balloon。 However； Pinocchio； not wishing to trust him
too much； threw himself once again into the sea。 As he
swam away； he called out：
〃Good…by； Alidoro； good luck and remember me to the family！〃
〃Good…by； little Pinocchio；〃 answered the Dog。
〃A thousand thanks for having saved me from death。
You did me a good turn； and； in this world； what is given
is always returned。 If the chance comes； I shall be there。〃
Pinocchio went on swimming close to shore。 At last
he thought he had reached a safe place。 Glancing up and
down the beach； he saw the opening of a cave out of which
rose a spiral of smoke。
〃In that cave；〃 he said to himself； 〃there must be a fire。
So much the better。 I'll dry my clothes and warm myself；
and thenwell〃
His mind made up； Pinocchio swam to the rocks； but
as he started to climb； he felt something under him lifting
him up higher and higher。 He tried to escape； but he was
too late。 To his great surprise； he found himself in a huge
net； amid a crowd of fish of all kinds and sizes； who were
fighting and struggling desperately to free themselves。
At the same time； he saw a Fisherman come out of the
cave； a Fisherman so ugly that Pinocchio thought he was a
sea monster。 In place of hair； his head was covered by a
thick bush of green grass。 Green was the skin of his body；
green were his eyes； green was the long； long beard that
reached down to his feet。 He looked like a giant lizard
with legs and arms。
When the Fisherman pulled the net out of the sea；
he cried out joyfully：
〃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 wo