Stranica 142 [142]
(24 PINOCCHIO
The puppet put his clothes in the sun to dry,
and began to look in every direction in hopes of
seeing on the vast expanse of water a little
boat with a little man in it. But although he
looked and looked, he could see nothing but the
sky, and the sea, and the sail of some ship, but
so far away that it seemed no bigger than a fly.
“If I only knew what this island was
called!” he said to himself. “If I only knew
whether it was inhabited by civilised people—
I mean by people who have not got the bad
habit of hanging boys to the branches of the
trees. But who can I ask? who, if there is
nobody? ...
This idea of finding himself alone, alone, all
alone, in the midst of this great uninhabited
country, made him so melancholy that he was
just beginning to cry. But at that moment, at
a short distance from the shore, he saw a big
fish swimming by; it was going quietly on its
own business with its head out of the water.
Not knowing its name the puppet called to
it in a loud voice to make himself heard:
“Eh, Sir fish, will you permit me a word
with you? ”
“Two if you like,” answered the fish, who
was a Dolphin, and so polite that few similar
are to be found in any sea in the world.
“ Will you be kind enough to tell me if there