“What an obstinate beast!” he muttered.  “How stupid he is to wait there!  There is enough room in the forest for us both.”

But the lion did not move, and Pinocchio’s suffering was great.  He was sure now that he was going to die, and he looked sadly at those wooden legs which had carried him through so many adventures.  There was the shade, but he could not reach it.  There was the honey that must not be touched.

   “Eat! eat!” said the honey.  “Come! come!” said the shade.

Fortunately a new character now arrived on the scene.  A magnificent giraffe came along through the bushes, eating the tender shoots as it approached the spot.Pinocchio saw the giraffe and recognized it at once from a picture of one he had seen in school.  The lion saw it also.  What should he do?  Continue to watch the marionette, or attack and carry off the giraffe?  He decided to take the giraffe.  As the animal raised its head to bite off the leaves from a tall acacia, the lion leaped at its throat and killed it.  Seizing the body in his powerful jaws, the lion disappeared through the forest, and Pinocchio was left behind to have his fill of honey.  He ate as he had never eaten before.

When he could eat no longer he came down from the tree, but how strange he felt!  His eyes were dim, and his head began to swim, while his legs went here and there in every direction.  He could not even talk clearly.

“African honey plays jokes upon those who eat too much of it!” he seemed to hear some one say.  He turned to see who it was that had spoken to him, but no one was there.  The next moment he fell heavily to the ground as if he had been knocked down with a club.

“That is what happens to greedy boys!” continued the voice of the little bird who had shown him the honey, but Pinocchio lay fast asleep.

25.  Pinocchio Is Brought Before The King

Pinocchio had slept for hours when he was aroused by strange sounds.  Were these the voices of human beings.

   “Yah!  Yah!  Hoi!  Hoi!  Uff!  Uff!”

What could it possibly be?  The marionette opened an eye, but quickly shut it again when he saw a number of coal-black faces turned toward him.

“What do these ugly people want of me?” he asked himself, as he lay there perfectly still.

When Pinocchio next opened his eyes he saw to his great surprise that the men had formed a circle about him.  At their chief’s command they began to dance.  It was all so funny that Pinocchio could hardly keep from laughing.  Then the chief made a sign, at which the savages advanced toward the marionette, took him up by his arms and legs, and started away with him.

   “This is not so bad,” thought the marionette.

After a time his bearers laid him gently upon the ground and commenced to examine him.  Pinocchio decided to make believe he was dead.

   For that reason he kept his eyes shut tightly and lay still.