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PINOCCHIO 209
“Good-bye, master; if you should be in
want of a skin to make a drum, remember me."
And he laughed and went on swimming ;
and after a while he turned again and shouted
louder :
“Good-bye, master; if you should be in
want of a little well-seasoned wood for lighting
the fire, remember me.”
In the twinkling of an eye he had swum so
far off that he was scarcely visible. All that
could be seen of him was a little black speck
on the surface of the sea that from time to
time lifted its legs out of the water and leapt
and capered like a dolphin enjoying himself.
Whilst Pinocchio was swimming he knew
not whither, he saw in the midst of the sea a
rock that seemed to be made of white marble,
and on the summit there stood a beautiful little
goat who bleated lovingly and made signs to
him to approach.
But the most singular thing was this. The
little goat’s hair, instead of being white or black,
or a mixture of two colours as is usual with
other goats, was blue, and of a very vivid blue,
greatly resembling the hair of the beautiful
Child.
I leave you to imagine how rapidly poor
Pinocchio’s heart began to beat. He swam
with redoubled strength and energy towards
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