Chapter 23
Pinocchio weeps upon learning that the Lovely Maidenwith Azure Hair is dead. He meets a Pigeon,who carries him to the seashore. He throws himselfinto the sea to go to the aid of his fatherAs soon as Pinocchio no longer felt the shameful weightof the dog collar around his neck, he started to run acrossthe fields and meadows, and never stopped till he came tothe main road that was to take him to the Fairy's house.
When he reached it, he looked into the valley far belowhim and there he saw the wood where unluckily he hadmet the Fox and the Cat, and the tall oak tree where hehad been hanged; but though he searched far and near, hecould not see the house where the Fairy with the AzureHair lived.
He became terribly frightened and, running as fast as hecould, he finally came to the spot where it had once stood.
The little house was no longer there. In its place lay asmall marble slab, which bore this sad inscription:
HERE LIESTHE LOVELY FAIRY WITH AZURE HAIRWHO DIED OF GRIEFWHEN ABANDONED BYHER LITTLE BROTHER PINOCCHIOThe poor Marionette was heartbroken at reading thesewords. He fell to the ground and, covering the cold marblewith kisses, burst into bitter tears. He cried all night, anddawn found him still there, though his tears had driedand only hard, dry sobs shook his wooden frame. Butthese were so loud that they could be heard by thefaraway hills.
As he sobbed he said to himself:
"Oh, my Fairy, my dear, dear Fairy, why did you die?
Why did I not die, who am so bad, instead of you, whoare so good? And my father--where can he be? Please dear Fairy, tell me where he is and I shall never, neverleave him again! You are not really dead, are you? If youlove me, you will come back, alive as before. Don't youfeel sorry for me? I'm so lonely. If the two Assassins come,they'll hang me again from the giant oak tree and I willreally die, this time. What shall I do alone in the world?
Now that you are dead and my father is lost, where shallI eat? Where shall I sleep? Who will make my newclothes? Oh, I want to die! Yes, I want to die! Oh, oh, oh!"Poor Pinocchio! He even tried to tear his hair, but as itwas only painted on his wooden head, he could not even pull it.
Just then a large Pigeon flew far above him. Seeing theMarionette, he cried to him:
"Tell me, little boy, what are you doing there?""Can't you see? I'm crying," cried Pinocchio, lifting hishead toward the voice and rubbing his eyes with his sleeve.
"Tell me," asked the Pigeon, "do you by chance knowof a Marionette, Pinocchio by name?""Pinocchio! Did you say Pinocchio?" replied theMarionette, jumping to his feet. "Why, I am Pinocchio!"At this answer, the Pigeon flew swiftly down to the earth.
He was much larger than a turkey.
"Then you know Geppetto also?""Do I know him? He's my father, my poor, dear father!
Has he, perhaps, spoken to you of me? Will you take me to him? Is he still alive? Answer me, please! Is he still alive?""I left him three days ago on the shore of a large sea.""What was he doing?""He was building a little boat with which to cross the ocean.
For the last four months, that poor man has been wanderingaround Europe, looking for you. Not having found you yet,he has made up his mind to look for you in the New World,far across the ocean.""How far is it from here to the shore?" asked Pinocchio anxiously.
"More than fifty miles.""Fifty miles? Oh, dear Pigeon, how I wish I had your wings!""If you want to come, I'll take you with me.""How?""Astride my back. Are you very heavy?""Heavy? Not at all. I'm only a feather.""Very well."Saying nothing more, Pinocchio jumped on the Pigeon'sback and, as he settled himself, he cried out gayly:
"Gallop on, gallop on, my pretty steed! I'm in a great hurry."The Pigeon flew away, and in a few minutes he had reached the clouds. The Marionette looked to see whatwas below them. His head swam and he was so frightenedthat he clutched wildly at the Pigeon's neck to keephimself from falling.
They flew all day. Toward evening the Pigeon said:
"I'm very thirsty!""And I'm very hungry!" said Pinocchio.
"Let us stop a few minutes at that pigeon coop down there.
Then we can go on and be at the seashore in the morning."They went into the empty coop and there they found nothing buta bowl of water and a small basket filled with chick-peas.
The Marionette had always hated chick-peas. Accordingto him, they had always made him sick; but that nighthe ate them with a relish. As he finished them, he turnedto the Pigeon and said:
"I never should have thought that chick-peas could be so good!""You must remember, my boy," answered the Pigeon,"that hunger is the best sauce!"After resting a few minutes longer, they set out again.
The next morning they were at the seashore.
Pinocchio jumped off the Pigeon's back, and the Pigeon,not wanting any thanks for a kind deed, flew away swiftlyand disappeared.
The shore was full of people, shrieking and tearing theirhair as they looked toward the sea.
"What has happened?" asked Pinocchio of a little old woman.
"A poor old father lost his only son some time ago andtoday he built a tiny boat for himself in order to go insearch of him across the ocean. The water is very roughand we're afraid he will be drowned.""Where is the little boat?""There. Straight down there," answered the little old woman,pointing to a tiny shadow, no bigger than a nutshell,floating on the sea.
Pinocchio looked closely for a few minutes and then gave a sharp cry:
"It's my father! It's my father!"Meanwhile, the little boat, tossed about by the angrywaters, appeared and disappeared in the waves. And Pinocchio,standing on a high rock, tired out with searching,waved to him with hand and cap and even with his nose.
It looked as if Geppetto, though far away from theshore, recognized his son, for he took off his cap andwaved also. He seemed to be trying to make everyoneunderstand that he would come back if he were able, butthe sea was so heavy that he could do nothing with his oars.
Suddenly a huge wave came and the boat disappeared.
They waited and waited for it, but it was gone.
"Poor man!" said the fisher folk on the shore, whisperinga prayer as they turned to go home.
Just then a desperate cry was heard. Turning around,the fisher folk saw Pinocchio dive into the sea and heardhim cry out:
"I'll save him! I'll save my father!"The Marionette, being made of wood, floated easilyalong and swam like a fish in the rough water. Now andagain he disappeared only to reappear once more. In atwinkling, he was far away from land. At last he wascompletely lost to view.
"Poor boy!" cried the fisher folk on the shore, and againthey mumbled a few prayers, as they returned home.
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