〃Blessed Providence！ Once more I'll have a fine meal of fish！〃
〃Thank Heaven； I'm not a fish！〃 said Pinocchio to himself； trying with these words to find a little courage。
The Fisherman took the net and the fish to the cave； a dark； gloomy； smoky place。 In the middle of it； a pan full of oil sizzled over a smoky fire； sending out a repelling odor of tallow that took away one's breath。
〃Now； let's see what kind of fish we have caught today；〃 said the Green Fisherman。 He put a hand as big as a spade into the net and pulled out a handful of mullets。
〃Fine mullets； these！〃 he said； after looking at them and smelling them with pleasure。 After that； he threw them into a large； empty tub。
Many times he repeated this performance。 As he pulled each fish out of the net； his mouth watered with the thought of the good dinner coming； and he said：
〃Fine fish； these bass！〃
〃Very tasty； these whitefish！〃
〃Delicious flounders； these！〃
〃What splendid crabs！〃
〃And these dear little anchovies； with their heads still on！〃
As you can well imagine； the bass； the flounders； the whitefish； and even the little anchovies all went together into the tub to keep the mullets company。 The last to come out of the net was Pinocchio。
As soon as the Fisherman pulled him out； his green eyes opened wide with surprise； and he cried out in fear：
〃What kind of fish is this？ I don't remember ever eating anything like it。〃
He looked at him closely and after turning him over and over； he said at last：
〃I understand。 He must be a crab！〃
Pinocchio； mortified at being taken for a crab； said resentfully：
〃What nonsense！ A crab indeed！ I am no such thing。 Beware how you deal with me！ I am a Marionette； I want you to know。〃
〃A Marionette？〃 asked the Fisherman。 〃I must admit that a Marionette fish is； for me； an entirely new kind of fish。 So much the better。 I'll eat you with greater relish。〃
〃Eat me？ But can't you understand that I'm not a fish？ Can't you hear that I speak and think as you do？〃
〃It's true；〃 answered the Fisherman； 〃but since I see that you are a fish； well able to talk and think as I do； I'll treat you with all due respect。〃
〃And that is〃
〃That； as a sign of my particular esteem； I'll leave to you the choice of the manner in which you are to be cooked。 Do you wish to be fried in a pan； or do you prefer to be cooked with tomato sauce？〃
〃To tell you the truth；〃 answered Pinocchio； 〃if I must choose； I should much rather go free so I may return home！〃
〃Are you fooling？ Do you think that I want to lose the opportunity to taste such a rare fish？ A Marionette fish does not come very often to these seas。 Leave it to me。 I'll fry you in the pan with the others。 I know you'll like it。 It's always a comfort to find oneself in good company。〃
The unlucky Marionette； hearing this； began to cry and wail and beg。 With tears streaming down his cheeks； he said：
〃How much better it would have been for me to go to school！ I did listen to my playmates and now I am paying for it！ Oh！ Oh！ Oh！〃
And as he struggled and squirmed like an eel to escape from him； the Green Fisherman took a stout cord and tied him hand and foot； and threw him into the bottom of the tub with the others。
Then he pulled a wooden bowl full of flour out of a cupboard and started to roll the fish into it； one by one。 When they were white with it； he threw them into the pan。 The first to dance in the hot oil were the mullets； the bass followed； then the whitefish； the flounders； and the anchovies。 Pinocchio's turn came last。 Seeing himself so near to death （and such a horrible death！） he began to tremble so with fright that he had no voice left with which to beg for his life。
The poor boy beseeched only with his eyes。 But the Green Fisherman； not even noticing that it was he； turned him over and over in the flour until he looked like a Marionette made of chalk。
Then he took him by the head and
CHAPTER 29
Pinocchio returns to the Fairy's house and she promises him that； on the morrow； he will cease to be a Marionette and become a boy。 A wonderful party of coffee…and…milk to celebrate the great event
Mindful of what the Fisherman had said； Pinocchio knew that all hope of being saved had gone。 He closed his eyes and waited for the final moment。
Suddenly； a large Dog； attracted by the odor of the boiling oil； came running into the cave。
〃Get out！〃 cried the Fisherman threateningly and still holding onto the Marionette； who was all covered with flour。
But the poor Dog was very hungry； and whining and wagging his tail； he tried to say：
〃Give me a bite of the fish and I'll go in peace。〃
〃Get out； I say！〃 repeated the Fisherman。
And he drew back his foot to give the Dog a kick。
Then the Dog； who； being really hungry； would take no refusal； turned in a rage toward the Fisherman and bared his terrible fangs。 And at that moment； a pitiful little voice was heard saying： 〃Save me； Alidoro； if you don't； I fry！〃
The Dog immediately recognized Pinocchio's voice。 Great was his surprise to find that the voice came from the little flour…covered bundle that the Fisherman held in his hand。
Then what did he do？ With one great leap； he grasped that bundle in his mouth and； holding it lightly between his teeth； ran through the door and disappeared like a flash！
The Fisherman； angry at seeing his meal snatched from under his nose； ran after the Dog； but a bad fit of coughing made him stop and turn back。
Meanwhile； Alidoro； as soon as he had found the road which led to the village； stopped and dropped Pinocchio softly to the ground。
〃How much I do thank you！〃 said the Marionette。
〃It is not necessary；〃 answered the Dog。 〃You saved me once； and what is given is always returned。 We are in this world to help one another。〃
〃But how did you get in that cave？〃
〃I was lying here on the sand more dead than alive； when an appetizing odor of fried fish came to me。 That odor tickled my hunger and I followed it。 Oh； if I had come a moment later！〃
〃Don't speak about it；〃 wailed Pinocchio； still trembling with fright。 〃Don't say a word。 If you had come a moment later； I would be fried； eaten； and digested by this time。 Brrrrrr！ I shiver at the mere thought of it。〃
Alidoro laughingly held out his paw to the Marionette； who shook it heartily； feeling that now he and the Dog were good friends。 Then they bid each other good…by and the Dog went home。
Pinocchio； left alone； walked toward a little hut near by； where an old man sat at the door sunning himself； and asked：
〃Tell me； good man； have you heard anything of a poor boy with a wounded head； whose name was Eugene？〃
〃The boy was brought to this hut and now〃
〃Now he is dead？〃 Pinocchio interrupted sorrowfully。
〃No； he is now alive and he has already returned home。〃
〃Really？ Really？〃 cried the Marionette； jumping around with joy。 〃Then the wound was not serious？〃
〃But it might have beenand even mortal；〃 answered the old man； 〃for a heavy book was thrown at his head。〃
〃And who threw it？〃
〃A schoolmate of his； a certain Pinocchio。〃
〃And who is this Pinocchio？〃 asked the Marionette； feigning ignorance。
〃They say he is a mischief…maker； a tramp； a street urchin〃
〃Calumnies！ All calumnies！〃
〃Do you know this Pinocchio？〃
〃By sight！〃 answered the Marionette。
〃And what do you think of him？〃 asked the old man。
〃I think he's a very good boy； fond of study； obedient； kind to his Father； and to his whole family〃
As he was telling all these enormous lies about himself； Pinocchio touched his nose and found it twice as long as it should be。 Scared out of his wits； he cried out：
〃Don't listen to me； good man！ All the wonderful things I have said are not true at all。 I know Pinocchio well and he is indeed a very wicked fellow； lazy and disobedient； who instead of going to school； runs away with his playmates to have a good time。〃
At this speech； his nose returned to its natural size。
〃Why are you so pale？〃 the old man asked suddenly。
〃Let me tell you。 Without knowing it； I rubbed myself against a newly painted wall；〃 he lied； ashamed to say that he had been made ready for the frying pan。
〃What have you done with your coat and your hat and your breeches？〃
〃I met thieves and they robbed me。 Tell me； my good man； have you not； perhaps； a little suit to give me； so that I may go home？〃
〃My boy； as for clothes； I have only a bag in which I keep hops。 If you want it； take it。 There it is。〃
Pinocchio did not wait for him to repeat his words。 He took the bag； which happened to be empty； and after cutting a big hole at the top and two at the sides； he slipped into it as if it were a shirt。 Lightly clad as he was； he started out toward the village。
Along the way he felt very uneasy。 In fact he was so unhappy that he went along taking two steps forward and one back； and as he went he said to himself：
〃How shall I ever face my good little Fairy？ What will she say when she sees me？ Will she forgive this last trick of mine？ I am sure she won't。 Oh； no； she won't。 And I deserve it； as usual！ For I am a rascal； fine on promises which I never keep！〃
He came to the village late at night。 It was so dark he could see nothing and it was raining pitchforks。
Pinocchio went straight to the Fairy's house； firmly resolved to knock at the door。
When he found himself there； he lost courage and ran back a few steps。 A second time he came to the door and again he ran back。 A third time he repeated his performance。 The fourth time； before he had time to lose his courage； he grasped the knocker and made a faint sound with it。
He waited and waited and waited。 Finally； after a full half hour； a top…floor window （the house had four stories） opened and Pinocchio saw a large Snail look out。 A tiny light glowed on top of her head。 〃Who knocks at this late hour？〃 she called。
〃Is the Fairy home？〃 asked the Marionette。
〃The Fairy is asleep and does not wish to be disturbed。 Who are you？〃
〃It is I。〃
〃Who's I？〃
〃Pinocchio。〃
〃Who is Pinocchio？〃
〃The Marionette； the one who lives in the Fairy's house。〃
〃Oh； I understand；〃 said the Snail。 〃Wait for m