the adventures of pinocchio-第21部分

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；　wriggling　and　squirming　like　an　eel。

Seeing　that　wooden　Marionette；　the　poor　man　thought　he　was　dreaming　and　sat　there　with　his　mouth　wide　open　and　his　eyes　popping　out　of　his　head。

Gathering　his　wits　together；　he　said：

〃And　the　Donkey　I　threw　into　the　sea？〃

〃I　am　that　Donkey；〃　answered　the　Marionette　laughing。

〃You？〃

〃I。〃

〃Ah；　you　little　cheat！　　Are　you　poking　fun　at　me？〃

〃Poking　fun　at　you？　　Not　at　all；　dear　Master。　I　am　talking　seriously。〃

〃But；　then；　how　is　it　that　you；　who　a　few　minutes　ago　were　a　donkey；　are　now　standing　before　me　a　wooden　Marionette？〃

〃It　may　be　the　effect　of　salt　water。　　The　sea　is　fond　of　playing　these　tricks。〃

〃Be　careful；　Marionette；　be　careful！　　Don't　laugh　at　me！　Woe　be　to　you；　if　I　lose　my　patience！〃

〃Well；　then；　my　Master；　do　you　want　to　know　my　whole　story？　Untie　my　leg　and　I　can　tell　it　to　you　better。〃

The　old　fellow；　curious　to　know　the　true　story　of　the　Marionette's　life；　immediately　untied　the　rope　which　held　his　foot。　Pinocchio；　feeling　free　as　a　bird　of　the　air；　began　his　tale：

〃Know；　then；　that；　once　upon　a　time；　I　was　a　wooden　Marionette；　just　as　I　am　today。　　One　day　I　was　about　to　become　a　boy；　a　real　boy；　but　on　account　of　my　laziness　and　my　hatred　of　books；　and　because　I　listened　to　bad　companions；　I　ran　away　from　home。　　One　beautiful　morning；　I　awoke　to　find　myself　changed　into　a　donkeylong　ears；　gray　coat；　even　a　tail！　　What　a　shameful　day　for　me！　I　hope　you　will　never　experience　one　like　it；　dear　Master。　I　was　taken　to　the　fair　and　sold　to　a　Circus　Owner；　who　tried　to　make　me　dance　and　jump　through　the　rings。　　One　night；　during　a　performance；　I　had　a　bad　fall　and　became　lame。　　Not　knowing　what　to　do　with　a　lame　donkey；　the　Circus　Owner　sent　me　to　the　market　place　and　you　bought　me。〃

〃Indeed　I　did！　　And　I　paid　four　cents　for　you。　Now　who　will　return　my　money　to　me？〃

〃But　why　did　you　buy　me？　　You　bought　me　to　do　me　harmto　kill　meto　make　a　drumhead　out　of　me！〃

〃Indeed　I　did！　　And　now　where　shall　I　find　another　skin？〃

〃Never　mind；　dear　Master。　　There　are　so　many　donkeys　in　this　world。〃

〃Tell　me；　impudent　little　rogue；　does　your　story　end　here？〃

〃One　more　word；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　〃and　I　am　through。　After　buying　me；　you　brought　me　here　to　kill　me。　　But　feeling　sorry　for　me；　you　tied　a　stone　to　my　neck　and　threw　me　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　　That　was　very　good　and　kind　of　you　to　want　me　to　suffer　as　little　as　possible　and　I　shall　remember　you　always。　　And　now　my　Fairy　will　take　care　of　me；　even　if　you〃

〃Your　Fairy？　　Who　is　she？〃

〃She　is　my　mother；　and；　like　all　other　mothers　who　love　their　children；　she　never　loses　sight　of　me；　even　though　I　do　not　deserve　it。　　And　today　this　good　Fairy　of　mine；　as　soon　as　she　saw　me　in　danger　of　drowning；　sent　a　thousand　fishes　to　the　spot　where　I　lay。　　They　thought　I　was　really　a　dead　donkey　and　began　to　eat　me。　What　great　bites　they　took！　　One　ate　my　ears；　another　my　nose；　a　third　my　neck　and　my　mane。　　Some　went　at　my　legs　and　some　at　my　back；　and　among　the　others；　there　was　one　tiny　fish　so　gentle　and　polite　that　he　did　me　the　great　favor　of　eating　even　my　tail。〃

〃From　now　on；〃　said　the　man；　horrified；　〃I　swear　I　shall　never　again　taste　fish。　　How　I　should　enjoy　opening　a　mullet　or　a　whitefish　just　to　find　there　the　tail　of　a　dead　donkey！〃

〃I　think　as　you　do；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　laughing。　　〃Still；　you　must　know　that　when　the　fish　finished　eating　my　donkey　coat；　which　covered　me　from　head　to　foot；　they　naturally　came　to　the　bonesor　rather；　in　my　case；　to　the　wood；　for　as　you　know；　I　am　made　of　very　hard　wood。　　After　the　first　few　bites；　those　greedy　fish　found　out　that　the　wood　was　not　good　for　their　teeth；　and；　afraid　of　indigestion；　they　turned　and　ran　here　and　there　without　saying　good…by　or　even　as　much　as　thank　you　to　me。　　Here；　dear　Master；　you　have　my　story。　　You　know　now　why　you　found　a　Marionette　and　not　a　dead　donkey　when　you　pulled　me　out　of　the　water。〃

〃I　laugh　at　your　story！〃　cried　the　man　angrily。　　〃I　know　that　I　spent　four　cents　to　get　you　and　I　want　my　money　back。　Do　you　know　what　I　can　do；　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　the　market　once　more　and　sell　you　as　dry　firewood。〃

〃Very　well；　sell　me。　　I　am　satisfied；〃　said　Pinocchio。　But　as　he　spoke；　he　gave　a　quick　leap　and　dived　into　the　sea。　　Swimming　away　as　fast　as　he　could；　he　cried　out；　laughing：

〃Good…by；　Master。　　If　you　ever　need　a　skin　for　your　drum；　remember　me。〃

He　swam　on　and　on。　　After　a　while；　he　turned　around　again　and　called　louder　than　before：

〃Good…by；　Master。　　If　you　ever　need　a　piece　of　good　dry　firewood；　remember　me。〃

In　a　few　seconds　he　had　gone　so　far　he　could　hardly　be　seen。　All　that　could　be　seen　of　him　was　a　very　small　black　dot　moving　swiftly　on　the　blue　surface　of　the　water；　a　little　black　dot　which　now　and　then　lifted　a　leg　or　an　arm　in　the　air。　One　would　have　thought　that　Pinocchio　had　turned　into　a　porpoise　playing　in　the　sun。

After　swimming　for　a　long　time；　Pinocchio　saw　a　large　rock　in　the　middle　of　the　sea；　a　rock　as　white　as　marble。　High　on　the　rock　stood　a　little　Goat　bleating　and　calling　and　beckoning　to　the　Marionette　to　come　to　her。

There　was　something　very　strange　about　that　little　Goat。　　Her　coat　was　not　white　or　black　or　brown　as　that　of　any　other　goat；　but　azure；　a　deep　brilliant　color　that　reminded　one　of　the　hair　of　the　lovely　maiden。

Pinocchio's　heart　beat　fast；　and　then　faster　and　faster。　He　redoubled　his　efforts　and　swam　as　hard　as　he　could　toward　the　white　rock。　　He　was　almost　halfway　over；　when　suddenly　a　horrible　sea　monster　stuck　its　head　out　of　the　water；　an　enormous　head　with　a　huge　mouth；　wide　open；　showing　three　rows　of　gleaming　teeth；　the　mere　sight　of　which　would　have　filled　you　with　fear。

Do　you　know　what　it　was？

That　sea　monster　was　no　other　than　the　enormous　Shark；　which　has　often　been　mentioned　in　this　story　and　which；　on　account　of　its　cruelty；　had　been　nicknamed　〃The　Attila　of　the　Sea〃　by　both　fish　and　fishermen。

Poor　Pinocchio！　　The　sight　of　that　monster　frightened　him　almost　to　death！　　He　tried　to　swim　away　from　him；　to　change　his　path；　to　escape；　but　that　immense　mouth　kept　coming　nearer　and　nearer。

〃Hasten；　Pinocchio；　I　beg　you！〃　bleated　the　little　Goat　on　the　high　rock。

And　Pinocchio　swam　desperately　with　his　arms；　his　body；　his　legs；　his　feet。

〃Quick；　Pinocchio；　the　monster　is　coming　nearer！〃

Pinocchio　swam　faster　and　faster；　and　harder　and　harder。

〃Faster；　Pinocchio！　　The　monster　will　get　you！　　There　he　is！　There　he　is！　　Quick；　quick；　or　you　are　lost！〃

Pinocchio　went　through　the　water　like　a　shotswifter　and　swifter。　He　came　close　to　the　rock。　　The　Goat　leaned　over　and　gave　him　one　of　her　hoofs　to　help　him　up　out　of　the　water。

Alas！　　It　was　too　late。　　The　monster　overtook　him　and　the　Marionette　found　himself　in　between　the　rows　of　gleaming　white　teeth。　　Only　for　a　moment；　however；　for　the　Shark　took　a　deep　breath　and；　as　he　breathed；　he　drank　in　the　Marionette　as　easily　as　he　would　have　sucked　an　egg。　　Then　he　swallowed　him　so　fast　that　Pinocchio；　falling　down　into　the　body　of　the　fish；　lay　stunned　for　a　half　hour。

When　he　recovered　his　senses　the　Marionette　could　not　remember　where　he　was。　　Around　him　all　was　darkness；　a　darkness　so　deep　and　so　black　that　for　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　put　his　head　into　an　inkwell。　　He　listened　for　a　few　moments　and　heard　nothing。　　Once　in　a　while　a　cold　wind　blew　on　his　face。　　At　first　he　could　not　understand　where　that　wind　was　coming　from；　but　after　a　while　he　understood　that　it　came　from　the　lungs　of　the　monster。　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　the　Shark　was　suffering　from　asthma；　so　that　whenever　he　breathed　a　storm　seemed　to　blow。

Pinocchio　at　first　tried　to　be　brave；　but　as　soon　as　he　became　convinced　that　he　was　really　and　truly　in　the　Shark's　stomach；　he　burst　into　sobs　and　tears。　　〃Help！　Help！〃　he　cried。　　〃Oh；　poor　me！　　Won't　someone　come　to　save　me？〃

〃Who　is　there　to　help　you；　unhappy　boy？〃　said　a　rough　voice；　like　a　guitar　out　of　tune。

〃Who　is　talking？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　frozen　with　terror。

〃It　is　I；　a　poor　Tunny　swallowed　by　the　Shark　at　the　same　time　as　you。　　And　what　kind　of　a　fish　are　you？〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　fishes。　　I　am　a　Marionette。〃

〃If　you　are　not　a　fish；　why　did　you　let　this　monster　swallow　you？〃

〃I　didn't　let　him。　　He　chased　me　and　swallowed　me　without　even　a　‘by　your　leave'！　　And　now　what　are　we　to　do　here　in　the　dark？〃

〃Wait　until　the　Shark　has　digested　us　both；　I　suppose。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　be　digested；〃　shouted　Pinocchio；　starting　to　sob。

〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　the　Tunny；　〃but　I　am　wise　enough　to　think　that　if　one　is　born　a　fish；　it　is　more　dignified　to　die　under　the　water　than　in　the　frying　pan。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　cried　Pinocchio。

〃Mine　is　an　opinion；〃　replied　the　Tunny；　〃and　opinions　should　be　respected。〃

〃But　I　want　to　get　out　of　this　place。　　I　want　to　escape。〃

〃Go；　if　you　can！〃

〃Is　this　Shark　that　has　swallowed　us　very　long？〃　asked　the　Marionette。

〃His　body；　not　counting　the　tail；　is　almost　a　mile　long。〃

While　talking　in　the　darkness；　Pinocchio　thought　he　saw　a　faint　light　in　the　distance。

〃What　can　that　be？〃　he　said　to　the　Tunny。

〃Some　other　poor　fish；　waiting　as　patiently