the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第13章

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〃I　was　asleep；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃but　they
awakened　me　with　their　whisperings。　　One　of　them　even　came
to　the　door　of　the　doghouse　and　said　to　me；　‘If　you　promise
not　to　bark；　we　will　make　you　a　present　of　one　of　the
chickens　for　your　breakfast。'　Did　you　hear　that？　　They
had　the　audacity　to　make　such　a　proposition　as　that　to　me！
For　you　must　know　that；　though　I　am　a　very　wicked　Marionette
full　of　faults；　still　I　never　have　been；　nor　ever　shall　be；　bribed。〃

〃Fine　boy！〃　cried　the　Farmer；　slapping　him　on　the
shoulder　in　a　friendly　way。　　〃You　ought　to　be　proud　of
yourself。　　And　to　show　you　what　I　think　of　you；　you
are　free　from　this　instant！〃

And　he　slipped　the　dog　collar　from　his　neck。



CHAPTER　23

Pinocchio　weeps　upon　learning　that　the　Lovely　Maiden
with　Azure　Hair　is　dead。　　He　meets　a　Pigeon；
who　carries　him　to　the　seashore。　　He　throws　himself
into　the　sea　to　go　to　the　aid　of　his　father



As　soon　as　Pinocchio　no　longer　felt　the　shameful　weight
of　the　dog　collar　around　his　neck；　he　started　to　run　across
the　fields　and　meadows；　and　never　stopped　till　he　came　to
the　main　road　that　was　to　take　him　to　the　Fairy's　house。

When　he　reached　it；　he　looked　into　the　valley　far　below
him　and　there　he　saw　the　wood　where　unluckily　he　had
met　the　Fox　and　the　Cat；　and　the　tall　oak　tree　where　he
had　been　hanged；　but　though　he　searched　far　and　near；　he
could　not　see　the　house　where　the　Fairy　with　the　Azure
Hair　lived。

He　became　terribly　frightened　and；　running　as　fast　as　he
could；　he　finally　came　to　the　spot　where　it　had　once　stood。
The　little　house　was　no　longer　there。　　In　its　place　lay　a
small　marble　slab；　which　bore　this　sad　inscription：

HERE　LIES
THE　LOVELY　FAIRY　WITH　AZURE　HAIR
WHO　DIED　OF　GRIEF
WHEN　ABANDONED　BY
HER　LITTLE　BROTHER　PINOCCHIO


The　poor　Marionette　was　heartbroken　at　reading　these
words。　　He　fell　to　the　ground　and；　covering　the　cold　marble
with　kisses；　burst　into　bitter　tears。　　He　cried　all　night；　and
dawn　found　him　still　there；　though　his　tears　had　dried
and　only　hard；　dry　sobs　shook　his　wooden　frame。　　But
these　were　so　loud　that　they　could　be　heard　by　the
faraway　hills。

As　he　sobbed　he　said　to　himself：

〃Oh；　my　Fairy；　my　dear；　dear　Fairy；　why　did　you　die？
Why　did　I　not　die；　who　am　so　bad；　instead　of　you；　who
are　so　good？　　And　my　fatherwhere　can　he　be？　　Please
dear　Fairy；　tell　me　where　he　is　and　I　shall　never；　never
leave　him　again！　　You　are　not　really　dead；　are　you？　　If　you
love　me；　you　will　come　back；　alive　as　before。　　Don't　you
feel　sorry　for　me？　　I'm　so　lonely。　　If　the　two　Assassins　come；
they'll　hang　me　again　from　the　giant　oak　tree　and　I　will
really　die；　this　time。　　What　shall　I　do　alone　in　the　world？
Now　that　you　are　dead　and　my　father　is　lost；　where　shall
I　eat？　　Where　shall　I　sleep？　　Who　will　make　my　new
clothes？　　Oh；　I　want　to　die！　　Yes；　I　want　to　die！　Oh；　oh；　oh！〃

Poor　Pinocchio！　He　even　tried　to　tear　his　hair；　but　as　it
was　only　painted　on　his　wooden　head；　he　could　not　even　pull　it。

Just　then　a　large　Pigeon　flew　far　above　him。　　Seeing　the
Marionette；　he　cried　to　him：

〃Tell　me；　little　boy；　what　are　you　doing　there？〃

〃Can't　you　see？　　I'm　crying；〃　cried　Pinocchio；　lifting　his
head　toward　the　voice　and　rubbing　his　eyes　with　his　sleeve。

〃Tell　me；〃　asked　the　Pigeon；　〃do　you　by　chance　know
of　a　Marionette；　Pinocchio　by　name？〃

〃Pinocchio！　　Did　you　say　Pinocchio？〃　replied　the
Marionette；　jumping　to　his　feet。　　〃Why；　I　am　Pinocchio！〃

At　this　answer；　the　Pigeon　flew　swiftly　down　to　the　earth。
He　was　much　larger　than　a　turkey。

〃Then　you　know　Geppetto　also？〃

〃Do　I　know　him？　　He's　my　father；　my　poor；　dear　father！
Has　he；　perhaps；　spoken　to　you　of　me？　　Will　you　take　me　to　him？
Is　he　still　alive？　　Answer　me；　please！　Is　he　still　alive？〃

〃I　left　him　three　days　ago　on　the　shore　of　a　large　sea。〃

〃What　was　he　doing？〃

〃He　was　building　a　little　boat　with　which　to　cross　the　ocean。
For　the　last　four　months；　that　poor　man　has　been　wandering
around　Europe；　looking　for　you。　　Not　having　found　you　yet；
he　has　made　up　his　mind　to　look　for　you　in　the　New　World；
far　across　the　ocean。〃

〃How　far　is　it　from　here　to　the　shore？〃　asked　Pinocchio　anxiously。

〃More　than　fifty　miles。〃

〃Fifty　miles？　　Oh；　dear　Pigeon；　how　I　wish　I　had　your　wings！〃

〃If　you　want　to　come；　I'll　take　you　with　me。〃

〃How？〃

〃Astride　my　back。　　Are　you　very　heavy？〃

〃Heavy？　　Not　at　all。　　I'm　only　a　feather。〃

〃Very　well。〃

Saying　nothing　more；　Pinocchio　jumped　on　the　Pigeon's
back　and；　as　he　settled　himself；　he　cried　out　gayly：

〃Gallop　on；　gallop　on；　my　pretty　steed！　　I'm　in　a　great　hurry。〃

The　Pigeon　flew　away；　and　in　a　few　minutes　he　had
reached　the　clouds。　　The　Marionette　looked　to　see　what
was　below　them。　　His　head　swam　and　he　was　so　frightened
that　he　clutched　wildly　at　the　Pigeon's　neck　to　keep
himself　from　falling。

They　flew　all　day。　　Toward　evening　the　Pigeon　said：

〃I'm　very　thirsty！〃

〃And　I'm　very　hungry！〃　said　Pinocchio。

〃Let　us　stop　a　few　minutes　at　that　pigeon　coop　down　there。
Then　we　can　go　on　and　be　at　the　seashore　in　the　morning。〃

They　went　into　the　empty　coop　and　there　they　found　nothing　but
a　bowl　of　water　and　a　small　basket　filled　with　chick…peas。

The　Marionette　had　always　hated　chick…peas。　　According
to　him；　they　had　always　made　him　sick；　but　that　night
he　ate　them　with　a　relish。　　As　he　finished　them；　he　turned
to　the　Pigeon　and　said：

〃I　never　should　have　thought　that　chick…peas　could　be　so　good！〃

〃You　must　remember；　my　boy；〃　answered　the　Pigeon；
〃that　hunger　is　the　best　sauce！〃

After　resting　a　few　minutes　longer；　they　set　out　again。
The　next　morning　they　were　at　the　seashore。

Pinocchio　jumped　off　the　Pigeon's　back；　and　the　Pigeon；
not　wanting　any　thanks　for　a　kind　deed；　flew　away　swiftly
and　disappeared。

The　shore　was　full　of　people；　shrieking　and　tearing　their
hair　as　they　looked　toward　the　sea。

〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Pinocchio　of　a　little　old　woman。

〃A　poor　old　father　lost　his　only　son　some　time　ago　and
today　he　built　a　tiny　boat　for　himself　in　order　to　go　in
search　of　him　across　the　ocean。　　The　water　is　very　rough
and　we're　afraid　he　will　be　drowned。〃

〃Where　is　the　little　boat？〃

〃There。　　Straight　down　there；〃　answered　the　little　old　woman；
pointing　to　a　tiny　shadow；　no　bigger　than　a　nutshell；
floating　on　the　sea。

Pinocchio　looked　closely　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　gave　a　sharp　cry：

〃It's　my　father！　　It's　my　father！〃

Meanwhile；　the　little　boat；　tossed　about　by　the　angry
waters；　appeared　and　disappeared　in　the　waves。　　And　Pinocchio；
standing　on　a　high　rock；　tired　out　with　searching；
waved　to　him　with　hand　and　cap　and　even　with　his　nose。

It　looked　as　if　Geppetto；　though　far　away　from　the
shore；　recognized　his　son；　for　he　took　off　his　cap　and
waved　also。　　He　seemed　to　be　trying　to　make　everyone
understand　that　he　would　come　back　if　he　were　able；　but
the　sea　was　so　heavy　that　he　could　do　nothing　with　his　oars。
Suddenly　a　huge　wave　came　and　the　boat　disappeared。

They　waited　and　waited　for　it；　but　it　was　gone。

〃Poor　man！〃　said　the　fisher　folk　on　the　shore；　whispering
a　prayer　as　they　turned　to　go　home。

Just　then　a　desperate　cry　was　heard。　　Turning　around；
the　fisher　folk　saw　Pinocchio　dive　into　the　sea　and　heard
him　cry　out：

〃I'll　save　him！　　I'll　save　my　father！〃

The　Marionette；　being　made　of　wood；　floated　easily
along　and　swam　like　a　fish　in　the　rough　water。　　Now　and
again　he　disappeared　only　to　reappear　once　more。　　In　a
twinkling；　he　was　far　away　from　land。　　At　last　he　was
completely　lost　to　view。

〃Poor　boy！〃　cried　the　fisher　folk　on　the　shore；　and　again
they　mumbled　a　few　prayers；　as　they　returned　home。



CHAPTER　24

Pinocchio　reaches　the　Island　of　the　Busy　Bees
and　finds　the　Fairy　once　more



Pinocchio；　spurred　on　by　the　hope　of　finding　his　father
and　of　being　in　time　to　save　him；　swam　all　night　long。

And　what　a　horrible　night　it　was！　　It　poured　rain；　it
hailed；　it　thundered；　and　the　lightning　was　so　bright　that　it
turned　the　night　into　day。

At　dawn；　he　saw；　not　far　away　from　him；　a　long　stretch
of　sand。　　It　was　an　island　in　the　middle　of　the　sea。

Pinocchio　tried　his　best　to　g