“Isn’t that strange! Oyster shells for a traveling bag!”
“Strange? Why, what is strange about that?” asked Tursio.
“What is its name?” asked Pinocchio.
“That is the giant Tridacna. They are the largest oyster shells known.”
“How large the animal inside must be,” observed Pinocchio, with a yawn.
“Yes. It is very large, and also very beautiful. The center of the body is a violet color dotted with black. Around this is a green border. At the extreme edge the colors change from deepest to lightest blue. Yes, indeed. It is very beautiful.”
“What a good meal it would make,” thought Pinocchio. His only wish was for a good dinner, but in order to be polite he said, “Who would ever think that there are such things under the sea!”
“Why, you have been in every school in the kingdom and don’t know that?”
“Books on the subject you can find everywhere.”
Pinocchio bit his lips, but did not say a word. Quickly he dressed himself again in his paper suit and declared himself ready to start.