"Tell me another thing. You who travel day and night through the sea,
did you not perhaps meet a little boat with my father in it?"

"And who is you father?"

"He is the best father in the world, even as I am the worst son that can
be found."

"In the storm of last night," answered the Dolphin, "the little boat
must have been swamped."

"And my father?"

"By this time, he must have been swallowed by the Terrible Shark, which,
for the last few days, has been bringing terror to these waters."

"Is this Shark very big?" asked Pinocchio, who was beginning to tremble
with fright.

"Is he big?" replied the Dolphin. "Just to give you an idea of his size,
let me tell you that he is larger than a five story building and that
he has a mouth so big and so deep, that a whole train and engine could
easily get into it."

"Mother mine!" cried the Marionette, scared to death; and dressing
himself as fast as he could, he turned to the Dolphin and said:

"Farewell, Mr. Fish. Pardon the bother, and many thanks for your
kindness."