And he wriggled like an eel and made indescribable efforts to slip out of the clutches of the green fisherman.  But it was useless:  the fisherman took a long strip of rush and, having bound his hands and feet as if he had been a sausage, he threw him into the pan with the other fish.

He then fetched a wooden bowl full of flour and began to flour them each in turn, and as soon as they were ready he threw them into the frying-pan.

The first to dance in the boiling oil were the poor whitings; the crabs followed, then the sardines, then the soles, then the anchovies, and at last it was Pinocchio’s turn.  Seeing himself so near death, and such a horrible death, he was so frightened, and trembled so violently, that he had neither voice nor breath left for further entreaties.

But the poor boy implored with his eyes!  The green fisherman, however, without caring in the least, plunged him five or six times in the flour, until he was white from head to foot and looked like a puppet made of plaster.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIX

HE RETURNS TO THE FAIRY’S HOUSE

Just as the fisherman was on the point of throwing Pinocchio into the frying-pan a large dog entered the cave, enticed there by the strong and savory odor of fried fish.

“Get out!” shouted the fisherman, threateningly, holding the floured puppet in his hand.

But the poor dog, who was as hungry as a wolf, whined and wagged his tail as much as to say: 

“Give me a mouthful of fish and I will leave you in peace.”

“Get out, I tell you!” repeated the fisherman and he stretched out his leg to give him a kick.

But the dog, who, when he was really hungry, would not stand trifling, turned upon him, growling and showing his terrible tusks.

At that moment a little feeble voice was heard in the cave, saying entreatingly: 

“Save me, Alidoro!  If you do not save me I shall be fried!”

The dog recognized Pinocchio’s voice and, to his extreme surprise, perceived that it proceeded from the floured bundle that the fisherman held in his hand.

So what do you think he did?  He made a spring, seized the bundle in his mouth, and, holding it gently between his teeth, he rushed out of the cave and was gone like a flash of lightning.

The fisherman, furious at seeing a fish he was so anxious to eat snatched from him, ran after the dog, but he had not gone many steps when he was taken with a fit of coughing and had to give it up.

Alidoro, when he had reached the path that led to the village, stopped and put his friend Pinocchio gently on the ground.

“How much I have to thank you for!” said the puppet.

“There is no necessity,” replied the dog.  “You saved me and I have now returned it.  You know that we must all help each other in this world.”