“Of escaping?  How?”

“We must escape through the mouth of the Dog-Fish, throw ourselves into the sea and swim away.”

“You talk well; but, dear Pinocchio, I don’t know how to swim.”

“What does that matter?  I am a good swimmer, and you can get on my shoulders and I will carry you safely to shore.”

“All illusions, my boy!” replied Geppetto, shaking his head, with a melancholy smile.  “Do you suppose it possible that a puppet like you, scarcely a yard high, could have the strength to swim with me on his shoulders!”

“Try it and you will see!”

Without another word Pinocchio took the candle in his hand, and, going in front to light the way, he said to his father: 

“Follow me, and don’t be afraid.”

And they walked for some time and traversed the body and the stomach of the Dog-Fish.  But when they had arrived at the point where the monster’s big throat began, they thought it better to stop to give a good look around and to choose the best moment for escaping.

Now, I must tell you that the Dog-Fish, being very old, and suffering from asthma and palpitation of the heart, was obliged to sleep with his mouth open.  Pinocchio, therefore, having approached the entrance to his throat, and, looking up, could see beyond the enormous gaping mouth a large piece of starry sky and beautiful moonlight.

“This is the moment to escape,” he whispered, turning to his father; “the Dog-Fish is sleeping like a dormouse, the sea is calm, and it is as light as day.  Follow me, dear papa, and in a short time we shall be in safety.”

They immediately climbed up the throat of the sea-monster, and, having reached his immense mouth, they began to walk on tiptoe down his tongue.

Before taking the final leap the puppet said to his father: 

“Get on my shoulders and put your arms tightly around my neck.  I will take care of the rest.”

As soon as Geppetto was firmly settled on his son’s shoulders, Pinocchio, feeling sure of himself, threw himself into the water and began to swim.  The sea was as smooth as oil, the moon shone brilliantly, and the Dog-Fish was sleeping so profoundly that even a cannonade would have failed to wake him.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXVI

PINOCCHIO AT LAST CEASES TO BE A PUPPET AND BECOMES A BOY

Whilst Pinocchio was swimming quickly towards the shore he discovered that his father, who was on his shoulders with his legs in the water, was trembling as violently as if the poor man had an attack of ague fever.

Was he trembling from cold or from fear.  Perhaps a little from both the one and the other.  But Pinocchio, thinking it was from fear, said, to comfort him: 

“Courage, papa!  In a few minutes we shall be safely on shore.”

“But where is this blessed shore?” asked the little old man, becoming still more frightened, and screwing up his eyes as tailors do when they wish to thread a needle.  “I have been looking in every direction and I see nothing but the sky and the sea.”