Pinocchio in Africa

by Eugenio Cherubini

with me, I start to-morrowmorning at dawn."

  "On what steamship?"

  "What did you say?" asked Pinocchio.

  "On what steamship do you sail?"

  "Sail! I am going on foot."

  At these words everybody laughed.

  "There is little to laugh at, my dear people. If you knew how manymiles I have traveled on these legs by day and by night, over land andsea, you would not laugh. What! do you think Fairyland, the country ofthe Blockheads, and the Island of the Bees are reached in a singlestride? I go to Africa, and I go on foot."

  "But it is necessary to cross the Mediterranean Sea."

  "It will be crossed."

  "On foot?"

  "Either on foot or on horseback, it matters little. But pardon me,after crossing the Mediterranean Sea, do you reach Africa?"

  "Certainly, unless you wish to go by way of the Red Sea."

  "The Red Sea? No, truly!"

  "Perhaps the route over the Red Sea would be better."

  "I do not wish to go near the Red Sea."

  "And why?" asked the wolf man, who up to this time had not opened hismouth.

  "Why? Why? Because I do not wish to get my clothes dyed; do youunderstand?"

  More laughter greeted these words. Pinocchio's wooden cheeks got veryred, and he sputtered: "This is no way to treat a gentleman. I shall doas I please, and I do not please to enter the Red Sea. That is enough.Now I shall leave you," and he started off.

  "Farewell, farewell, marionette!"

  "Farewell, you impolite beasts!" Pinocchio wanted to call out, but hedid not.

  "Come back!" cried the bearded man; "here is the bucket; please fill itonce more, for I am still thirsty."

  CHAPTER VIPINOCCHIO IN DOUBT

  Pinocchio went away very angry, vowing that he would avenge himself onall who had laughed at him.

  "To begin with," said he, "I intend to make them all die of thirst. Ifthey wait to drink of the water that I bring, they will certainly die."With these thoughts in his mind the marionette started homeward,carrying the bucket on his head.

  "The bucket will repay me for all the work I have had put upon me. Howunlucky we children are! Wherever we go, there is always something forus to do. To-day I thought I would simply enjoy myself; instead, I havehad to carry water for a company of strangers. How absurd! two trips,one after the other, to give drink to people I do not know! And howthey drink! they seem to be sponges. For my part they can be thirsty aslong as they like. I feel now as if I would never again move a fingerfor them. I am not going to be laughed at."

  As he finished these remarks Pinocchio arrived at the fountain. It wasdelightful to see the clear water rushing out, but he could not helpthinking of those poor creatures who were waiting for him. He had tostop.

  "Shall I or shall I not?" he asked himself. "After all, they are goodpeople, who are forced to imitate wild animals; and besides, they havetreated me with some kindness. I may as well carry some water to them;a trip more or less makes no difference to me."

  He approached the fountain, filled the bucket, and ran down the road.

  "Hello within there!" he said in a low voice. "Here is the bucket ofwater; come and take it, for I am not going in."

  "Good marionette," said the beasts, "thank you!"

  "Don't mention it," replied Pinocchio, very happy.

  "Why will you not come in?"

  "It is impossible, thank you. I must go to school."

  "Then you are not going to Africa?"

  "Who told you that! I am returning to school to bid farewell to myteacher, and to ask him to excuse me for a few days. Then I wish to seemy father and ask his permission to go, so that he will not be anxiouswhile I am away."

  "Excellent marionette, you will become famous."

  "What agreeable people!" thought Pinocchio. "I am sorry to leave them."

  "So you really will not come in?"

  "No, I have said so before. I must go to school first, and then--"

  "But it seems to me rather late for school," said the crocodile man.

  "That is true; it is too late for school," replied Pinocchio.

  "Well, then, stay a little longer with us, and later you can go home toyour father."

  Pinocchio thrust his head through the hole and leaped into the tent.The naughty marionette had not the least desire to go to school, andwas only too glad of an excuse to watch these strange people.

  CHAPTER VIIHE BIDS GOOD-BY TO THE ANIMALS

  The show had begun. The director was explaining to the people thewonders of his menagerie.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, observe the beauty and the wildness of all theseanimals, which I have brought from Central Africa. Here they are,inclosed in these many cages, but hidden from your view. Why are theyhidden? Because, ladies and gentlemen, you would be frightened at thesight of them, and your peace and health greatly concern me. The firstanimal which I have the pleasure to present to you is the elephant.Observe, ladies and gentlemen, that small affair which hangs under hisnose. With that he builds houses, tills the soil, writes letters,carries trunks, and picks flowers. You can see that the animal waspainted from life and placed in this beautiful frame."

  The people began to look at one another.

  "Now, ladies and gentlemen, let us go on to the next one."

  A roar of laughter and jeers arose on all sides. The director saw theunfortunate state of things and began to shout: "Have respect, ladies,for the poor sick monkey I told you of. At this moment she is pressingto her breast for the last time her friendless child."

  But not even this was sufficient to calm the crowd, which presentlybecame an infuriated mob. Men and women rushed about the tent, makingfierce gestures and heaping abuse upon the director. What an uproar!

  In the cage where Pinocchio was, there was no confusion, and theconversation between the marionette and the wild beasts went on withoutstopping.

  "When do you leave for Africa?" Pinocchio was asked.

  "Have I not told you? To-morrow morning at daybreak, even if it rains."

  "Excellent! But you must carry with you several things which you mayneed."

  "And those are--?"

  "First of all you will need plenty of money."

  "That is not lacking," said Pinocchio in his usual airy way.

  "Good! Then you should get a rifle."

  "What for?"

  "To defend yourself against the wild animals."

  "Come, come! You don't want me to believe that! I have seen what thewild animals of Africa are!"

  "Be careful, marionette. Take a good rifle with you, for one neverknows what will happen in Africa."

  "But I do not know how to load one."

  "Well, then, stay at home. It is folly for you to begin such anundertaking without arms and without knowing how to use them."

  "It is you who are foolish. Do not make me angry. When I have decidedupon a thing no one can stop me from carrying it out."

  "Take care, marionette; you may be sorry."

  "Nevertheless I shall go."

  "You may find things very unpleasant."

  "It is for that very reason that I am going."

  "You may never return."

  "The good Fairy will protect me."

  "Who is the Fairy?"

  "How many things you want to know! If you are in need of nothing else,I will bid you all good-by!"

  "Farewell, marionette."

  "Till we meet again."

  "Good-by, blockhead."

  "Don't be rude! said Pinocchio, greatly vexed, and out he went.

  CHAPTER VIIIPINOCCHIO DOES NOT SLEEP

  When Pinocchio arrived at his home he found his father already in bed.Old Geppetto did not earn enough to provide a supper for two. He usedto say that he was not hungry, and go to bed. But there was alwaysplenty for Pinocchio. An onion, some beans moistened in water, and apiece of bread which had been left over from the morning, were nevermissing.

  That night Pinocchio found a better meal than usual.

 
His good father, not having seen his son at the regular dinner hour,knew that the boy would be very hungry. There would have to besomething out of the ordinary. He therefore added to the fare somedried fish and a delicious morsel of orange peel. "He will even havefruit," the good man had said to himself, smiling at the joy his dearPinocchio would feel on seeing himself treated like a man of the world.

  The marionette ate his supper with relish, and having finished hismeal, went over to his sleeping father and kissed him as a reward forthe fish and the orange peel. Pinocchio, to say the least, had a goodheart, and would have done anything for his father except study andwork.

  That night he slept little.