Stranica 134 [134]
118 PINOCCHIO
the ground. He was larger than a turkey.
" Do you also know Geppetto?” he asked.
" Do I know him! He is my poor papa!
Has he perhaps spoken to you of me? Will
you take me to him? Is he still alive? Answer
me for pity s sake: is he still alive?”
“I left him three days ago on the sea¬
shore."
" What was he doing?”
" He was building a little boat for himself,
to cross the ocean. For more than three months
that poor man has been going all round the
world looking for you. Not having succeeded
in finding you he has now taken it into his head
to go to the distant countries of the new world
in search of you.”
“ How far is it from here to the shore? ”’
asked Pinocchio breathlessly.
“More than six hundred miles.”
" Six hundred miles? Oh, beautiful Pigeon,
what a fine thing it would be to have your
wings!...”
‘ If you wish to go, I will carry you there.”
“ How?”
‘“ Astride on my back. Do you weigh
much?”
“T weigh next to nothing. I am as light
as a feather.”
And without waiting for more Pinocchio