large　Dog；　attracted　by　the　odor　of　the　boiling　oil；　came　running　into　the　cave。

〃Get　out！〃　cried　the　Fisherman　threateningly　and　still　holding　onto　the　Marionette；　who　was　all　covered　with　flour。

But　the　poor　Dog　was　very　hungry；　and　whining　and　wagging　his　tail；　he　tried　to　say：

〃Give　me　a　bite　of　the　fish　and　I'll　go　in　peace。〃

〃Get　out；　I　say！〃　repeated　the　Fisherman。

And　he　drew　back　his　foot　to　give　the　Dog　a　kick。

Then　the　Dog；　who；　being　really　hungry；　would　take　no　refusal；　turned　in　a　rage　toward　the　Fisherman　and　bared　his　terrible　fangs。　　And　at　that　moment；　a　pitiful　little　voice　was　heard　saying：　　〃Save　me；　Alidoro；　if　you　don't；　I　fry！〃

The　Dog　immediately　recognized　Pinocchio's　voice。　Great　was　his　surprise　to　find　that　the　voice　came　from　the　little　flour…covered　bundle　that　the　Fisherman　held　in　his　hand。

Then　what　did　he　do？　　With　one　great　leap；　he　grasped　that　bundle　in　his　mouth　and；　holding　it　lightly　between　his　teeth；　ran　through　the　door　and　disappeared　like　a　flash！

The　Fisherman；　angry　at　seeing　his　meal　snatched　from　under　his　nose；　ran　after　the　Dog；　but　a　bad　fit　of　coughing　made　him　stop　and　turn　back。

Meanwhile；　Alidoro；　as　soon　as　he　had　found　the　road　which　led　to　the　village；　stopped　and　dropped　Pinocchio　softly　to　the　ground。

〃How　much　I　do　thank　you！〃　said　the　Marionette。

〃It　is　not　necessary；〃　answered　the　Dog。　　〃You　saved　me　once；　and　what　is　given　is　always　returned。　　We　are　in　this　world　to　help　one　another。〃

〃But　how　did　you　get　in　that　cave？〃

〃I　was　lying　here　on　the　sand　more　dead　than　alive；　when　an　appetizing　odor　of　fried　fish　came　to　me。　　That　odor　tickled　my　hunger　and　I　followed　it。　　Oh；　if　I　had　come　a　moment　later！〃

〃Don't　speak　about　it；〃　wailed　Pinocchio；　still　trembling　with　fright。　　〃Don't　say　a　word。　　If　you　had　come　a　moment　later；　I