Page:A Menina do Narizinho Arrebitado (1920).pdf/9

 a beautiful dream when she felt an itch on her face. She opened her eyes and, with great amazement, saw a little fish standing on the tip of her little nose. Dressed, yes! It was wearing a red coat, a top hat and a flower on its chest: it was beautiful! The little animal looked at her face with the air of someone who doesn't understand anything.

The girl was so amazed by the marvelous scene that she held her breath for fear of frightening the curious creature, and remained that way for some time until the buzz of an insect distracted her. It was a beetle that was flying over her head and, after a few turns, landed on her forehead. Narizinho, shivering, was about to swat it away with a good blow, when she noticed that it too was dressed like a person, with a coat, glasses and a cane. She stopped herself and stood still to see what would happen. The beetle, noticing Mr. Fish's presence, put his hand up to his hat and greeted him kindly:

— Hello, Master Scaly! How's your health?

— Something like this, my friend Thick Skin. I chipped three scales off my back yesterday and the doctor prescribed me some country air. I came to take the treatment, but here I found this hill that I don't recognize, and I'm wondering what the hell this white, smooth earth is. Is it marble?" he said, tapping Narizinho on the nose with the umbrella's toe.

The beetle, who knows a lot about dirt because he's