“‘A Dragon!’ he shrieked.”
“Globicephalous, for pity’s sake! Tursio! Marsovino! Help! Wake up! A demon is in my cave! Yes, come and see—his mouth wide open, ready to eat me up. If only you could see the size of his horns!”
But when the dolphins awoke and realized what was happening, they only laughed and laughed. Pinocchio could not understand. He looked from one to the other. Finally he said, “Well, I don’t see anything so funny. What is it?”
“Look at the brave boy! Look! Look!” called Marsovino, bursting with laughter.
“I thought you threw stones into a lion’s mouth,” shouted Globicephalous, making fun of the poor fellow.
“Lions are one thing, demons another,” explained Pinocchio, almost crying with shame.
“But what demons are you talking about, anyway?” asked Tursio.
“Come, and you will see.”
When they reached the cave, there was the dragon still hanging. His eyes were still glaring, his mouth still wide, his body still shining in the night.