Stranica 141 [141]
XXIV
PINOCCHIO ARRIVES AT THE ISLAND OF THE
" INDUSTRIOUS BEES,” AND FINDS THE FAIRY
AGAIN
[INOCCHIO, hoping to be in time to
help his father, swam the whole night.
And what a horrible night it was! The
rain came down in torrents, it hailed, the
thunder was frightful, and the flashes of light¬
ning made it as light as day.
Towards morning he saw a long strip of
land not far off. It was an island in the midst
of the sea.
He tried his utmost to reach the shore: but
it was all in vain. ‘The waves, racing and
tumbling over each other, knocked him about
as if he had been a stick or a wisp of straw. At
last, fortunately for him, a billow rolled up with
such fury and impetuosity that he was lifted
up and thrown violently far on to the sands.
He fell with such force that, as he struck the
ground, his ribs and all his joints cracked, but
he comforted himself, saying:
“This time also I have made a wonderful
escape! "
Little by little the sky cleared, the sun shone
out in all his splendour, and the sea became as
quiet and smooth as oil.
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