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After many years of honoured service, TOTO', a small tug, had been pensioned off,
but instead of being happy to be able to rest at last, it had become very sad, as it just
could not tolerate its being berthed for the whole day having nothing to do. It felt useless
and deserted, whereas before then, even if its job was hard and even dangerous, Totò felt it
was important and the more so when it towed the big oil-tankers or the container-ships into port.
In those sad days the only friends who made him happy were two young sea-gulls, Pallino
and Pallina, who had taken up their abode in the small tug and who kept Totò informed on
what was happening in such world which it could no longer be in.
One day a big storm burst out ... Pallino and Pallina were flying over the reefs in the southern part
of the port and suddenly they saw a big oil-tanker that was in difficulties having deviated from the
straight course and being unable to steer owing to the billows caused by the very high sea ...
The ship was running the risk of crashing into the reefs: a disaster! Rivers of oil would flow
into the sea because of the holes on the sides of the ship which would cause a "black death" to many
inhabitants of the sea, gulls included!
Something needed to be done immediately, but all of the tugs were already working out at sea, in the northern
part of the port, and they would not have enough time to come back and intervene, so Pallina said: "we must
call Totò!"... "You're right!", Pallino said, and they immediately flew as fast as they could to the
dock where the small tug was moored.
"Quick, Totò, hurry up!", shouted the two sea-gulls at the same time when they reached their friend,
"you are the only one who can help us! "...
The two young gulls explained the situation to the small
tug in an agitated yet clear way. Totò, who was stirred up by their story, said at last: "Do not be afraid,
my friends, I'll see to it!".
The engine was turning at the maximum of revolutions in less than a minute, and, after letting go moorings,
Totò dashed amidst the waves on its way south to the cliffs.
The storm was raging, the high wind raised
billows which overhung the small tug, but Totò proceeded fearless amidst the waves, quite decided to seize
the opportunity to show its mettle ...
After about twenty minutes of hard navigation and after having run the risk of sinking under water
over and over again, the small tug caught up with the oil-tanker, but it seemed there was nothing
left to do! Only about a hundred meters separated the ship and the reefs ... the end was approaching!
However, Totò performed a risky manoeuvre and threaded its way through the narrow passage, then asked
for the tow-line and shouted: "Full speed ahead!"
For some never-ending minutes it seemed that the vessel would crash against the cliffs in spite of Totò's
intervention, dragging the intrepid small-tug with it, but the manoeuvre turned out to be successful and
the small tug resolutely headed for the port towing the ship, while Pallino and Pallina, who had never
quitted the scene, incited it.
It took Totò forty minutes to reach the port. Meanwhile, the storm had abated and the news about Totò's
exploit had already arrived, so that when the small tug entered the port towing the big oil-tanker, it
was received by a crowd of joyful people who had gathered at piers and by the sirens of other ships that
wanted to pay homage to Totò's bravery and to the cleverness showed during the rescue operation.
As a result of what happened, the small tug was reinstated in its post (even if on the reserve list) with
no more boring days to pass.
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