Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/232

 'But where is this blessed shore?' asked the little old man, becoming still more frightened, and screwing up his eyes as tailors do when they wish to thread a needle. 'I have been looking in every direction and I see nothing but the sky and the sea.'

'But I see the shore as well,' said the puppet. 'You must know that I am like a cat: I see better by night than by day.'

Poor Pinocchio was making a pretence of being in good spirits, but in reality. . . in reality he was beginning to feel discouraged: his strength was failing, he was gasping and panting for breath. . . he could do no more, and the shore was still far off.

He swam until he had no breath left; then he turned his head to Geppetto and said in broken words:

'Papa. . . help me. . . I am dying! . . .'

The father and son were on the point of drowning when they heard a voice like a guitar out of tune saying:

'Who is it that is dying?'

'It is I, and my poor father! . . .'

'I know that voice! You are Pinocchio!'

'Precisely: and you?'

'I am the Tunny, your prison companion in the body of the Dog-fish.'

'And how did you manage to escape?'