Encouraged by his first victory he used his nails to such purpose that
he succeeded in liberating himself from his assailants, and jumping
the hedge by the roadside he began to fly across the country. The
assassins ran after him like two dogs chasing a hare; and the one who
had lost the paw ran on one leg and no one ever knew how he managed
it.
After a race of some miles Pinocchio could do no more. Giving himself
up for lost he climbed the stem of a very high pine-tree and seated
himself in the topmost branches. The assassins attempted to climb
after him, but when they had reached halfway up the stem they slid
down again, and arrived on the ground with the skin grazed from their
hands and knees.
But they were not to be beaten by so little; collecting a quantity of
dry wood they piled it beneath the pine and set fire to it. In less
time than it takes to tell the pine began to burn and flame like
a candle blown by the wind. Pinocchio, seeing that the flames were
mounting higher every instant, and not wishing to end his life like
a roasted pigeon, made a stupendous leap from the top of the tree and
started afresh across the fields and vineyards. The assassins followed
him, and kept behind him without once giving in.
Pages:
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554