Pinocchio sank deep into the sea. The man on the cliff waited for fifty minutes. He thought the donkey was dead. He pulled the rope to get the body.
The man pulled and pulled. Finally, something came to the surface of the water. It was not a dead donkey. It was a live marionette! Pinocchio moved his body like an eel (a long fish that looks like a snake).
The man was very surprised. He did not understand. He asked, "Where is the donkey?"
Pinocchio laughed and said, "I am the donkey."
The man was angry. He said, "Do not play with me! You were a donkey a few minutes ago."
Pinocchio said, "The sea water is special. Maybe it was the salt. Please untie the rope. I will tell you my story."
The man was curious. He untied the rope. Pinocchio began to tell his story.
Pinocchio said, "I was a marionette before. I was lazy and I did not like school. So, I ran away. One morning, I became a donkey. I had long ears and a tail."
Pinocchio continued, "A circus owner bought me. He tried to make me dance. But I fell and I became lame (unable to walk well). Then you bought me at the market."
The man said, "I paid four cents for you! Now I have no money and no donkey skin."
Pinocchio said, "You wanted to kill me. You wanted to make a drum. But the Blue Fairy helped me. She is my mother and she loves me."
Pinocchio said, "The Blue Fairy sent many fish to me. The fish thought I was a dead donkey. They began to eat me. They ate my ears, my nose, and my tail."
Pinocchio laughed. He said, "The fish ate the donkey skin. But then they reached the wood. I am made of very hard wood. The fish did not like the wood. So they swam away."
The man was very angry. He said, "I want my four cents back! I will sell you for firewood."
Pinocchio gave a quick jump. He dived into the sea. He swam away very fast. He called out, "Goodbye, Master! If you need firewood, remember me!"
Pinocchio swam for a long time. He saw a large white rock in the sea. A little goat was on the rock. The goat called to Pinocchio.
The goat was very strange. Her hair was azure (a bright blue color). It was the same color as the hair of the Blue Fairy.
Pinocchio swam toward the rock. But suddenly, a monster came out of the water. It was the Terrible Shark (a very large and dangerous fish with sharp teeth).
The Shark had a very big mouth. It had three rows of sharp teeth. Pinocchio was very afraid. He tried to swim away, but the Shark came closer.
The blue goat shouted, "Hurry, Pinocchio! The monster is coming!"
Pinocchio swam with all his strength. He reached the rock. The goat tried to help him with her foot.
But it was too late. The Shark took a deep breath. He drank in the water and he swallowed Pinocchio. Pinocchio fell into the body of the Shark. He did not move for thirty minutes.
When Pinocchio woke up, it was very dark. He heard a loud wind. It was the sound of the Shark breathing. The Shark had asthma (a sickness that makes it hard to breathe).
Pinocchio began to cry. He shouted, "Help! Help! Someone save me!"
A rough voice answered, "No one can help you here."
Pinocchio asked, "Who is talking?"
The voice said, "I am a Tunny (a large fish also called a tuna). The Shark swallowed me, too. What are you?"
Pinocchio said, "I am a marionette. What will happen to us?"
The Tunny said, "We must wait. The Shark will digest us."
Pinocchio said, "I do not want to be digested! I want to escape."
Pinocchio saw a small light far away. He said, "I see a light. I will go see who is there."
The Tunny said, "Good luck, Pinocchio."