the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第12节

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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　get　there；　but　he　couldn't。
The　waves　played　with　him　and　tossed　him　about　as　if　he
were　a　twig　or　a　bit　of　straw。　　At　last；　and　luckily　for　him；
a　tremendous　wave　tossed　him　to　the　very　spot　where　he
wanted　to　be。　　The　blow　from　the　wave　was　so　strong　that；
as　he　fell　to　the　ground；　his　joints　cracked　and　almost　broke。
But；　nothing　daunted；　he　jumped　to　his　feet　and　cried：

〃Once　more　I　have　escaped　with　my　life！〃

Little　by　little　the　sky　cleared。　　The　sun　came　out　in　full
splendor　and　the　sea　became　as　calm　as　a　lake。

Then　the　Marionette　took　off　his　clothes　and　laid　them
on　the　sand　to　dry。　　He　looked　over　the　waters　to　see
whether　he　might　catch　sight　of　a　boat　with　a　little　man　in
it。　　He　searched　and　he　searched；　but　he　saw　nothing　except
sea　and　sky　and　far　away　a　few　sails；　so　small　that　they
might　have　been　birds。

〃If　only　I　knew　the　name　of　this　island！〃　he　said　to　himself。
〃If　I　even　knew　what　kind　of　people　I　would　find　here！
But　whom　shall　I　ask？　　There　is　no　one　here。〃

The　idea　of　finding　himself　in　so　lonesome　a　spot　made　him
so　sad　that　he　was　about　to　cry；　but　just　then　he　saw　a　big
Fish　swimming　near…by；　with　his　head　far　out　of　the　water。

Not　knowing　what　to　call　him；　the　Marionette　said　to　him：

〃Hey　there；　Mr。　Fish；　may　I　have　a　word　with　you？〃

〃Even　two；　if　you　want；〃　answered　the　fish；
who　happened　to　be　a　very　polite　Dolphin。

〃Will　you　please　tell　me　if；　on　this　island；　there　are
places　where　one　may　eat　without　necessarily　being　eaten？〃

〃Surely；　there　are；〃　answered　the　Dolphin。　　〃In　fact
you'll　find　one　not　far　from　this　spot。〃

〃And　how　shall　I　get　there？〃

〃Take　that　path　on　your　left　and　follow　your　nose。　　You
can't　go　wrong。〃

〃Tell　me　another　thing。　　You　who　travel　day　and　night
through　the　sea；　did　you　not　perhaps　meet　a　little　boat　with
my　father　in　it？〃

〃And　who　is　you　father？〃

〃He　is　the　best　father　in　the　world；　even　as　I　am　the
worst　son　that　can　be　found。〃

〃In　the　storm　of　last　night；〃　answered　the　Dolphin；　〃the
little　boat　must　have　been　swamped。〃

〃And　my　father？〃

〃By　this　time；　he　must　have　been　swallowed　by　the
Terrible　Shark；　which；　for　the　last　few　days；　has　been
bringing　terror　to　these　waters。〃

〃Is　this　Shark　very　big？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　who　was
beginning　to　tremble　with　fright。

〃Is　he　big？〃　replied　the　Dolphin。　　〃Just　to　give　you　an　idea
of　his　size；　let　me　tell　you　that　he　is　larger　than　a　five
story　building　and　that　he　has　a　mouth　so　big　and　so　deep；
that　a　whole　train　and　engine　could　easily　get　into　it。〃

〃Mother　mine！〃　cried　the　Marionette；　scared　to　death；
and　dressing　himself　as　fast　as　he　could；　he　turned　to　the
Dolphin　and　said：

〃Farewell；　Mr。　Fish。　　Pardon　the　bother；　and　many　thanks
for　your　kindness。〃

This　said；　he　took　the　path　at　so　swift　a　gait　that　he
seemed　to　fly；　and　at　every　small　sound　he　heard；
he　turned　in　fear　to　see　whether　the　Terrible　Shark；
five　stories　high　and　with　a　train　in　his　mouth；
was　following　him。

After　walking　a　half　hour；　he　came　to　a　small　country
called　the　Land　of　the　Busy　Bees。　　The　streets　were　filled
with　people　running　to　and　fro　about　their　tasks。　　Everyone
worked；　everyone　had　something　to　do。　　Even　if　one　were
to　search　with　a　lantern；　not　one　idle　man　or　one　tramp
could　have　been　found。

〃I　understand；〃　said　Pinocchio　at　once　wearily；
〃this　is　no　place　for　me！　　I　was　not　born　for　work。〃

But　in　the　meantime；　he　began　to　feel　hungry；　for　it
was　twenty…four　hours　since　he　had　eaten。

What　was　to　be　done？

There　were　only　two　means　left　to　him　in　order　to　get　a
bite　to　eat。　　He　had　either　to　work　or　to　beg。

He　was　ashamed　to　beg；　because　his　father　had　always
preached　to　him　that　begging　should　be　done　only　by　the
sick　or　the　old。　　He　had　said　that　the　real　poor　in　this　world；
deserving　of　our　pity　and　help；　were　only　those　who；　either
through　age　or　sickness；　had　lost　the　means　of　earning　their
bread　with　their　own　hands。　　All　others　should　work；　and
if　they　didn't；　and