Part 9 (1/2)

”He is the best father in the world, even as I am the worst son that can be found”

”In the storht,” answered the Dolphin, ”the little boat must have been swamped”

”And my father?”

”By this time, he must have been sed by the Terrible Shark, which, for the last few days, has been bringing terror to these waters”

”Is this Shark very big?” asked Pinocchio, as beginning to tre?” replied the Dolphin ”Just to give you an idea of his size, letand that he has a ine could easily get into it”

”Motherhimself 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 hisa 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 so 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 ry, for it enty-four hours since he had eaten

What was to be done?

There were only two et a bite to eat He had either to work or to beg

He was asha, because his father had always preached to hi 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 thetheir bread with their own hands All others should work, and if they didn't, and went hungry, so much the worse for them

Just then a , with difficulty, two heavy carts filled with coal

Pinocchio looked at hi him by his looks to be a kind man, said to hiive er?”

”Not only one penny,” answered the Coal Man ”I'll give you four if you will help ons”

”I am surprised!” answered the Marionette, very much offended ”I wish you to know that I never have been a donkey, nor have I ever pulled a wagon”

”So much the better for you!” answered the Coal Man ”Then, er, eat two slices of your pride; and I hope they don't give you indigestion”

A fewa pail full of plaster on his shoulder

”Good ive a penny to a poor boy who is yawning froer?”

”Gladly,” answered the Bricklayer ”Come with ive you five”

”But the plaster is heavy,” answered Pinocchio, ”and the work too hard for me”

”If the work is too hard for you,you luck!”

In less than a half hour, at least twenty people passed and Pinocchio begged of each one, but they all answered: ”Aren't you ashaar in the streets, why don't you look for work and earn your own bread?”

Finally a little wos

”Good wos?” asked Pinocchio, as burning up with thirst

”With pleasure, round before hiruone If I could only as easily get rid of ood little wos hoive you a slice of bread”

Pinocchio looked at the jug and said neither yes nor no

”And with the bread, I'll give you a nice dish of cauliflohite sauce on it”

Pinocchio gave the jug another look and said neither yes nor no

”And after the cauliflower, some cake and jaer resist and said fir ho was very heavy, and the Marionette, not being strong enough to carry it with his hands, had to put it on his head

When they arrived home, the little woman made Pinocchio sit down at a small table and placed before him the bread, the cauliflower, and the cake Pinocchio did not eat; he devoured His stoer finally appeased, he raised his head to thank his kind benefactress But he had not looked at her long when he gave a cry of surprise and sat there with his eyes wide open, his fork in the air, and his mouth filled with bread and cauliflower

”Why all this surprise?” asked the good wo

”Because--” answered Pinocchio, sta, ”because--you look like--you remind me of--yes, yes, the same voice, the same eyes, the same hair--yes, yes, yes, you also have the same azure hair she had--Oh, my little Fairy, my little Fairy! Tell er! If you only knew! I have cried so much, I have suffered so!”

And Pinocchio threw himself on the floor and clasped the knees of the mysterious little woman

CHAPTER 25

Pinocchio pro tired of being a Marionette, and wishes to becoer, the little woht he would melt away, so she finally admitted that she was the little Fairy with Azure Hair

”You rascal of a Marionette! How did you knoas I?” she asked, laughing

”My love for you told me who you were”

”Do you reirl and now you find rooman I alad of that, for then I can call youtime I have wanted a row so quickly?”