Pinocchio in Africa Part 6

Pinocchio did not understand, and started to go on about his business, but the man took him roughly by the nose. Pinocchio shrieked. The crowd stopped. At last, he discovered that the man wanted water. Pinocchio placed the bag on the ground. Then he poured the water into a gla.s.s.

The man drank, paid, and went his way.

"What a thirst for water Africans have!" thought the marionette, as he remembered his companions of the circus. "I like ices better, and I am going to try to get one with this penny." At once he started off, leaving the leather bag behind.

17. A Ride On A Dog's Back

A CROWD of boys had by this time gathered in the street. They began, after the manner of boys in nearly every part of the world, to annoy one who was clearly a stranger. They did not know Pinocchio, however, nor the force of his feet and elbows. There came a shower of kicks and punches, and the boys scattered. Away flew Pinocchio. The people were astonished to see those tiny legs fly like the wind. They shouted and ran after him. Pinocchio resolved not to be caught. He turned into a side street that led into the open country. A large dog, stretched out upon the ground, was in his way. Pinocchio measured the distance and leaped.

At that very moment the dog sprang up, and hardly knowing how it happened, Pinocchio found himself astride his back. Barking furiously, the animal shot along like a cannon ball. The poor boy felt sure that he was going to break his neck and prayed for safety. On they rushed.

The dog jumped over rocks and ditches as if he had done nothing in all his life but carry marionettes on his back.

"Is it possible that he is a horse-dog?" thought Pinocchio. "If he is, I shall ride him always, and when I return home, I shall present him to my father. My companions will die of envy when they see me riding to school like a gentleman. I shall make him a saddle like those I saw on the circus horses, and a pair of silver stirrups. A saddle is really necessary, because it is very uncomfortable to ride in this way."

The came to a deep gully and the dog prepared to make the leap.

Pinocchio muttered to himself: "This is the end. If I cross this in safety, I will surely return home and go to school."

There was a leap, and a plunge into the black, empty air. When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying at the bottom of a precipice in total darkness. How long had he been in the air? The marionette did not know. He remembered only that while flying down he had heard a familiar voice call, "Pinocchio! Pinocchio! Pinocchio!"

"Farewell to the world and to Africa," said the marionette. "Wooden marionettes will never learn. Here I shall stay forever. It serves me right."

18. The Cave

IF I get out of this prison alive, it will be the greatest wonder I have ever known." Pinocchio sat in the spot where he had fallen. He now began to suffer from thirst. There had been a great deal of excitement, and his throat was parched. He would have given anything for a sip of the water he had so carelessly left in the middle of the street only a little while before.

"I don't want to die here," he said. "I must get up and walk."

So saying, he moved slowly about, groping with his hands and feet as if he were playing blindman's buff. The ground was soft, and the air seemed fresh. In fact, it was not so bad as he had at first thought.

Only four things worried him, darkness, hunger, thirst, and fear. Aside from these he was safe and sound.

He had gone but a short distance through the darkness when suddenly he thought he heard a faint murmur. He saw a gleam of light. The blood rushed through his veins. He walked on. The sound became clearer, and the light grew brighter. At length Pinocchio found himself in a cave lighted by soft rays. The murmuring sound was caused by a small stream of water coming out from a high rock and forming a little waterfall.

Pinocchio rushed toward the rocks, opened his mouth wide like a funnel, and drank his fill.

"I shall not die of thirst," said the marionette. "Unfortunately, I am still hungry. What a fate is mine! Why can we not live without eating? Some day I am going to find a way. If I succeed, I shall teach the poor people to live without food as I do. How happy they will be!"

Meanwhile he looked about for a means of escape. Soon he discovered the hole that lighted the cave, and walked out once more under the open sky.

19. The Caravan

HE saw nothing but rocks and sand; rocks that shone like mirrors, and sand that burned like fire. He walked on very sadly, without knowing where. Presently he found himself upon a hill, from which he could see a vast plain crossed by a wide highway. A long line of people and camels were on the march, but how strange they looked! They were going along with heads down and feet up. At first the marionette was filled with a strong desire to laugh; then he became frightened and rubbed his eyes, doubting what they told him.

"Am I dreaming?" he said to himself.

The line continued its march, and he distinctly heard the people laugh and joke as they all sat upside down on the backs of the inverted camels.

"I was not prepared for this! What a strange way of traveling they have in Africa! Maybe I too am walking on my head!" and he touched himself to make sure that his head was in its proper place.

Meanwhile the caravan pa.s.sed on, and Pinocchio stood still, his eyes fixed upon the camels as they disappeared at the turning of the road.

The only thing left for him to do was to follow them.

"Either on my head or on my feet I shall surely arrive somewhere! I do not believe that all those people will walk on air forever. Sometime or other they will stop to eat. I shall be there to help them."

As he spoke the marionette started forward, walking rapidly in the hot sun.

20. The Baby Pulls His Nose

IN half an hour he had caught up with the topsy-turvy caravan. It had stopped at a large well, which was filled with clear, cool water.

The people were laughing and talking as if they were at home. They were all as happy as they could be.

Pinocchio could not understand it. Had these people really stood on their heads? What had happened to them? There was something wrong. He had certainly seen them traveling in that strange fashion. However, a marionette who is hungry and thirsty does not worry long about things he cannot explain. He was there, and the people were eating and drinking.

"What a fool I am! If their heads were upside down, they could neither eat nor drink. Surely they will not refuse me a little water, and perhaps as they are familiar with Africa, I may discover in talking with them where the mines of gold and precious stones are to be found."

So saying, Pinocchio moved toward an old man who was sitting with a pipe in his mouth. He had finished his meal and was enjoying a smoke.

The marionette took off his hat and said, "Pardon me, sir; what time is it?"

The old man's answer came in a volume of smoke.

"Ask the sun, my boy. He will tell you."

"Thank you!" said Pinocchio, a little taken aback by this reception, and he moved on toward a woman with a baby on her shoulders.

"Madam, will you please tell me if I am on the right road to - "

"The world is wide," broke in the woman.

"And long too," thought the marionette. "How polite these Africans are!"

Of course, the marionette was a stupid fellow. He was a little ashamed to beg for food, and had only asked these questions so that the people might notice him and perhaps offer him food and water. An ordinary boy would have asked for what he wanted, but the blockhead was too proud.

He was about to go on when the baby began to wave its arms, and to shout, "I want it! I want it!"

Can you guess what it wanted? Pinocchio's nose! The child reached out its hands, and cried and kicked in trying to get hold of it.

The whole caravan looked toward the spot. A group of children gathered about them. Even the camels lifted their heads to see what was the matter. The mother was distressed because the child's screams and kicks continued. She asked Pinocchio to let it touch his nose. His pride was hurt, but thinking it best to humor the child, he went closer and allowed his nose to be touched and squeezed and pulled until the baby was perfectly happy and satisfied. The good woman laughed, and thanked Pinocchio by offering him some bread and milk.

Pinocchio buried his face in the milk and ate the bread. There was no doubt of his hunger. The others offered him fruit and cake. He was pleased. Africa, after all, was a country where one could live. His hunger satisfied, he did what marionettes usually do, talked about himself. In a short time all the people knew who he was and why he had come to Africa. The old man with the pipe asked him, "Who told you that here in Africa there is so much gold?"

"Who told me? He who knows told me!"

"But are you sure that he did not wish to deceive you?"

"Deceive me?" replied the marionette, "My dear sire, to deceive me one must have a good - " and he touched his forehead with his forefinger as much as to say that within lay a great brain. "Before leaving home I studied so much that the teacher feared I should ruin my health."

"Very well," replied the old man, "let us travel together, for we also area in search of gold and precious stones."

Pinocchio's heart beat fast with hope. At last there was some one to help him in his search. He could scarcely control himself enough to say: "Willingly, most willingly! I have no objections. Suit yourselves."