"Good boy, good marionette!" said the men as they passed the bucket
from one to another.

Pinocchio was happy. Never had he felt so happy as at that moment.
"What good people!" he said to himself. "I would gladly stay with
them." In the meantime the bucket was emptied, and there were still
some who had not had a drink. "I will go and refill it," said the
marionette promptly. And without waiting to be asked, he took the
bucket and flew to the fountain.

When he returned they flattered him so cleverly with praise and
thanks that a strong friendship sprang up between Pinocchio and the
wild beasts.

Being a woodenhead he forgot about his father and did not go away as
he had intended to do. In fact, he was curious to know something of the
history of these people, who were forced to play at being wild
animals.

After a moment's silence he turned to the one who had asked him to
go for the water and said, "You are from Africa?"

"Yes, I am an African, and all my companions are African."

"How interesting! but pardon me, is Africa a beautiful country?"

"I should say so! A country, my dear boy, full of plenty, where
everything is given away free! A country in which at any moment the
strangest things may happen. A servant may become a master; a plain