Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/135

 it would be difficult to find a worse son than I am.'

'During the terrible storm last night,' answered the Dolphin, 'the little boat must have gone to the bottom.'

'And my papa?'

'He must have been swallowed by the terrible Dog-fish who for some days past has been spreading devastation and ruin in our waters.'

'Is this Dog-fish very big?' asked Pinocchio, who was already beginning to quake with fear.

'Big! . . .' replied the Dolphin. 'That you may form some idea of his size, I need only tell you that he is bigger than a five-storied house, and that his mouth is so enormous and so deep that a railway train with its smoking engine could pass easily down his throat.'

'Mercy upon us!' exclaimed the terrified puppet; and putting on his clothes with the greatest haste he said to the Dolphin:

'Good-bye, Sir fish: excuse the trouble I have given you, and many thanks for your politeness.'

He then took the path that had been pointed out to him and began to walk fast—so fast, indeed, that he was almost running. And at the slightest noise he turned to look behind him, fearing that he might see the terrible Dog-fish with a railway train in its mouth following him.