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(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
