Stranica 139 [139]
PINOCCHIO 121
said the old woman, pointing to a little boat
which, seen at that distance, looked like a nut¬
shell with a very little man in it.
Pinocchio fixed his eyes on it, and after
looking attentively he gave a piercing scream,
crying:
“It is my papa! it is my papa!”
The boat meanwhile, beaten by the fury of
the waves, at one moment disappeared in the
trough of the sea, and the next came again to
the surface. Pinocchio, standing on the top of
a high rock, kept calling to his father by name,
and making every kind of signal to him with his
hands, his handkerchief, and his cap.
And although he was so far off, Geppetto
appeared to recognise his son, for he also took
off his cap and waved it, and tried by gestures
to make him understand that he would have
returned if it had been possible, but that the
sea was so tempestuous that he could not use
his oars or approach the shore.
Suddenly a tremendous wave rose and the
boat disappeared. ‘They waited, hoping it
would come again to the surface, but it was
seen no more.
" Poor man!” said the fishermen who were
assembled on the shore, and murmuring a
prayer they turned to go home.
Just then they heard a desperate cry, and