the adventures of pinocchio-第25章

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　with　the　Fox　and　the　Cat　to　the　Field　of　Wonders　to　bury　the　gold　pieces。　　The　Parrot　laughed　at　me　and；　instead　of　two　thousand　gold　pieces；　I　found　none。　　When　the　Judge　heard　I　had　been　robbed；　he　sent　me　to　jail　to　make　the　thieves　happy；　and　when　I　came　away　I　saw　a　fine　bunch　of　grapes　hanging　on　a　vine。　　The　trap　caught　me　and　the　Farmer　put　a　collar　on　me　and　made　me　a　watchdog。　　He　found　out　I　was　innocent　when　I　caught　the　Weasels　and　he　let　me　go。　　The　Serpent　with　the　tail　that　smoked　started　to　laugh　and　a　vein　in　his　chest　broke　and　so　I　went　back　to　the　Fairy's　house。　　She　was　dead；　and　the　Pigeon；　seeing　me　crying；　said　to　me；　‘I　have　seen　your　father　building　a　boat　to　look　for　you　in　America；'　and　I　said　to　him；　‘Oh；　if　I　only　had　wings！'　and　he　said　to　me；　‘Do　you　want　to　go　to　your　father？'　and　I　said；　‘Perhaps；　but　how？'　and　he　said；　‘Get　on　my　back。　　I'll　take　you　there。'　We　flew　all　night　long；　and　next　morning　the　fishermen　were　looking　toward　the　sea；　crying；　‘There　is　a　poor　little　man　drowning；'　and　I　knew　it　was　you；　because　my　heart　told　me　so　and　I　waved　to　you　from　the　shore〃

〃I　knew　you　also；〃　put　in　Geppetto；　〃and　I　wanted　to　go　to　you；　but　how　could　I？　　The　sea　was　rough　and　the　whitecaps　overturned　the　boat。　　Then　a　Terrible　Shark　came　up　out　of　the　sea　and；　as　soon　as　he　saw　me　in　the　water；　swam　quickly　toward　me；　put　out　his　tongue；　and　swallowed　me　as　easily　as　if　I　had　been　a　chocolate　peppermint。〃

〃And　how　long　have　you　been　shut　away　in　here？〃

〃From　that　day　to　this；　two　long　weary　yearstwo　years；　my　Pinocchio；　which　have　been　like　two　centuries。〃

〃And　how　have　you　lived？　　Where　did　you　find　the　candle？　　And　the　matches　with　which　to　light　itwhere　did　you　get　them？〃

〃You　must　know　that；　in　the　storm　which　swamped　my　boat；　a　large　ship　also　suffered　the　same　fate。　　The　sailors　were　all　saved；　but　the　ship　went　right　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　the　same　Terrible　Shark　that　swallowed　me；　swallowed　most　of　it。〃

〃What！　　Swallowed　a　ship？〃　asked　Pinocchio　in　astonishment。

〃At　one　gulp。　　The　only　thing　he　spat　out　was　the　main…　mast；　for　it　stuck　in　his　teeth。　　To　my　own　good　luck；　that　ship　was　loaded　with　meat；　preserved　foods；　crackers；　bread；　bottles　of　wine；　raisins；　cheese；　coffee；　sugar；　wax　candles；　and　boxes　of　matches。　　With　all　these　blessings；　I　have　been　able　to　live　happily　on　for　two　whole　years；　but　now　I　am　at　the　very　last　crumbs。　　Today　there　is　nothing　left　in　the　cupboard；　and　this　candle　you　see　here　is　the　last　one　I　have。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃And　then；　my　dear；　we'll　find　ourselves　in　darkness。〃

〃Then；　my　dear　Father；〃　said　Pinocchio；　〃there　is　no　time　to　lose。　　We　must　try　to　escape。〃

〃Escape！　　How？〃

〃We　can　run　out　of　the　Shark's　mouth　and　dive　into　the　sea。〃

〃You　speak　well；　but　I　cannot　swim；　my　dear　Pinocchio。〃

〃Why　should　that　matter？　　You　can　climb　on　my　shoulders　and　I；　who　am　a　fine　swimmer；　will　carry　you　safely　to　the　shore。〃

〃Dreams；　my　boy！〃　answered　Geppetto；　shaking　his　head　and　smiling　sadly。　　〃Do　you　think　it　possible　for　a　Marionette；　a　yard　high；　to　have　the　strength　to　carry　me　on　his　shoulders　and　swim？〃

〃Try　it　and　see！　　And　in　any　case；　if　it　is　written　that　we　must　die；　we　shall　at　least　die　together。〃

Not　adding　another　word；　Pinocchio　took　the　candle　in　his　hand　and　going　ahead　to　light　the　way；　he　said　to　his　father：

〃Follow　me　and　have　no　fear。〃

They　walked　a　long　distance　through　the　stomach　and　the　whole　body　of　the　Shark。　　When　they　reached　the　throat　of　the　monster；　they　stopped　for　a　while　to　wait　for　the　right　moment　in　which　to　make　their　escape。

I　want　you　to　know　that　the　Shark；　being　very　old　and　suffering　from　asthma　and　heart　trouble；　was　obliged　to　sleep　with　his　mouth　open。　　Because　of　this；　Pinocchio　was　able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　sky　filled　with　stars；　as　he　looked　up　through　the　open　jaws　of　his　new　home。

〃The　time　has　come　for　us　to　escape；〃　he　whispered；　turning　to　his　father。　　〃The　Shark　is　fast　asleep。　　The　sea　is　calm　and　the　night　is　as　bright　as　day。　　Follow　me　closely；　dear　Father；　and　we　shall　soon　be　saved。〃

No　sooner　said　than　done。　　They　climbed　up　the　throat　of　the　monster　till　they　came　to　that　immense　open　mouth。　There　they　had　to　walk　on　tiptoes；　for　if　they　tickled　the　Shark's　long　tongue　he　might　awakenand　where　would　they　be　then？　　The　tongue　was　so　wide　and　so　long　that　it　looked　like　a　country　road。　　The　two　fugitives　were　just　about　to　dive　into　the　sea　when　the　Shark　sneezed　very　suddenly　and；　as　he　sneezed；　he　gave　Pinocchio　and　Geppetto　such　a　jolt　that　they　found　themselves　thrown　on　their　backs　and　dashed　once　more　and　very　unceremoniously　into　the　stomach　of　the　monster。

To　make　matters　worse；　the　candle　went　out　and　father　and　son　were　left　in　the　dark。

〃And　now？〃　asked　Pinocchio　with　a　serious　face。

〃Now　we　are　lost。〃

〃Why　lost？　　Give　me　your　hand；　dear　Father；　and　be　careful　not　to　slip！〃

〃Where　will　you　take　me？〃

〃We　must　try　again。　　Come　with　me　and　don't　be　afraid。〃

With　these　words　Pinocchio　took　his　father　by　the　hand　and；　always　walking　on　tiptoes；　they　climbed　up　the　monster's　throat　for　a　second　time。　　They　then　crossed　the　whole　tongue　and　jumped　over　three　rows　of　teeth。　　But　before　they　took　the　last　great　leap；　the　Marionette　said　to　his　father：

〃Climb　on　my　back　and　hold　on　tightly　to　my　neck。　I'll　take　care　of　everything　else。〃

As　soon　as　Geppetto　was　comfortably　seated　on　his　shoulders；　Pinocchio；　very　sure　of　what　he　was　doing；　dived　into　the　water　and　started　to　swim。　　The　sea　was　like　oil；　the　moon　shone　in　all　splendor；　and　the　Shark　continued　to　sleep　so　soundly　that　not　even　a　cannon　shot　would　have　awakened　him。



CHAPTER　36

Pinocchio　finally　ceases　to　be　a　Marionette　and　becomes　a　boy




〃My　dear　Father；　we　are　saved！〃　cried　the　Marionette。　〃All　we　have　to　do　now　is　to　get　to　the　shore；　and　that　is　easy。〃

Without　another　word；　he　swam　swiftly　away　in　an　effort　to　reach　land　as　soon　as　possible。　　All　at　once　he　noticed　that　Geppetto　was　shivering　and　shaking　as　if　with　a　high　fever。

Was　he　shivering　from　fear　or　from　cold？　　Who　knows？　Perhaps　a　little　of　both。　　But　Pinocchio；　thinking　his　father　was　frightened；　tried　to　comfort　him　by　saying：

〃Courage；　Father！　　In　a　few　moments　we　shall　be　safe　on　land。〃

〃But　where　is　that　blessed　shore？〃　asked　the　little　old　man；　more　and　more　worried　as　he　tried　to　pierce　the　faraway　shadows。　〃Here　I　am　searching　on　all　sides　and　I　see　nothing　but　sea　and　sky。〃

〃I　see　the　shore；〃　said　the　Marionette。　　〃Remember；　Father；　that　I　am　like　a　cat。　　I　see　better　at　night　than　by　day。〃

Poor　Pinocchio　pretended　to　be　peaceful　and　contented；　but　he　was　far　from　that。　　He　was　beginning　to　feel　discouraged；　his　strength　was　leaving　him；　and　his　breathing　was　becoming　more　and　more　labored。　　He　felt　he　could　not　go　on　much　longer；　and　the　shore　was　still　far　away。

He　swam　a　few　more　strokes。　　Then　he　turned　to　Geppetto　and　cried　out　weakly：

〃Help　me；　Father！　　Help；　for　I　am　dying！〃

Father　and　son　were　really　about　to　drown　when　they　heard　a　voice　like　a　guitar　out　of　tune　call　from　the　sea：

〃What　is　the　trouble？〃

〃It　is　I　and　my　poor　father。〃

〃I　know　the　voice。　　You　are　Pinocchio。〃

〃Exactly。　　And　you？〃

〃I　am　the　Tunny；　your　companion　in　the　Shark's　stomach。〃

〃And　how　did　you　escape？〃

〃I　imitated　your　example。　　You　are　the　one　who　showed　me　the　way　and　after　you　went；　I　followed。〃

〃Tunny；　you　arrived　at　the　right　moment！　　I　implore　you；　for　the　love　you　bear　your　children；　the　little　Tunnies；　to　help　us；　or　we　are　lost！〃

〃With　great　pleasure　indeed。　　Hang　onto　my　tail；　both　of　you；　and　let　me　lead　you。　　In　a　twinkling　you　will　be　safe　on　land。〃

Geppetto　and　Pinocchio；　as　you　can　easily　imagine；　did　not　refuse　the　invitation；　indeed；　instead　of　hanging　onto　the　tail；　they　thought　it　better　to　climb　on　the　Tunny's　back。

〃Are　we　too　heavy？〃　asked　Pinocchio。

〃Heavy？　　Not　in　the　least。　　You　are　as　light　as　sea…shells；〃　answered　the　Tunny；　who　was　as　large　as　a　two…year…old　horse。

As　soon　as　they　reached　the　shore；　Pinocchio　was　the　first　to　jump　to　the　ground　to　help　his　old　father。　Then　he　tur