guesses； my dear children！ He found a little table set for dinner and lighted by a candle stuck in a glass bottle； and near the table sat a little old man； white as the snow； eating live fish。 They wriggled so that； now and again； one of them slipped out of the old man's mouth and escaped into the darkness under the table。
At this sight； the poor Marionette was filled with such great and sudden happiness that he almost dropped in a faint。 He wanted to laugh； he wanted to cry； he wanted to say a thousand and one things； but all he could do was to stand still； stuttering and stammering brokenly。 At last； with a great effort； he was able to let out a scream of joy and； opening wide his arms he threw them around the old man's neck。
〃Oh； Father； dear Father！ Have I found you at last？ Now I shall never； never leave you again！〃
〃Are my eyes really telling me the truth？〃 answered the old man； rubbing his eyes。 〃Are you really my own dear Pinocchio？〃
〃Yes； yes； yes！ It is I！ Look at me！ And you have forgiven me； haven't you？ Oh； my dear Father； how good you are！ And to think that IOh； but if you only knew how many misfortunes have fallen on my head and how many troubles I have had！ Just think that on the day you sold your old coat to buy me my A…B…C book so that I could go to school； I ran away to the Marionette Theater and the proprietor caught me and wanted to burn me to cook his roast lamb！ He was the one who gave me the five gold pieces for you； but I met the Fox and the Cat； who took me to the Inn of the Red Lobster。 There they ate like wolves and I left the Inn alone and I met the Assassins in the wood。 I ran and they ran after me； always after me； till they hanged me to the branch of a giant oak tree。 Then the Fairy of the Azure Hair sent the coach to rescue me and the doctors； after looking at me； said； ‘If he is not dead； then he is surely alive；' and then I told a lie and my nose began to grow。 It grew and it grew； till I couldn't get it through the door of the room。 And then I went with the Fox and the Cat to the Field of Wonders to bury the gold pieces。 The Parrot laughed at me and； instead of two thousand gold pieces； I found none。 When the Judge heard I had been robbed； he sent me to jail to make the thieves happy； and when I came away I saw a fine bunch of grapes hanging on a vine。 The trap caught me and the Farmer put a collar on me and made me a watchdog。 He found out I was innocent when I caught the Weasels and he let me go。 The Serpent with the tail that smoked started to laugh and a vein in his chest broke and so I went back to the Fairy's house。 She was dead； and the Pigeon； seeing me crying； said to me； ‘I have seen your father building a boat to look for you in America；' and I said to him； ‘Oh； if I only had wings！' and he said to me； ‘Do you want to go to your father？' and I said； ‘Perhaps； but how？' and he said； ‘Get on my back。 I'll take you there。' We flew all night long； and next morning the fishermen were looking toward the sea； crying； ‘There is a poor little man drowning；' and I knew it was you； because my heart told me so and I waved to you from the shore〃
〃I knew you also；〃 put in Geppetto； 〃and I wanted to go to you； but how could I？ The sea was rough and the whitecaps overturned the boat。 Then a Terrible Shark came up out of the sea and； as soon as he saw me in the water； swam quickly toward me； put out his tongue； and swallowed me as easily as if I had been a chocolate peppermint。〃
〃And how long have you been shut away in here？〃
〃From that day to this； two long weary yearstwo years； my Pinocchio； which have been like two centuries。〃
〃And how have you lived？ Where did you find the candle？ And the matches with which to light itwhere did you get them？〃
〃You must know that； in the storm which swamped my boat； a large ship also suffered the same fate。 The sailors were all saved； but the ship went right to the bottom of the sea； and the same Terrible Shark that swallowed me； swallowed most of it。〃
〃What！ Swallowed a ship？〃 asked Pinocchio in astonishment。
〃At one gulp。 The only thing he spat out was the main… mast； for it stuck in his teeth。 To my own good luck； that ship was loaded with meat； preserved foods； crackers； bread； bottles of wine； raisins； cheese； coffee； sugar； wax candles； and boxes of matches。 With all these blessings； I have been able to live happily on for two whole years； but now I am at the very last crumbs。 Today there is nothing left in the cupboard； and this candle you see here is the last one I have。〃
〃And then？〃
〃And then； my dear； we'll find ourselves in darkness。〃
〃Then； my dear Father；〃 said Pinocchio； 〃there is no time to lose。 We must try to escape。〃
〃Escape！ How？〃
〃We can run out of the Shark's mouth and dive into the sea。〃
〃You speak well； but I cannot swim； my dear Pinocchio。〃
〃Why should that matter？ You can climb on my shoulders and I； who am a fine swimmer； will carry you safely to the shore。〃
〃Dreams； my boy！〃 answered Geppetto； shaking his head and smiling sadly。 〃Do you think it possible for a Marionette； a yard high； to have the strength to carry me on his shoulders and swim？〃
〃Try it and see！ And in any case； if it is written that we must die； we shall at least die together。〃
Not adding another word； Pinocchio took the candle in his hand and going ahead to light the way； he said to his father：
〃Follow me and have no fear。〃
They walked a long distance through the stomach and the whole body of the Shark。 When they reached the throat of the monster； they stopped for a while to wait for the right moment in which to make their escape。
I want you to know that the Shark； being very old and suffering from asthma and heart trouble； was obliged to sleep with his mouth open。 Because of this； Pinocchio was able to catch a glimpse of the sky filled with stars； as he looked up through the open jaws of his new home。
〃The time has come for us to escape；〃 he whispered； turning to his father。 〃The Shark is fast asleep。 The sea is calm and the night is as bright as day。 Follow me closely； dear Father； and we shall soon be saved。〃
No sooner said than done。 They climbed up the throat of the monster till they came to that immense open mouth。 There they had to walk on tiptoes； for if they tickled the Shark's long tongue he might awakenand where would they be then？ The tongue was so wide and so long that it looked like a country road。 The two fugitives were just about to dive into the sea when the Shark sneezed very suddenly and； as he sneezed； he gave Pinocchio and Geppetto such a jolt that they found themselves thrown on their backs and dashed once more and very unceremoniously into the stomach of the monster。
To make matters worse； the candle went out and father and son were left in the dark。
〃And now？〃 asked Pinocchio with a serious face。
〃Now we are lost。〃
〃Why lost？ Give me your hand； dear Father； and be careful not to slip！〃
〃Where will you take me？〃
〃We must try again。 Come with me and don't be afraid。〃
With these words Pinocchio took his father by the hand and； always walking on tiptoes； they climbed up the monster's throat for a second time。 They then crossed the whole tongue and jumped over three rows of teeth。 But before they took the last great leap； the Marionette said to his father：
〃Climb on my back and hold on tightly to my neck。 I'll take care of everything else。〃
As soon as Geppetto was comfortably seated on his shoulders； Pinocchio； very sure of what he was doing； dived into the water and started to swim。 The sea was like oil； the moon shone in all splendor； and the Shark continued to sleep so soundly that not even a cannon shot would have awakened him。
CHAPTER 36
Pinocchio finally ceases to be a Marionette and becomes a boy
〃My dear Father； we are saved！〃 cried the Marionette。 〃All we have to do now is to get to the shore； and that is easy。〃
Without another word； he swam swiftly away in an effort to reach land as soon as possible。 All at once he noticed that Geppetto was shivering and shaking as if with a high fever。
Was he shivering from fear or from cold？ Who knows？ Perhaps a little of both。 But Pinocchio； thinking his father was frightened； tried to comfort him by saying：
〃Courage； Father！ In a few moments we shall be safe on land。〃
〃But where is that blessed shore？〃 asked the little old man； more and more worried as he tried to pierce the faraway shadows。 〃Here I am searching on all sides and I see nothing but sea and sky。〃
〃I see the shore；〃 said the Marionette。 〃Remember； Father； that I am like a cat。 I see better at night than by day。〃
Poor Pinocchio pretended to be peaceful and contented； but he was far from that。 He was beginning to feel discouraged； his strength was leaving him； and his breathing was becoming more and more labored。 He felt he could not go on much longer； and the shore was still far away。
He swam a few more strokes。 Then he turned to Geppetto and cried out weakly：
〃Help me； Father！ Help； for I am dying！〃
Father and son were really about to drown when they heard a voice like a guitar out of tune call from the sea：
〃What is the trouble？〃
〃It is I and my poor father。〃
〃I know the voice。 You are Pinocchio。〃
〃Exactly。 And you？〃
〃I am the Tunny； your companion in the Shark's stomach。〃
〃And how did you escape？〃
〃I imitated your example。 You are the one who showed me the way and after you went； I followed。〃
〃Tunny； you arrived at the right moment！ I implore you； for the love you bear your children； the little Tunnies； to help us； or we are lost！〃
〃With great pleasure indeed。 Hang onto my tail； both of you； and let me lead you。 In a twinkling you will be safe on land。〃
Geppetto and Pinocchio； as you can easily imagine； did not refuse the invitation； indeed； instead of hanging onto the tail； they thought it better to climb on the Tunny's back。
〃Are we too heavy？〃 asked Pinocchio。
〃Heavy？ Not in the least。 You are as light as sea…shells；〃 answered the Tunny； who was as large as a two…year…old horse。
As soon as they reached the shore； Pinocchio was the first to jump to the ground to help his old father。 Then he tur