Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/215

 hauled, and hauled, and hauled, until at last. . . what do you think appeared above the water? Instead of a little dead donkey he saw a live puppet, who was wriggling like an eel.

Seeing this wooden puppet the poor man thought he was dreaming, and struck dumb with astonishment he remained with his mouth open and his eyes starting out of his head.

Having somewhat recovered from his first stupefaction, he asked in a quavering voice:

'And the little donkey that I threw into the sea? What has become of him?'

'I am the little donkey!' said Pinocchio, laughing.

'You?'

'I.'

'Ah, you young scamp! Do you dare to make game of me?'

'To make game of you? Quite the contrary, my dear master; I am speaking seriously.'

'But how can you, who but a short time ago were a little donkey, have become a wooden puppet, only from having been left in the water?'

'It must have been the effect of sea-water. The sea makes extraordinary changes.'

'Beware, puppet, beware! . . . Don't imagine that you can amuse yourself at my expense. Woe to you, if I lose patience! . . .'