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diff --git a/16865-h/16865-h.htm b/16865-h/16865-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..021ec0c --- /dev/null +++ b/16865-h/16865-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7597 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Pinocchio, by C Collodi. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 45%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; empty-cells: show; } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + img {border: none;} + + ins {text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted red;} + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .hang {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + + .narrow {margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%;} /* like blockquote, but narrower and with equal margins */ + + .tnote {font-size: .9em; font-style: italic; } /* Transcriber's Notes */ + + hr.major { width:75%; margin-top:2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.minor { width:30%; margin-top:0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + + .placard {text-align: center; font-size: 1.2em; color: red; font-weight: bold;} + + + .caption {font-size: smaller;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + + + + /* kludge to get around brain dead IE not understanding CSS */ + div.centered {text-align: center;} + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pinocchio, by C. Collodi + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Pinocchio + The Tale of a Puppet + +Author: C. Collodi + +Illustrator: Alice Carsey + +Release Date: October 13, 2005 [EBook #16865] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PINOCCHIO *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Melissa Er-Raqabi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-cover.jpg" +alt="Cover" title="Cover" /> +</div> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<p><a name="hi-illus-001" id="hi-illus-001"></a></p> +<img src="images/hi-illus-001.jpg" +alt=""HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO IN?"" title=""HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO IN?"" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/hi-illus-002.jpg" alt="Title Page" title="Title Page" /> +</div> + + + +<h1>PINOCCHIO</h1> +<h2>THE TALE OF A PUPPET</h2> + +<h2>By C COLLODI</h2> + +<h3>Illustrated By<br /> +ALICE CARSEY</h3> + + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Whitman Publishing Co.</span><br /> +RACINE, WISCONSIN +</p> + + + +<p class="center">COPYRIGHT 1916 BY<br /> +<span class="smcap">Whitman Publishing Co.</span><br /> +RACINE, WISCONSIN<br /> +PRINTED IN U.S.A. +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align='right'><small>Chap.</small></td><td align='left'></td><td align='right'><small>Page</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">The Piece of Wood That Laughed and Cried Like a Child</a></span></td><td align='right'>9</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">Master Cherry Gives the Wood Away</a></span></td><td align='right'>12</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">Geppetto Names His Puppet Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>16</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">The Talking-Cricket Scolds Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>23</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">The Flying Egg</a></span></td><td align='right'>26</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">Pinocchio's Feet Burn to Cinders</a></span></td><td align='right'>29</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">Geppetto Gives His Own Breakfast to Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>31</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">Geppetto Makes Pinocchio New Feet</a></span></td><td align='right'>35</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">Pinocchio Goes To See a Puppet-Show</a></span></td><td align='right'>39</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>X</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">The Puppets Recognize Their Brother Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>42</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">Fire-Eater Sneezes and Pardons Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>45</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">Pinocchio Receives a Present of Five Gold Pieces</a></span></td><td align='right'>49</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">The Inn of the Red Craw-Fish</a></span></td><td align='right'>57</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">Pinocchio Falls Among Assassins</a></span></td><td align='right'>61</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">The Assassins Hang Pinocchio to the Big Oak</a></span></td><td align='right'>65</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">The Beautiful Child Rescues the Puppet</a></span></td><td align='right'>71</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">Pinocchio Will Not Take His Medicine</a></span></td><td align='right'>75</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">Pinocchio Again Meets the Fox and the Cat</a></span></td><td align='right'>81</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">Pinocchio Is Robbed of His Money</a></span></td><td align='right'>87</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">Pinocchio Starts Back to the Fairy's House</a></span></td><td align='right'>91</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">Pinocchio Acts as Watch-dog</a></span></td><td align='right'>94</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">Pinocchio Discovers the Robbers</a></span></td><td align='right'>97</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">Pinocchio Flies to the Seashore</a></span></td><td align='right'>101</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">Pinocchio Finds the Fairy Again</a></span></td><td align='right'>109</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">Pinocchio Promises the Fairy To Be Good</a></span></td><td align='right'>116</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">The Terrible Dog-Fish</a></span></td><td align='right'>120</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">Pinocchio Is Arrested by the Gendarmes</a></span></td><td align='right'>126</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">Pinocchio Escapes Being Fried Like a Fish</a></span></td><td align='right'>133</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">He Returns to the Fairy's House</a></span></td><td align='right'>139</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXX</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">The "Land of Boobies"</a></span></td><td align='right'>147</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI">Pinocchio Enjoys Five Months of Happiness</a></span></td><td align='right'>153</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII">Pinocchio Turns Into a Donkey</a></span></td><td align='right'>160</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXIII</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII">Pinocchio Is Trained for the Circus</a></span></td><td align='right'>167</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXIV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIV">Pinocchio Is Swallowed by the Dog-Fish</a></span></td><td align='right'>178</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXV</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXV">A Happy Surprise for Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>186</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXXVI</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVI">Pinocchio at Last Ceases to Be a Puppet and Becomes a Boy</a></span></td><td align='right'>194</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>LINE ILLUSTRATIONS</h3> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Line Illustrations"> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#hi-illus-001">Decorative Title Page</a></span></td><td align='right'>1</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-008">The Runaway Puppet</a></span></td><td align='right'>9</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-011">Geppetto Carried Off His Fine Piece Of Wood</a></span></td><td align='right'>12</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-015">He Set to Work to Cut Out His Puppet</a></span></td><td align='right'>16</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-017">A Little Chicken Popped Out</a></span></td><td align='right'>17</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-022">Pinocchio Threw His Hammer at the Talking-Cricket</a></span></td><td align='right'>23</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-025"><i>Untitled</i></a></span></td><td align='right'>26</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-028">Poor Pinocchio's Feet Burn to Cinders</a></span></td><td align='right'>29</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-034">Geppetto Makes His Puppet Some Clothes</a></span></td><td align='right'>35</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-044">The Puppets Began to Dance Merrily</a></span></td><td align='right'>45</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-048">Pinocchio Meets the Cat and the Fox</a></span></td><td align='right'>49</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-051">Splash! Splash! They Fell Into the Ditch</a></span></td><td align='right'>52</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-057">Dinner at The Red Craw-Fish Inn</a></span></td><td align='right'>57</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-061">Pinocchio Escapes from his Assassins</a></span></td><td align='right'>61</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-065">They Hung Pinocchio to the Big Oak Tree</a></span></td><td align='right'>65</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-070">Four Rabbits as Black as Ink Entered</a></span></td><td align='right'>69</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-071">The Falcon Saves Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>71</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-075">Pinocchio Refuses to Take His Medicine</a></span></td><td align='right'>75</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-082">Treacherous Companions</a></span></td><td align='right'>81</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-088">The Judge Was a Big Ape</a></span></td><td align='right'>87</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-095">Pinocchio Gets His Foot Caught in a Trap</a></span></td><td align='right'>94</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-098">The New Watch-Dog</a></span></td><td align='right'>97</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-102">Pinocchio's Wild Ride on the Pigeon's Back</a></span></td><td align='right'>101</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-105">An Immense Serpent Stretched across the Road</a></span></td><td align='right'>104</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-110">Pinocchio Braves the Sea to Save His Father</a></span></td><td align='right'>109</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-117">"School Gives Me Pain All Over the Body"</a></span></td><td align='right'>116</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-121">Pinocchio Starts Off Happily for School</a></span></td><td align='right'>120</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-123">"Oh, I Am Sick of Being a Puppet!"</a></span></td><td align='right'>121</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-127">The Boys Threw Their Books at Poor Pinocchio</a></span></td><td align='right'>126</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-135">The Fisherman Put His Hand into the Net</a></span></td><td align='right'>133</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-141">The Dog Seizes Pinocchio and Escapes</a></span></td><td align='right'>139</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-149">"Here Is the Coach!" Shouted Candlewick</a></span></td><td align='right'>147</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-156">They Arrive in the "Land of the Boobies"</a></span></td><td align='right'>153</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-163">The Boys Are Turned into Donkeys</a></span></td><td align='right'>160</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-170">The Little Donkeys Are Sold</a></span></td><td align='right'>167</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-175">All His Friends Were Invited</a></span></td><td align='right'>172</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-181">The Puppet Was Wriggling Like an Eel</a></span></td><td align='right'>178</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-189">Swallowed by the Dog-Fish</a></span></td><td align='right'>186</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-193">It Would Be More Comfortable on the Tunny's Back</a></span></td><td align='right'>189</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap"><a href="#illus-197">The Blind Cat and the Tailless Fox</a></span></td><td align='right'>194</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-008" id="illus-008"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-008.png" alt="The Runaway Puppet" title="The Runaway Puppet" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<h2>THE PIECE OF WOOD THAT LAUGHED +AND CRIED LIKE A CHILD</h2> + + +<p>There was once upon a time a piece of wood in the +shop of an old carpenter named Master Antonio. Everybody, +however, called him Master Cherry, on account of the +end of his nose, which was always as red and polished as a +ripe cherry.</p> + +<p>No sooner had Master Cherry set eyes on the piece of +wood than his face beamed with delight, and, rubbing his +hands together with satisfaction, he said softly to himself:</p> + +<p>"This wood has come at the right moment; it will just +do to make the leg of a little table."</p> + +<p>He immediately took a sharp axe with which to remove +the bark and the rough surface, but just as he was going +to give the first stroke he heard a very small voice say +imploringly, "Do not strike me so hard!"</p> + +<p>He turned his terrified eyes all around the room to try +and discover where the little voice could possibly have come +from, but he saw nobody! He looked under the bench—nobody; +he looked into a cupboard that was always shut—nobody; +he looked into a basket of shavings and sawdust—nobody; +he even opened the door of the shop and gave a glance into +the street—and still nobody. Who, then, could it be?</p> + +<p>"I see how it is," he said, laughing and scratching his +wig, "evidently that little voice was all my imagination. Let +us set to work again."</p> + +<p>And, taking up the axe, he struck a tremendous blow on +the piece of wood.</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! you have hurt me!" cried the same little voice +dolefully.</p> + +<p>This time Master Cherry was petrified. His eyes started +out of his head with fright, his mouth remained open, and +his tongue hung out almost to the end of his chin, like a +mask on a fountain. As soon as he had recovered the use +of his speech he began to say, stuttering and trembling +with fear:</p> + +<p>"But where on earth can that little voice have come +from that said 'Oh! oh!'? Is it possible that this piece of +wood can have learned to cry and to lament like a child? +I cannot believe it. This piece of wood is nothing but a log +for fuel like all the others, and thrown on the fire it would +about suffice to boil a saucepan of beans. How then? Can +anyone be hidden inside it? If anyone is hidden inside, so +much the worse for him. I will settle him at once."</p> + +<p>So saying, he seized the poor piece of wood and commenced +beating it without mercy against the walls of the room.</p> + +<p>Then he stopped to listen if he could hear any little +voice lamenting. He waited two minutes—nothing; five minutes—nothing; +ten minutes—still nothing!</p> + +<p>"I see how it is," he then said, forcing himself to laugh, +and pushing up his wig; "evidently the little voice that said +'Oh! oh!' was all my imagination! Let us set to work again."</p> + +<p>Putting the axe aside, he took his plane, to plane and +polish the bit of wood; but whilst he was running it up and +down he heard the same little voice say, laughing:</p> + +<p>"Stop! you are tickling me all over!"</p> + +<p>This time poor Master Cherry fell down as if he had +been struck by lightning. When he at last opened his eyes +he found himself seated on the floor.</p> + +<p>His face was changed, even the end of his nose, instead +of being crimson, as it was nearly always, had become blue +from fright.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-011" id="illus-011"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-011.png" +alt="Geppetto Carried Off His Fine Piece of Wood" title="Geppetto Carried Off His Fine Piece of Wood" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<h2>MASTER CHERRY GIVES THE WOOD AWAY</h2> + + +<p>At that moment some one knocked at the door.</p> + +<p>"Come in," said the carpenter, without having the +strength to rise to his feet.</p> + +<p>A lively little old man immediately walked into the shop. +His name was Geppetto, but when the boys of the neighborhood +wished to make him angry they called him Pudding, +because his yellow wig greatly resembled a pudding made of +Indian corn.</p> + +<p>Geppetto was very fiery. Woe to him who called him +Pudding! He became furious and there was no holding him.</p> + +<p>"Good-day, Master Antonio," said Geppetto; "what are +you doing there on the floor?"</p> + +<p>"I am teaching the alphabet to the ants."</p> + +<p>"Much good may that do you."</p> + +<p>"What has brought you to me, neighbor Geppetto?"</p> + +<p>"My legs. But to tell the truth. Master Antonio, I came +to ask a favor of you."</p> + +<p>"Here I am, ready to serve you," replied the carpenter, +getting on his knees.</p> + +<p>"This morning an idea came into my head."</p> + +<p>"Let us hear it."</p> + +<p>"I thought I would make a beautiful wooden puppet; +one that could dance, fence, and leap like an acrobat. With +this puppet I would travel about the world to earn a piece +of bread and a glass of wine. What do you think of it?"</p> + +<p>"Bravo, Pudding!" exclaimed the same little voice, and +it was impossible to say where it came from.</p> + +<p>Hearing himself called Pudding, Geppetto became as red +as a turkey-cock from rage and, turning to the carpenter, he +said in a fury:</p> + +<p>"Why do you insult me?"</p> + +<p>"Who insults you?"</p> + +<p>"You called me Pudding!"</p> + +<p>"It was not I!"</p> + +<p>"Do you think I called myself Pudding? It was you, +I say!"</p> + +<p>"No!"</p> + +<p>"Yes!"</p> + +<p>"No!"</p> + +<p>"Yes!"</p> + +<p>And, becoming more and more angry, from words they +came to blows, and, flying at each other, they bit and fought, +and scratched.</p> + +<p>When the fight was over Master Antonio was in possession +of Geppetto's yellow wig, and Geppetto discovered that +the grey wig belonging to the carpenter remained between +his teeth.</p> + +<p>"Give me back my wig," screamed Master Antonio.</p> + +<p>"And you, return me mine, and let us be friends again."</p> + +<p>The two old men having each recovered his own wig, +shook hands and swore that they would remain friends to the +end of their lives.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, neighbor Geppetto," said the carpenter, to +prove that peace was made, "what is the favor that you wish +of me?"</p> + +<p>"I want a little wood to make my puppet; will you give +me some?"</p> + +<p>Master Antonio was delighted, and he immediately went +to the bench and fetched the piece of wood that had caused +him so much fear. But just as he was going to give it to +his friend the piece of wood gave a shake and, wriggling +violently out of his hands, struck with all of its force against +the dried-up shins of poor Geppetto.</p> + +<p>"Ah! is that the courteous way in which you make your +presents, Master Antonio? You have almost lamed me!"</p> + +<p>"I swear to you that it was not I!"</p> + +<p>"Then you would have it that it was I?"</p> + +<p>"The wood is entirely to blame!"</p> + +<p>"I know that it was the wood; but it was you that hit +my legs with it!"</p> + +<p>"I did not hit you with it!"</p> + +<p>"Liar!"</p> + +<p>"Geppetto, don't insult me or I will call you Pudding!"</p> + +<p>"Knave!"</p> + +<p>"Pudding!"</p> + +<p>"Donkey!"</p> + +<p>"Pudding!"</p> + +<p>"Baboon!"</p> + +<p>"Pudding!"</p> + +<p>On hearing himself called Pudding for the third time +Geppetto, mad with rage, fell upon the carpenter and they +fought desperately.</p> + +<p>When the battle was over, Master Antonio had two more +scratches on his nose, and his adversary had lost two buttons +off his waistcoat. Their accounts being thus squared, they +shook hands and swore to remain good friends for the rest +of their lives.</p> + +<p>Geppetto carried off his fine piece of wood and, thanking +Master Antonio, returned limping to his house.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-015" id="illus-015"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-015.png" alt="He Set to Work to Cut Out His Puppet" title="He Set to Work to Cut Out His Puppet" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<h2>GEPPETTO NAMES HIS PUPPET PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>Geppetto lived in a small ground-floor room that was +only lighted from the staircase. The furniture could not +have been simpler—a rickety chair, a poor bed, and a broken-down +table. At the end of the room there was a fireplace +with a lighted fire; but the fire was painted, and by the fire +was a painted saucepan that was boiling cheerfully and sending +out a cloud of smoke that looked exactly like real smoke.</p> + +<p>As soon as he reached home Geppetto took his tools and +set to work to cut out and model his puppet.</p> + +<p>"What name shall I give him?" he said to himself; "I +think I will call him Pinocchio. It is a name that will bring +him luck. I once knew a whole family so called. There was +Pinocchio the father, Pinocchia the mother, and Pinocchi the +children, and all of them did well. The richest of them was +a beggar."</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="A Little Chicken Popped Out"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>A Little Chicken Popped Out,<br /> +Very Gay and Polite</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-017" id="illus-017"></a> +<img src="images/illus-017.png" +alt="A Little Chicken Popped Out" title="A Little Chicken Popped Out" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<p>Having found a name for his puppet he began to work +in good earnest, and he first made his hair, then his forehead, +and then his eyes.</p> + +<p>The eyes being finished, imagine his astonishment when +he perceived that they moved and looked fixedly at him.</p> + +<p>Geppetto, seeing himself stared at by those two wooden +eyes, said in an angry voice:</p> + +<p>"Wicked wooden eyes, why do you look at me?"</p> + +<p>No one answered.</p> + +<p>He then proceeded to carve the nose, but no sooner had +he made it than it began to grow. And it grew, and grew, +and grew, until in a few minutes it had become an immense +nose that seemed as if it would never end.</p> + +<p>Poor Geppetto tired himself out with cutting it off, but +the more he cut and shortened it, the longer did that impertinent +nose become!</p> + +<p>The mouth was not even completed when it began to laugh +and deride him.</p> + +<p>"Stop laughing!" said Geppetto, provoked; but he might +as well have spoken to the wall.</p> + +<p>"Stop laughing, I say!" he roared in a threatening tone.</p> + +<p>The mouth then ceased laughing, but put out its tongue +as far as it would go.</p> + +<p>Geppetto, not to spoil his handiwork, pretended not to +see and continued his labors. After the mouth he fashioned +the chin, then the throat, then the shoulders, the stomach, +the arms and the hands.</p> + +<p>The hands were scarcely finished when Geppetto felt his +wig snatched from his head. He turned round, and what +did he see? He saw his yellow wig in the puppet's hand.</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio! Give me back my wig instantly!"</p> + +<p>But Pinocchio, instead of returning it, put it on his own +head and was in consequence nearly smothered.</p> + +<p>Geppetto at this insolent and derisive behavior felt sadder +and more melancholy than he had ever been in his life before; +and, turning to Pinocchio, he said to him:</p> + +<p>"You young rascal! You are not yet completed and you +are already beginning to show want of respect to your father! +That is bad, my boy, very bad!"</p> + +<p>And he dried a tear.</p> + +<p>The legs and the feet remained to be done.</p> + +<p>When Geppetto had finished the feet he received a kick +on the point of his nose.</p> + +<p>"I deserve it!" he said to himself; "I should have thought +of it sooner! Now it is too late!"</p> + +<p>He then took the puppet under the arms and placed +him on the floor to teach him to walk.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio's legs were stiff and he could not move, but +Geppetto led him by the hand and showed him how to put +one foot before the other.</p> + +<p>When his legs became limber Pinocchio began to walk +by himself and to run about the room, until, having gone out +of the house door, he jumped into the street and escaped.</p> + +<p>Poor Geppetto rushed after him but was not able to overtake +him, for that rascal Pinocchio leaped in front of him +like a hare and knocking his wooden feet together against the +pavement made as much clatter as twenty pairs of peasants' +clogs.</p> + +<p>"Stop him! stop him!" shouted Geppetto; but the people +in the street, seeing a wooden puppet running like a race-horse, +stood still in astonishment to look at it, and laughed +and laughed.</p> + +<p>At last, as good luck would have it, a soldier arrived who, +hearing the uproar, imagined that a colt had escaped from +his master. Planting himself courageously with his legs apart +in the middle of the road, he waited with the determined purpose +of stopping him and thus preventing the chance of worse +disasters.</p> + +<p>When Pinocchio, still at some distance, saw the soldier +barricading the whole street, he endeavored to take him by +surprise and to pass between his legs. But he failed entirely.</p> + +<p>The soldier without disturbing himself in the least caught +him cleverly by the nose and gave him to Geppetto. Wishing +to punish him, Geppetto intended to pull his ears at once. +But imagine his feelings when he could not succeed in finding +them. And do you know the reason? In his hurry to model +him he had forgotten to make any ears.</p> + +<p>He then took him by the collar and as he was leading +him away he said to him, shaking his head threateningly:</p> + +<p>"We will go home at once, and as soon as we arrive +we will settle our accounts, never doubt it."</p> + +<p>At this information Pinocchio threw himself on the ground +and would not take another step. In the meanwhile a crowd +of idlers and inquisitive people began to assemble and to make +a ring around them.</p> + +<p>Some of them said one thing, some another.</p> + +<p>"Poor puppet!" said several, "he is right not to wish +to return home! Who knows how Geppetto, that bad old +man, will beat him!"</p> + +<p>And the others added maliciously:</p> + +<p>"Geppetto seems a good man! but with boys he is a +regular tyrant! If that poor puppet is left in his hands he +is quite capable of tearing him in pieces!"</p> + +<p>It ended in so much being said and done that the soldier +at last set Pinocchio at liberty and led Geppetto to prison. +The poor man, not being ready with words to defend himself, +cried like a calf and as he was being led away to prison +sobbed out:</p> + +<p>"Wretched boy! And to think how I labored to make +him a well-conducted puppet! But it serves me right! I should +have thought of it sooner!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-022" id="illus-022"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-022.png" +alt="Pinocchio Threw His Hammer at the Talking-Cricket" title="Pinocchio Threw His Hammer at the Talking-Cricket" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<h2>THE TALKING-CRICKET SCOLDS PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>While poor Geppetto was being taken to prison for no +fault of his, that imp Pinocchio, finding himself free +from the clutches of the soldier, ran off as fast as his legs +could carry him. That he might reach home the quicker he +rushed across the fields, and in his mad hurry he jumped +high banks, thorn hedges and ditches full of water.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the house he found the street door ajar. He +pushed it open, went in, and having fastened the latch, threw +himself on the floor and gave a great sigh of satisfaction.</p> + +<p>But soon he heard some one in the room who was saying:</p> + +<p>"Cri-cri-cri!"</p> + +<p>"Who calls me?" said Pinocchio in a fright.</p> + +<p>"It is I!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio turned round and saw a big cricket crawling +slowly up the wall.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, Cricket, who may you be?"</p> + +<p>"I am the Talking-Cricket, and I have lived in this room +a hundred years or more."</p> + +<p>"Now, however, this room is mine," said the puppet, "and +if you would do me a pleasure go away at once, without even +turning round."</p> + +<p>"I will not go," answered the Cricket, "until I have told +you a great truth."</p> + +<p>"Tell it me, then, and be quick about it."</p> + +<p>"Woe to those boys who rebel against their parents and +run away from home. They will never come to any good +in the world, and sooner or later they will repent bitterly."</p> + +<p>"Sing away, Cricket, as you please, and as long as you +please. For me, I have made up my mind to run away +tomorrow at daybreak, because if I remain I shall not escape +the fate of all other boys; I shall be sent to school and shall +be made to study either by love or by force. To tell you in +confidence, I have no wish to learn; it is much more amusing +to run after butterflies, or to climb trees and to take the young +birds out of their nests."</p> + +<p>"Poor little goose! But do you not know that in that +way you will grow up a perfect donkey, and that every one +will make fun of you?"</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, you wicked, ill-omened croaker!" +shouted Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>But the Cricket, who was patient and philosophical, instead +of becoming angry at this impertinence, continued in +the same tone:</p> + +<p>"But if you do not wish to go to school why not at least +learn a trade, if only to enable you to earn honestly a piece +of bread!"</p> + +<p>"Do you want me to tell you?" replied Pinocchio, who +was beginning to lose patience. "Amongst all the trades in +the world there is only one that really takes my fancy."</p> + +<p>"And that trade—what is it?"</p> + +<p>"It is to eat, drink, sleep and amuse myself, and to lead +a vagabond life from morning to night."</p> + +<p>"As a rule," said the Talking-Cricket, "all those who follow +that trade end almost always either in a hospital or in +prison."</p> + +<p>"Take care, you wicked, ill-omened croaker! Woe to you +if I fly into a passion!"</p> + +<p>"Poor Pinocchio! I really pity you!"</p> + +<p>"Why do you pity me?"</p> + +<p>"Because you are a puppet and, what is worse, because +you have a wooden head."</p> + +<p>At these last words Pinocchio jumped up in a rage and, +snatching a wooden hammer from the bench, he threw it at +the Talking-Cricket.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he never meant to hit him, but unfortunately it +struck him exactly on the head, so that the poor Cricket had +scarcely breath to cry "Cri-cri-cri!" and then he remained +dried up and flattened against the wall.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-025" id="illus-025"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-025.png" alt="Untitled" title="Untitled" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<h2>THE FLYING EGG</h2> + + +<p>Night was coming on and Pinocchio, remembering that +he had eaten nothing all day, began to feel a gnawing +in his stomach that very much resembled appetite.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes his appetite had become hunger +and in no time his hunger became ravenous.</p> + +<p>Poor Pinocchio ran quickly to the fireplace, where a saucepan +was boiling, and was going to take off the lid to see +what was in it, but the saucepan was only painted on the +wall. You can imagine his feelings. His nose, which was +already long, became longer by at least three inches.</p> + +<p>He then began to run about the room, searching in the +drawers and in every imaginable place, in hopes of finding a +bit of bread. If it was only a bit of dry bread, a crust, a +bone left by a dog, a little moldy pudding of Indian corn, +a fish bone, a cherry stone—in fact, anything that he could +gnaw. But he could find nothing, nothing at all, absolutely +nothing.</p> + +<p>And in the meanwhile his hunger grew and grew. Poor +Pinocchio had no other relief than yawning, and his yawns +were so tremendous that sometimes his mouth almost reached +his ears. And after he had yawned he spluttered and felt +as if he were going to faint.</p> + +<p>Then he began to cry desperately, and he said:</p> + +<p>"The Talking-Cricket was right. I did wrong to rebel +against my papa and to run away from home. If my papa +were here I should not now be dying of yawning! Oh! what +a dreadful illness hunger is!"</p> + +<p>Just then he thought he saw something in the dust-heap—something +round and white that looked like a hen's egg. To +give a spring and seize hold of it was the affair of a moment. +It was indeed an egg.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio's joy was beyond description. Almost believing +it must be a dream he kept turning the egg over in his hands, +feeling it and kissing it. And as he kissed it he said:</p> + +<p>"And now, how shall I cook it? Shall I make an omelet? +No, it would be better to cook it in a saucer! Or would it +not be more savory to fry it in the frying-pan? Or shall I +simply boil it? No, the quickest way of all is to cook it in +a saucer: I am in such a hurry to eat it!"</p> + +<p>Without loss of time he placed an earthenware saucer on +a brazier full of red-hot embers. Into the saucer instead of +oil or butter he poured a little water; and when the water +began to smoke, tac! he broke the egg-shell over it and let +the contents drop in. But, instead of the white and the yolk +a little chicken popped out very gay and polite. Making a +beautiful courtesy it said to him:</p> + +<p>"A thousand thanks, Master Pinocchio, for saving me the +trouble of breaking the shell. Adieu until we meet again. +Keep well, and my best compliments to all at home!"</p> + +<p>Thus saying, it spread its wings, darted through the open +window and, flying away, was lost to sight.</p> + +<p>The poor puppet stood as if he had been bewitched, with +his eyes fixed, his mouth open, and the egg-shell in his hand. +Recovering, however, from his first stupefaction, he began to +cry and scream, and to stamp his feet on the floor in desperation, +and amidst his sobs he said:</p> + +<p>"Ah, indeed, the Talking-Cricket was right. If I had not +run away from home, and if my papa were here, I should +not now be dying of hunger! Oh! what a dreadful illness +hunger is!"</p> + +<p>And, as his stomach cried out more than ever and he did +not know how to quiet it, he thought he would leave the house +and make an excursion in the neighborhood in hopes of finding +some charitable person who would give him a piece of bread.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-028" id="illus-028"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-028.png" +alt="Poor Pinocchio's Feet Burn to Cinders" title="Poor Pinocchio's Feet Burn to Cinders" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO'S FEET BURN TO CINDERS</h2> + + +<p>It was a wild and stormy night. The thunder was tremendous +and the lightning so vivid that the sky seemed +on fire.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio had a great fear of thunder, but hunger was +stronger than fear. He therefore closed the house door and +made a rush for the village, which he reached in a hundred +bounds, with his tongue hanging out and panting for breath +like a dog after game.</p> + +<p>But he found it all dark and deserted. The shops were +closed, the windows shut, and there was not so much as a +dog in the street. It seemed the land of the dead.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, urged by desperation and hunger, took hold +of the bell of a house and began to ring it with all his might, +saying to himself:</p> + +<p>"That will bring somebody."</p> + +<p>And so it did. A little old man appeared at a window +with a night-cap on his head and called to him angrily:</p> + +<p>"What do you want at such an hour?"</p> + +<p>"Would you be kind enough to give me a little bread?"</p> + +<p>"Wait there, I will be back directly," said the little old +man, thinking it was one of those rascally boys who amuse +themselves at night by ringing the house-bells to rouse respectable +people who are sleeping quietly.</p> + +<p>After half a minute the window was again opened and the +voice of the same little old man shouted to Pinocchio:</p> + +<p>"Come underneath and hold out your cap."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio pulled off his cap; but, just as he held it out, +an enormous basin of water was poured down on him, soaking +him from head to foot as if he had been a pot of dried-up +geraniums.</p> + +<p>He returned home like a wet chicken, quite exhausted +with fatigue and hunger; and, having no longer strength to +stand, he sat down and rested his damp and muddy feet on +a brazier full of burning embers.</p> + +<p>And then he fell asleep, and whilst he slept his feet, which +were wooden, took fire, and little by little they burnt away +and became cinders.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio continued to sleep and to snore as if his feet +belonged to some one else. At last about daybreak he awoke +because some one was knocking at the door.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" he asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes.</p> + +<p>"It is I!" answered a voice.</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio recognized Geppetto's voice.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<h2>GEPPETTO GIVES HIS OWN BREAKFAST +TO PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>Poor Pinocchio, whose eyes were still half shut from sleep, +had not as yet discovered that his feet were burnt off. +The moment, therefore, that he heard his father's voice he +slipped off his stool to run and open the door; but, after +stumbling two or three times, he fell his whole length on +the floor.</p> + +<p>And the noise he made in falling was as if a sack of +wooden ladles had been thrown from a fifth story.</p> + +<p>"Open the door!" shouted Geppetto from the street.</p> + +<p>"Dear papa, I cannot," answered the puppet, crying +and rolling about on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Why can't you?"</p> + +<p>"Because my feet have been eaten."</p> + +<p>"And who has eaten your feet?"</p> + +<p>"The cat," said Pinocchio, seeing the cat, who was amusing +herself by making some shavings dance with her forepaws.</p> + +<p>"Open the door, I tell you!" repeated Geppetto. "If +you don't, when I get into the house you shall have the cat +from me!"</p> + +<p>"I cannot stand up, believe me. Oh, poor me! poor me! +I shall have to walk on my knees for the rest of my life!"</p> + +<p>Geppetto, believing that all this lamentation was only +another of the puppet's tricks, thought of a means of putting +an end to it, and, climbing up the wall, he got in at the window.</p> + +<p>He was very angry and at first he did nothing but scold; +but when he saw his Pinocchio lying on the ground and really +without feet he was quite overcome. He took him in his arms +and began to kiss and caress him, and to say a thousand +endearing things to him, and as the big tears ran down his +cheeks he said, sobbing:</p> + +<p>"My little Pinocchio! how did you manage to burn your +feet?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, papa, but it has been such a dreadful night +that I shall remember it as long as I live. It thundered +and lightened, and I was very hungry, and then the Talking-Cricket +said to me: 'It serves you right; you have been +wicked and you deserve it,' and I said to him: 'Take care, +Cricket!' and he said: 'You are a puppet and you have a +wooden head,' and I threw the handle of a hammer at him, +and he died, but the fault was his, for I didn't wish to kill +him, and the proof of it is that I put an earthenware saucer +on a brazier of burning embers, but a chicken flew out and +said: 'Adieu until we meet again, and many compliments to +all at home': and I got still more hungry, for which reason +that little old man in a night-cap, opening the window, said +to me: 'Come underneath and hold out your hat,' and poured +a basinful of water on my head, because asking for a little +bread isn't a disgrace, is it? and I returned home at once, and +because I was always very hungry I put my feet on the +brazier to dry them, and then you returned, and I found they +were burnt off, and I am always hungry, but I have no longer +any feet! Oh! oh! oh! oh!" And poor Pinocchio began to +cry and to roar so loudly that he was heard five miles off.</p> + +<p>Geppetto, who from all this jumbled account had only +understood one thing, which was that the puppet was dying +of hunger, drew from his pocket three pears and, giving them +to him, said:</p> + +<p>"These three pears were intended for my breakfast, but +I will give them to you willingly. Eat them, and I hope +they will do you good."</p> + +<p>"If you wish me to eat them, be kind enough to peel +them for me."</p> + +<p>"Peel them?" said Geppetto, astonished. "I should never +have thought, my boy, that you were so dainty and fastidious. +That is bad! In this world we should accustom ourselves +from childhood to like and to eat everything, for there is no +saying to what we may be brought. There are so many +chances!"</p> + +<p>"You are no doubt right," interrupted Pinocchio, "but I +will never eat fruit that has not been peeled. I cannot bear +rind."</p> + +<p>So good Geppetto peeled the three pears and put the rind +on a corner of the table.</p> + +<p>Having eaten the first pear in two mouthfuls, Pinocchio +was about to throw away the core, but Geppetto caught hold +of his arm and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Do not throw it away; in this world everything may +be of use."</p> + +<p>"But core I am determined I will not eat," shouted the +puppet, turning upon him like a viper.</p> + +<p>"Who knows! there are so many chances!" repeated Geppetto, +without losing his temper.</p> + +<p>And so the three cores, instead of being thrown out of +the window, were placed on the corner of the table, together +with the three rinds.</p> + +<p>Having eaten, or rather having devoured the three pears, +Pinocchio yawned tremendously, and then said in a fretful tone:</p> + +<p>"I am as hungry as ever!"</p> + +<p>"But, my boy, I have nothing more to give you!"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, really nothing?"</p> + +<p>"I have only the rind and the cores of the three pears."</p> + +<p>"One must have patience!" said Pinocchio; "if there is +nothing else I will eat a rind."</p> + +<p>And he began to chew it. At first he made a wry face, +but then one after another he quickly disposed of the rinds: +and after the rinds even the cores, and when he had eaten +up everything he clapped his hands on his sides in his satisfaction +and said joyfully:</p> + +<p>"Ah! now I feel comfortable."</p> + +<p>"You see, now," observed Geppetto, "that I was right +when I said to you that it did not do to accustom ourselves +to be too particular or too dainty in our tastes. We can +never know, my dear boy, what may happen to us. There +are so many chances!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-034" id="illus-034"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-034.png" +alt="Geppetto Makes His Puppet Some Clothes" title="Geppetto Makes His Puppet Some Clothes" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<h2>GEPPETTO MAKES PINOCCHIO NEW FEET</h2> + + +<p>No sooner had the puppet satisfied his hunger than he began +to cry and to grumble because he wanted a pair of +new feet.</p> + +<p>But Geppetto, to punish him for his naughtiness, allowed +him to cry and to despair for half the day. He then said +to him:</p> + +<p>"Why should I make you new feet? To enable you, +perhaps, to escape again from home?"</p> + +<p>"I promise you," said the puppet, sobbing, "that for the +future I will be good."</p> + +<p>"All boys," replied Geppetto, "when they are bent upon +obtaining something, say the same thing."</p> + +<p>"I promise you that I will go to school and that I will +study and bring home a good report."</p> + +<p>"All boys, when they are bent on obtaining something, +repeat the same story."</p> + +<p>"But I am not like other boys! I am better than all of +them and I always speak the truth. I promise you, papa, +that I will learn a trade and that I will be the consolation +and the staff of your old age."</p> + +<p>Geppetto's eyes filled with tears and his heart was sad at +seeing his poor Pinocchio in such a pitiable state. He did +not say another word, but, taking his tools and two small +pieces of well-seasoned wood, he set to work with great diligence.</p> + +<p>In less than an hour the feet were finished: two little +feet—swift, well-knit and nervous. They might have been +modelled by an artist of genius.</p> + +<p>Geppetto then said to the puppet:</p> + +<p>"Shut your eyes and go to sleep!"</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep.</p> + +<p>And whilst he pretended to sleep, Geppetto, with a little +glue which he had melted in an egg-shell, fastened his feet +in their place, and it was so well done that not even a trace +could be seen of where they were joined.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the puppet discovered that he had feet +than he jumped down from the table on which he was lying +and began to spring and to cut a thousand capers about the +room, as if he had gone mad with the greatness of his delight.</p> + +<p>"To reward you for what you have done for me," said +Pinocchio to his father, "I will go to school at once."</p> + +<p>"Good boy."</p> + +<p>"But to go to school I shall want some clothes."</p> + +<p>Geppetto, who was poor and who had not so much as a +penny in his pocket, then made him a little dress of flowered +paper, a pair of shoes from the bark of a tree, and a cap +of the crumb of bread.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio ran immediately to look at himself in a crock +of water, and he was so pleased with his appearance that he +said, strutting about like a peacock:</p> + +<p>"I look quite like a gentleman!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," answered Geppetto, "for bear in mind +that it is not fine clothes that make the gentleman, but rather +clean clothes."</p> + +<p>"By the bye," added the puppet, "to go to school I am +still in want—indeed, I am without the best thing, and the +most important."</p> + +<p>"And what is it?"</p> + +<p>"I have no spelling-book."</p> + +<p>"You are right: but what shall we do to get one?"</p> + +<p>"It is quite easy. We have only to go to the bookseller's +and buy it."</p> + +<p>"And the money?"</p> + +<p>"I have got none."</p> + +<p>"Neither have I," added the good old man, very sadly.</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio, although he was a very merry boy, became +sad also, because poverty, when it is real poverty, is +understood by everybody—even by boys.</p> + +<p>"Well, patience!" exclaimed Geppetto, all at once rising +to his feet, and putting on his old corduroy coat, all patched +and darned, he ran out of the house.</p> + +<p>He returned shortly, holding in his hand a spelling-book +for Pinocchio, but the old coat was gone. The poor man was +in his shirt-sleeves and out of doors it was snowing.</p> + +<p>"And the coat, papa?"</p> + +<p>"I have sold it."</p> + +<p>"Why did you sell it?"</p> + +<p>"Because I found it too hot."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio understood this answer in an instant, and unable +to restrain the impulse of his good heart he sprang up and, +throwing his arms around Geppetto's neck, he began kissing +him again and again.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO GOES TO SEE A PUPPET-SHOW</h2> + + +<p>As soon as it stopped snowing Pinocchio set out for school +with his fine spelling-book under his arm. As he went +along he began to imagine a thousand things in his little brain +and to build a thousand castles in the air, one more beautiful +than the other.</p> + +<p>And, talking to himself, he said:</p> + +<p>"Today at school I will learn to read at once; then tomorrow +I will begin to write, and the day after tomorrow +to figure. Then, with my acquirements, I will earn a great +deal of money, and with the first money I have in my pocket +I will immediately buy for my papa a beautiful new cloth +coat. But what am I saying? Cloth, indeed! It shall be +all made of gold and silver, and it shall have diamond buttons. +That poor man really deserves it, for to buy me books and +have me taught he has remained in his shirt-sleeves. And in +this cold! It is only fathers who are capable of such sacrifices!"</p> + +<p>Whilst he was saying this with great emotion, he thought +that he heard music in the distance that sounded like fifes +and the beating of a big drum: Fi-fie-fi, fi-fi-fi; zum, zum, zum.</p> + +<p>He stopped and listened. The sounds came from the end +of a cross street that led to a little village on the seashore.</p> + +<p>"What can that music be? What a pity that I have to +go to school, or else—"</p> + +<p>And he remained irresolute. It was, however, necessary +to come to a decision. Should he go to school? or should he +go after the fifes?</p> + +<p>"Today I will go and hear the fifes, and tomorrow I +will go to school," finally decided the young scapegrace, shrugging +his shoulders.</p> + +<p>The more he ran the nearer came the sounds of the +fifes and the beating of the big drum: Fi-fi-fi; zum, zum, +zum, zum.</p> + +<p>At last he found himself in the middle of a square quite +full of people, who were all crowded round a building made +of wood and canvas, and painted a thousand colors.</p> + +<p>"What is that building?" asked Pinocchio, turning to a +little boy who belonged to the place.</p> + +<p>"Read the placard—it is all written—and then you will +know."</p> + +<p>"I would read it willingly, but it so happens that today +I don't know how to read."</p> + +<p>"Bravo, blockhead! Then I will read it to you. The writing +on that placard in those letters red as fire is:</p> + +<p class="placard">"<span class="smcap">The Great Puppet Theater</span>."</p> + +<p>"Has the play begun long?"</p> + +<p>"It is beginning now."</p> + +<p>"How much does it cost to go in?"</p> + +<p>"A dime."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, who was in a fever of curiosity, lost all control +of himself, and without any shame he said to the little boy +to whom he was talking:</p> + +<p>"Would you lend me a dime until tomorrow?"</p> + +<p>"I would lend it to you willingly," said the other, "but +it so happens that today I cannot give it to you."</p> + +<p>"I will sell you my jacket for a dime," the puppet then +said to him.</p> + +<p>"What do you think that I could do with a jacket of +flowered paper? If there were rain and it got wet, it would +be impossible to get it off my back."</p> + +<p>"Will you buy my shoes?"</p> + +<p>"They would only be of use to light the fire."</p> + +<p>"How much will you give me for my cap?"</p> + +<p>"That would be a wonderful acquisition indeed! A cap +of bread crumb! There would be a risk of the mice coming +to eat it whilst it was on my head."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio was on thorns. He was on the point of making +another offer, but he had not the courage. He hesitated, felt +irresolute and remorseful. At last he said:</p> + +<p>"Will you give me a dime for this new spelling-book?"</p> + +<p>"I am a boy and I don't buy from boys," replied his little +interlocutor, who had much more sense than he had.</p> + +<p>"I will buy the spelling-book for a dime," called out a +hawker of old clothes, who had been listening to the conversation.</p> + +<p>And the book was sold there and then. And to think +that poor Geppetto had remained at home trembling with cold +in his shirt-sleeves in order that his son should have a spelling-book.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h3> + +<h2>THE PUPPETS RECOGNIZE THEIR BROTHER PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>When Pinocchio came into the little puppet theater, an +incident occurred that almost produced a revolution.</p> + +<p>The curtain had gone up and the play had already begun.</p> + +<p>On the stage Harlequin and Punch were as usual quarrelling +with each other and threatening every moment to come +to blows.</p> + +<p>All at once Harlequin stopped short and, turning to the +public, he pointed with his hand to some one far down in +the pit and exclaimed in a dramatic tone:</p> + +<p>"Gods of the firmament! Do I dream or am I awake? +But surely that is Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>"It is indeed Pinocchio!" cried Punch.</p> + +<p>"It is indeed himself!" screamed Miss Rose, peeping from +behind the scenes.</p> + +<p>"It is Pinocchio! it is Pinocchio!" shouted all the puppets +in chorus, leaping from all sides on to the stage. "It is +Pinocchio! It is our brother Pinocchio! Long live Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio, come up here to me," cried Harlequin, "and +throw yourself into the arms of your wooden brothers!"</p> + +<p>At this affectionate invitation Pinocchio made a leap from +the end of the pit into the reserved seats; another leap landed +him on the head of the leader of the orchestra, and he then +sprang upon the stage.</p> + +<p>The embraces, the friendly pinches, and the demonstrations +of warm brotherly affection that Pinocchio received from +the excited crowd of actors and actresses of the puppet dramatic +company are beyond description.</p> + +<p>The sight was doubtless a moving one, but the public in +the pit, finding that the play was stopped, became impatient +and began to shout: "We will have the play—go on with +the play!"</p> + +<p>It was all breath thrown away. The puppets, instead of +continuing the recital, redoubled their noise and outcries, and, +putting Pinocchio on their shoulders, they carried him in triumph +before the footlights.</p> + +<p>At that moment out came the showman. He was very +big, and so ugly that the sight of him was enough to frighten +anyone. His beard was as black as ink, and so long that it +reached from his chin to the ground. I need only say that +he trod upon it when he walked. His mouth was as big as +an oven, and his eyes were like two lanterns of red glass with +lights burning inside them. He carried a large whip made of +snakes and foxes' tails twisted together, which he cracked +constantly.</p> + +<p>At his unexpected appearance there was a profound silence: +no one dared to breathe. A fly might have been heard in the +stillness. The poor puppets of both sexes trembled like so +many leaves.</p> + +<p>"Why have you come to raise a disturbance in my theater?" +asked the showman of Pinocchio, in the gruff voice of a hobgoblin +suffering from a severe cold in the head.</p> + +<p>"Believe me, honored sir, it was not my fault!"</p> + +<p>"That is enough! Tonight we will settle our accounts."</p> + +<p>As soon as the play was over the showman went into the +kitchen, where a fine sheep, preparing for his supper, was turning +slowly on the spit in front of the fire. As there was not +enough wood to finish roasting and browning it, he called +Harlequin and Punch, and said to them:</p> + +<p>"Bring that puppet here: you will find him hanging on +a nail. It seems to me that he is made of very dry wood and +I am sure that if he were thrown on the fire he would make +a beautiful blaze for the roast."</p> + +<p>At first Harlequin and Punch hesitated; but, appalled by +a severe glance from their master, they obeyed. In a short +time they returned to the kitchen carrying poor Pinocchio, who +was wriggling like an eel taken out of water and screaming +desperately: "Papa! papa! save me! I will not die, I will +not die!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-044" id="illus-044"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-044.png" +alt="The Puppets Began to Dance Merrily" title="The Puppets Began to Dance Merrily" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h3> + +<h2>FIRE-EATER SNEEZES AND PARDONS PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>The showman, Fire-Eater—for that was his name—looked +like a wicked man, especially with his black beard that +covered his chest and legs like an apron. On the whole, however, +he had not a bad heart. In proof of this, when he saw +poor Pinocchio brought before him, struggling and screaming +"I will not die, I will not die!" he was quite moved and felt +very sorry for him. He tried to hold out, but after a little +he could stand it no longer and he sneezed violently. When +he heard the sneeze, Harlequin, who up to that moment had +been in the deepest affliction and bowed down like a weeping +willow, became quite cheerful and, leaning towards Pinocchio, +he whispered to him softly:</p> + +<p>"Good news, brother. The showman has sneezed and that +is a sign that he pities you, and consequently you are saved."</p> + +<p>Most men, when they feel compassion for somebody, either +weep or at least pretend to dry their eyes. Fire-Eater, on +the contrary, whenever he was really overcome, had the habit +of sneezing.</p> + +<p>After he had sneezed, the showman, still acting the ruffian, +shouted to Pinocchio:</p> + +<p>"Have done crying! Your lamentations have given me +a pain in my stomach. I feel a spasm that almost—Etchoo! +etchoo!" and he sneezed again twice.</p> + +<p>"Bless you!" said Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Thank you! And your papa and your mamma, are they +still alive?" asked Fire-Eater.</p> + +<p>"Papa, yes; my mamma I have never known."</p> + +<p>"Who can say what a sorrow it would be for your poor +old father if I were to have you thrown amongst those burning +coals! Poor old man! I pity him! Etchoo! etchoo! +etchoo!" and he sneezed again three times.</p> + +<p>"Bless you" said Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Thank you! All the same, some compassion is due to +me, for as you see I have no more wood with which to finish +roasting my mutton, and, to tell you the truth, under the circumstances +you would have been of great use to me! However, +I have had pity on you, so I must have patience. Instead +of you I will burn under the spit one of the puppets belonging +to my company. Ho there, gendarmes!"</p> + +<p>At this call two wooden gendarmes immediately appeared. +They were very long and very thin, and had on cocked hats, +and held unsheathed swords in their hands.</p> + +<p>The showman said to them in a hoarse voice:</p> + +<p>"Take Harlequin, bind him securely, and then throw him +on the fire to burn. I am determined that my mutton shall +be well roasted."</p> + +<p>Only imagine that poor Harlequin! His terror was so +great that his legs bent under him, and he fell with his face +on the ground.</p> + +<p>At this agonizing sight Pinocchio, weeping bitterly, threw +himself at the showman's feet and, bathing his long beard with +his tears, he began to say, in a supplicating voice:</p> + +<p>"Have pity, Sir Fire-Eater!"</p> + +<p>"Here there are no sirs," the showman answered severely.</p> + +<p>"Have pity, Sir Knight!"</p> + +<p>"Here there are no knights!"</p> + +<p>"Have pity, Commander!"</p> + +<p>"Here there are no commanders!"</p> + +<p>"Have pity, Excellence!"</p> + +<p>Upon hearing himself called Excellence the showman +began to smile and became at once kinder and more tractable. +Turning to Pinocchio, he asked:</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you want from me?"</p> + +<p>"I implore you to pardon poor Harlequin."</p> + +<p>"For him there can be no pardon. As I have spared you +he must be put on the fire, for I am determined that my +mutton shall be well roasted."</p> + +<p>"In that case," cried Pinocchio proudly, rising and throwing +away his cap of bread crumb—"in that case I know my +duty. Come on, gendarmes! Bind me and throw me amongst +the flames. No, it is not just that poor Harlequin, my true +friend, should die for me!"</p> + +<p>These words, pronounced in a loud, heroic voice, made all +the puppets who were present cry. Even the gendarmes, +although they were made of wood, wept like two newly born +lambs.</p> + +<p>Fire-Eater at first remained as hard and unmoved as ice, +but little by little he began to melt and to sneeze. And, +having sneezed four or five times, he opened his arms affectionately +and said to Pinocchio:</p> + +<p>"You are a good, brave boy! Come here and give me +a kiss."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio ran at once and, climbing like a squirrel up the +showman's beard, he deposited a hearty kiss on the point of +his nose.</p> + +<p>"Then the pardon is granted?" asked poor Harlequin in +a faint voice that was scarcely audible.</p> + +<p>"The pardon is granted!" answered Fire-Eater; he then +added, sighing and shaking his head:</p> + +<p>"I must have patience! Tonight I shall have to resign +myself to eat the mutton half raw; but another time, woe to +him who displeases me!"</p> + +<p>At the news of the pardon the puppets all ran to the +stage and, having lighted the lamps and chandeliers as if for +a full-dress performance, they began to leap and to dance +merrily. At dawn they were still dancing.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-048" id="illus-048"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-048.png" +alt="Pinocchio Meets the Cat and the Fox" title="Pinocchio Meets the Cat and the Fox" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO RECEIVES A PRESENT OF FIVE GOLD PIECES</h2> + + +<p>The following day Fire-Eater called Pinocchio to one side +and asked him:</p> + +<p>"What is your father's name?"</p> + +<p>"Geppetto."</p> + +<p>"And what trade does he follow?"</p> + +<p>"He is a beggar."</p> + +<p>"Does he gain much?"</p> + +<p>"Gain much? Why, he has never a penny in his pocket. +Only think, in order to buy a spelling-book so that I could +go to school he was obliged to sell the only coat he had to +wear—a coat that, between patches and darns, was not fit to +be seen."</p> + +<p>"Poor devil! I feel almost sorry for him! Here are five +gold pieces. Go at once and take them to him with my compliments."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio was overjoyed and thanked the showman a thousand +times. He embraced all the puppets of the company one +by one, even to the gendarmes, and set out to return home.</p> + +<p>But he had not gone far when he met on the road a +Fox lame of one foot, and a Cat blind of both eyes, and they +were going along helping each other like good companions in +misfortune. The Fox, who was lame, walked leaning on the +Cat; and the Cat, who was blind, was guided by the Fox.</p> + +<p>"Good-day, Pinocchio," said the Fox, greeting him politely.</p> + +<p>"How do you come to know my name?" asked the puppet.</p> + +<p>"I know your father well."</p> + +<p>"Where did you see him?"</p> + +<p>"I saw him yesterday at the door of his house."</p> + +<p>"And what was he doing?"</p> + +<p>"He was in his shirt-sleeves and shivering with cold."</p> + +<p>"Poor papa! But that is over; for the future he shall +shiver no more!"</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because I have become a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"A gentleman—you!" said the Fox, and he began to laugh +rudely and scornfully. The Cat also began to laugh, but to +conceal it she combed her whiskers with her forepaws.</p> + + +<p>"There is little to laugh at," cried Pinocchio angrily. "I +am really sorry to make your mouth water, but if you know +anything about it, you can see that these are five gold pieces."</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Splash! Splash! They Fell Into the Ditch"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>Splash! Splash! They fell Into the<br /> +Very Middle of the Ditch</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-051" id="illus-051"></a> +<img src="images/illus-051.png" +alt="Splash! Splash! They Fell Into the Ditch" title="Splash! Splash! They Fell Into the Ditch" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<p>And he pulled out the money that Fire-Eater had given him.</p> + +<p>At the jingling of the money the Fox, with an involuntary +movement, stretched out the paw that seemed crippled, +and the Cat opened wide two eyes that looked like two green +lanterns. It is true that she shut them again, and so quickly +that Pinocchio observed nothing.</p> + +<p>"And now," asked the Fox, "what are you going to do +with all that money?"</p> + +<p>"First of all," answered the puppet, "I intend to buy a +new coat for my papa, made of gold and silver, and with +diamond buttons; and then I will buy a spelling-book for +myself."</p> + +<p>"For yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed, for I wish to go to school to study in earnest."</p> + +<p>"Look at me!" said the Fox. "Through my foolish passion +for study I have lost a leg."</p> + +<p>"Look at me!" said the Cat. "Through my foolish passion +for study I have lost the sight of both my eyes."</p> + +<p>At that moment a white Blackbird, that was perched on +the hedge by the road, began his usual song, and said:</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio, don't listen to the advice of bad companions; +if you do you will repent it!"</p> + +<p>Poor Blackbird! If only he had not spoken! The Cat, +with a great leap, sprang upon him, and without even giving +him time to say "Oh!" ate him in a mouthful, feathers and all.</p> + +<p>Having eaten him and cleaned her mouth she shut her +eyes again and feigned blindness as before.</p> + +<p>"Poor Blackbird!" said Pinocchio to the Cat, "why did +you treat him so badly?"</p> + +<p>"I did it to give him a lesson. He will learn another +time not to meddle in other people's conversation."</p> + +<p>They had gone almost half-way when the Fox, halting +suddenly, said to the puppet:</p> + +<p>"Would you like to double your money?"</p> + +<p>"In what way?"</p> + +<p>"Would you like to make out of your five miserable sovereigns, +a hundred, a thousand, two thousand?"</p> + +<p>"I should think so! but in what way?"</p> + +<p>"The way is easy enough. Instead of returning home +you must go with us."</p> + +<p>"And where do you wish to take me?"</p> + +<p>"To the land of the Owls."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio reflected a moment, and then he said resolutely:</p> + +<p>"No, I will not go. I am already close to the house, and +I will return home to my papa, who is waiting for me. Who +can tell how often the poor old man must have sighed yesterday +when I did not come back! I have indeed been a bad +son, and the Talking-Cricket was right when he said: 'Disobedient +boys never come to any good in the world.' I have +found it to be true, for many misfortunes have happened to +me. Even yesterday in Fire-Eater's house I ran the risk—Oh! +it makes me shudder only to think of it!"</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said the Fox, "you are quite decided to go +home? Go, then, and so much the worse for you."</p> + +<p>"So much the worse for you!" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"Think well of it, Pinocchio, for you are giving a kick +to fortune."</p> + +<p>"To fortune!" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"Between today and tomorrow your five sovereigns would +have become two thousand."</p> + +<p>"Two thousand!" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"But how is it possible that they could become so many?" +asked Pinocchio, remaining with his mouth open from astonishment.</p> + +<p>"I will explain it to you at once," said the Fox. "You +must know that in the land of the Owls there is a sacred +field called by everybody the Field of Miracles. In this field +you must dig a little hole, and you put into it, we will say, +one gold sovereign. You then cover up the hole with a little +earth; you must water it with two pails of water from the +fountain, then sprinkle it with two pinches of salt, and when +night comes you can go quietly to bed. In the meanwhile, +during the night, the gold piece will grow and flower, and +in the morning when you get up and return to the field, what +do you find? You find a beautiful tree laden with as many +gold sovereigns as a fine ear of corn has grains in the month +of June."</p> + +<p>"So that," said Pinocchio, more and more bewildered, "supposing +I buried my five sovereigns in that field, how many +should I find there the following morning?"</p> + +<p>"That is an exceedingly easy calculation," replied the Fox, +"a calculation that you can make on the ends of your fingers. +Every sovereign will give you an increase of five hundred; +multiply five hundred by five, and the following morning will +find you with two thousand five hundred shining gold pieces +in your pocket."</p> + +<p>"Oh! how delightful!" cried Pinocchio, dancing for joy. +"As soon as ever I have obtained those sovereigns, I will keep +two thousand for myself and the other five hundred I will +make a present of to you two."</p> + +<p>"A present to us?" cried the Fox with indignation and +appearing much offended. "What are you dreaming of?"</p> + +<p>"What are you dreaming of?" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"We do not work," said the Fox, "for interest: we work +solely to enrich others."</p> + +<p>"Others!" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"What good people!" thought Pinocchio to himself, and, +forgetting there and then his papa, the new coat, the spelling-book, +and all his good resolutions, he said to the Fox and +the Cat:</p> + +<p>"Let us be off at once. I will go with you."</p> + + + +<p><a name="hi-illus-056" id="hi-illus-056"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/hi-illus-056.jpg" +alt="A LITTLE CHICKEN POPPED OUT, VERY GAY AND POLITE" +title="A LITTLE CHICKEN POPPED OUT, VERY GAY AND POLITE" /> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-057" id="illus-057"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-057.png" +alt="Dinner at The Red Craw-Fish Inn" title="Dinner at The Red Craw-Fish Inn" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h3> + +<h2>THE INN OF THE RED CRAW-FISH</h2> + + +<p>They walked, and walked, and walked, until at last, towards +evening, they arrived, all tired out, at the inn of The +Red Craw-Fish.</p> + +<p>"Let us stop here a little," said the Fox, "that we may +have something to eat, and rest ourselves for an hour or two. +We will start again at midnight, so as to arrive at the Field +of Miracles by dawn tomorrow morning."</p> + +<p>Having gone into the inn they all three sat down to table, +but none of them had any appetite.</p> + +<p>The Cat, who was suffering from indigestion and feeling +seriously indisposed, could only eat thirty-five fish with tomato +sauce and four portions of tripe with Parmesan cheese; and +because she thought the tripe was not seasoned enough, she +asked three times for the butter and grated cheese!</p> + +<p>The Fox would also willingly have picked a little, but as +his doctor had ordered him a strict diet, he was forced to content +himself simply with a hare dressed with a sweet and sour +sauce, and garnished lightly with fat chickens and early pullets. +After the hare he sent for a made dish of partridges, rabbits, +frogs, lizards and other delicacies; he could not touch anything +else. He cared so little for food, he said, that he could put +nothing to his lips.</p> + +<p>The one who ate the least was Pinocchio. He asked for +some walnuts and a hunch of bread, and left everything on +his plate. The poor boy's thoughts were continually fixed on +the Field of Miracles.</p> + +<p>When they had supped, the Fox said to the host:</p> + +<p>"Give us two good rooms, one for Mr. Pinocchio, and +the other for me and my companion. We will snatch a little +sleep before we leave. Remember, however, that at midnight +we wish to be called to continue our journey."</p> + +<p>"Yes, gentlemen," answered the host, and he winked at +the Fox and the Cat, as much as to say: "I know what you +are up to. We understand one another!"</p> + +<p>No sooner had Pinocchio got into bed than he fell asleep +at once and began to dream. And he dreamed that he was +in the middle of a field, and the field was full of shrubs covered +with clusters of gold sovereigns, and as they swung in the wind +they went zin, zin, zin, almost as if they would say: "Let +who will, come and take us." But just as Pinocchio was +stretching out his hand to pick handfuls of those beautiful +gold pieces and to put them in his pocket, he was suddenly +awakened by three violent blows on the door of his room.</p> + +<p>It was the host who had come to tell him that midnight +had struck.</p> + +<p>"Are my companions ready?" asked the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Ready! Why, they left two hours ago."</p> + +<p>"Why were they in such a hurry?"</p> + +<p>"Because the Cat had received a message to say that her +eldest kitten was ill with chilblains on his feet and was in +danger of death."</p> + +<p>"Did they pay for the supper?"</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking of? They are too well educated +to dream of offering such an insult to a gentleman like you."</p> + +<p>"What a pity! It is an insult that would have given me +so much pleasure!" said Pinocchio, scratching his head. He +then asked:</p> + +<p>"And where did my good friends say they would wait +for me?"</p> + +<p>"At the Field of Miracles, tomorrow morning at daybreak."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio paid a sovereign for his supper and that of his +companions, and then left.</p> + +<p>Outside the inn it was so pitch dark that he had almost +to grope his way, for it was impossible to see a hand's breadth +in front of him. Some night-birds flying across the road from +one hedge to the other brushed Pinocchio's nose with their +wings as they passed, which caused him so much terror that, +springing back, he shouted: "Who goes there?" and the echo +in the surrounding hills repeated in the distance: "Who goes +there? Who goes there?"</p> + +<p>As he was walking along he saw a little insect shining +dimly on the trunk of a tree, like a night-light in a lamp of +transparent china.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" asked Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"I am the ghost of the Talking-Cricket," answered the +insect in a low voice, so weak and faint that it seemed to come +from the other world.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me?" said the puppet.</p> + +<p>"I want to give you some advice. Go back and take the +four sovereigns that you have left to your poor father, who +is weeping and in despair because you have not returned to him."</p> + +<p>"By tomorrow my papa will be a gentleman, for these +four sovereigns will have become two thousand."</p> + +<p>"Don't trust to those who promise to make you rich in +a day. Usually they are either mad or rogues! Give ear +to me, and go back, my boy."</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, I am determined to go on."</p> + +<p>"The hour is late!"</p> + +<p>"I am determined to go on."</p> + +<p>"The night is dark!"</p> + +<p>"I am determined to go on."</p> + +<p>"The road is dangerous!"</p> + +<p>"I am determined to go on."</p> + +<p>"Remember that boys who are bent on following their +caprices, and will have their own way, sooner or later repent it."</p> + +<p>"Always the same stories. Good-night, Cricket."</p> + +<p>"Good-night, Pinocchio, and may Heaven preserve you +from dangers and from assassins."</p> + +<p>No sooner had he said these words than the Talking-Cricket +vanished suddenly like a light that has been blown +out, and the road became darker than ever.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-061" id="illus-061"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-061.png" +alt="Pinocchio Escapes from his Assassins" title="Pinocchio Escapes from his Assassins" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO FALLS AMONGST ASSASSINS</h2> + + +<p>"Really," said the puppet to himself, as he resumed his +journey, "how unfortunate we poor boys are. Everybody +scolds us and gives us good advice. See now; because I don't +choose to listen to that tiresome Cricket, who knows, according +to him, how many misfortunes are to happen to me! I am +even to meet with assassins! That is, however, of little consequence, +for I don't believe in assassins—I have never believed +in them. For me, I think that assassins have been invented +purposely by papas to frighten boys who want to go out at +night. Besides, supposing I was to come across them here in +the road, do you imagine they would frighten me? Not the +least in the world. I should go to meet them and cry: 'Gentlemen +assassins, what do you want with me? Remember that +with me there is no joking. Therefore go about your business +and be quiet!' At this speech they would run away like the +wind. If, however, they were so badly educated as not to run +away, why, then I would run away myself and there would +be an end of it."</p> + +<p>But Pinocchio had not time to finish his reasoning, for at +that moment he thought that he heard a slight rustle of leaves +behind him.</p> + +<p>He turned to look and saw in the gloom two evil-looking +black figures completely enveloped in charcoal sacks. They +were running after him on tiptoe and making great leaps like +two phantoms.</p> + +<p>"Here they are in reality!" he said to himself and, not +knowing where to hide his gold pieces, he put them in his +mouth precisely under his tongue.</p> + +<p>Then he tried to escape. But he had not gone a step +when he felt himself seized by the arm and heard two horrid, +sepulchral voices saying to him:</p> + +<p>"Your money or your life!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, not being able to answer in words, owing to +the money that was in his mouth, made a thousand low bows +and a thousand pantomimes. He tried thus to make the two +muffled figures, whose eyes were only visible through the holes +in their sacks, understand that he was a poor puppet, and that +he had not as much as a counterfeit nickel in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Come, now! Less nonsense and out with the money!" +cried the two brigands threateningly.</p> + +<p>And the puppet made a gesture with his hands to signify: +"I have none."</p> + +<p>"Deliver up your money or you are dead," said the tallest +of the brigands.</p> + +<p>"Dead!" repeated the other.</p> + +<p>"And after we have killed you, we will also kill your +father!"</p> + +<p>"Also your father!"</p> + +<p>"No, no, no, not my poor papa!" cried Pinocchio in a +despairing voice, and as he said it the sovereigns clinked in +his mouth.</p> + +<p>"Ah! you rascal! Then you have hidden your money under +your tongue! Spit it out at once!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio was obstinate.</p> + +<p>"Ah! you pretend to be deaf, do you? Wait a moment, +leave it to us to find a means to make you give it up."</p> + +<p>And one of them seized the puppet by the end of his +nose, and the other took him by the chin, and began to pull +them brutally, the one up and the other down, to force him +to open his mouth. But it was all to no purpose. Pinocchio's +mouth seemed to be nailed and riveted together.</p> + +<p>Then the shorter assassin drew out an ugly knife and tried +to put it between his lips like a lever or chisel. But Pinocchio, +as quick as lightning, caught his hand with his teeth, and with +one bite bit it clear off and spat it out. Imagine his astonishment +when instead of a hand he perceived that a cat's paw +lay on the ground.</p> + +<p>Encouraged by this 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 a paw ran on one +leg, and no one ever knew how he managed it.</p> + +<p>After a race of some miles Pinocchio could go no more. +Giving himself up for lost, he climbed the trunk 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 half-way up they slid down again and arrived on +the ground with the skin grazed from their hands and knees.</p> + +<p>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 to 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 up.</p> + +<p>The day began to break and they were still pursuing him. +Suddenly Pinocchio found his way barred by a wide, deep +ditch full of stagnant water the color of coffee. What was he +to do? "One! two! three!" cried the puppet, and, making a +rush, he sprang to the other side. The assassins also jumped, +but not having measured the distance properly—splash! splash! +they fell into the very middle of the ditch. Pinocchio, who +heard the plunge and the splashing of the water, shouted out, +laughing, and without stopping:</p> + +<p>"A fine bath to you, gentleman assassins."</p> + +<p>And he felt convinced that they were drowned, when, +turning to look, he perceived that, on the contrary, they were +both running after him, still enveloped in their sacks, with +the water dripping from them as if they had been two hollow +baskets.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-065" id="illus-065"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-065.png" +alt="They Hung Pinocchio to the Big Oak Tree" title="They Hung Pinocchio to the Big Oak Tree" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h3> + +<h2>THE ASSASSINS HANG PINOCCHIO TO THE BIG OAK</h2> + + +<p>At this sight the puppet's courage failed him and he was +on the point of throwing himself on the ground and giving +himself over for lost. Turning, however, his eyes in every +direction, he saw, at some distance, a small house as white +as snow.</p> + +<p>"If only I had breath to reach that house," he said to +himself, "perhaps I should be saved."</p> + +<p>And, without delaying an instant, he recommenced running +for his life through the wood, and the assassins after him.</p> + +<p>At last, after a desperate race of nearly two hours, he +arrived quite breathless at the door of the house, and knocked.</p> + +<p>No one answered.</p> + +<p>He knocked again with great violence, for he heard the +sound of steps approaching him and the heavy panting of his +persecutors. The same silence.</p> + +<p>Seeing that knocking was useless, he began in desperation +to kick and pommel the door with all his might. The window +then opened and a beautiful Child appeared at it. She had +blue hair and a face as white as a waxen image; her eyes were +closed and her hands were crossed on her breast. Without +moving her lips in the least, she said, in a voice that seemed +to come from the other world:</p> + +<p>"In this house there is no one. They are all dead."</p> + +<p>"Then at least open the door for me yourself," shouted +Pinocchio, crying and imploring.</p> + +<p>"I am dead also."</p> + +<p>"Dead? Then what are you doing there at the window?"</p> + +<p>"I am waiting for the bier to come to carry me away."</p> + +<p>Having said this she immediately disappeared and the +window was closed again without the slightest noise.</p> + +<p>"Oh! beautiful Child with blue hair," cried Pinocchio, +"open the door, for pity's sake! Have compassion on a poor +boy pursued by assas—"</p> + +<p>But he could not finish the word, for he felt himself +seized by the collar and the same two horrible voices said to +him threateningly:</p> + +<p>"You shall not escape from us again!"</p> + +<p>The puppet, seeing death staring him in the face, was +taken with such a violent fit of trembling that the joints of +his wooden legs began to creak, and the sovereigns hidden +under his tongue to clink.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," demanded the assassins, "will you open your +mouth—yes or no? Ah! no answer? Leave it to us: this +time we will force you to open it!"</p> + +<p>And, drawing out two long, horrid knives as sharp as +razors, clash!—they attempted to stab him twice.</p> + +<p>But the puppet, luckily for him, was made of very hard +wood; the knives therefore broke into a thousand pieces and +the assassins were left with the handles in their hands, staring +at each other.</p> + +<p>"I see what we must do," said one of them. "He must +be hung! let us hang him!"</p> + +<p>"Let us hang him!" repeated the other.</p> + +<p>Without loss of time they tied his arms behind him, passed +a running noose round his throat, and hung him to the branch +of a tree called the Big Oak.</p> + +<p>They then sat down on the grass and waited for his last +struggle. But at the end of three hours the puppet's eyes +were still open, his mouth closed, and he was kicking more +than ever.</p> + +<p>Losing patience, they turned to Pinocchio and said in a +bantering tone:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye till tomorrow. Let us hope that when we return +you will be polite enough to allow yourself to be found quite +dead, and with your mouth wide open."</p> + +<p>And they walked off.</p> + +<p>In the meantime a tempestuous northerly wind began to +blow and roar angrily, and it beat the poor puppet from +side to side, making him swing violently, like the clatter of +a bell ringing for a wedding. And the swinging gave him +atrocious spasms, and the running noose, becoming still tighter +round his throat, took away his breath.</p> + +<p>Little by little his eyes began to grow dim, but although +he felt that death was near he still continued to hope that +some charitable person would come to his assistance before it +was too late. But when, after waiting and waiting, he found +that no one came, absolutely no one, then he remembered his +poor father, and, thinking he was dying, he stammered out:</p> + +<p>"Oh, papa! papa! if only you were here!"</p> + +<p>His breath failed him and he could say no more. He +shut his eyes, opened his mouth, stretched his legs, gave a long +shudder, and hung stiff and insensible.</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Four Rabbits as Black as Ink Entered"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>Four Rabbits as Black as Ink Entered<br /> +Carrying a Little Bier</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-070" id="illus-070"></a> +<img src="images/illus-070.png" +alt="Four Rabbits as Black as Ink Entered" title="Four Rabbits as Black as Ink Entered" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-071" id="illus-071"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-071.png" +alt="The Falcon Saves Pinocchio" title="The Falcon Saves Pinocchio" /> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h3> + +<h2>THE BEAUTIFUL CHILD RESCUES THE PUPPET</h2> + + +<p>While poor Pinocchio, suspended to a branch of the Big +Oak, was apparently more dead than alive, the beautiful +Child with blue hair came again to the window. When she +saw the unhappy puppet hanging by his throat, and dancing +up and down in the gusts of the north wind, she was moved +by compassion. Striking her hands together, she gave three +little claps.</p> + +<p>At this signal there came a sound of the sweep of wings +flying rapidly and a large Falcon flew on to the window-sill.</p> + +<p>"What are your orders, gracious Fairy?" he asked, inclining +his beak in sign of reverence.</p> + +<p>"Do you see that puppet dangling from a branch of the +Big Oak?"</p> + +<p>"I see him."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Fly there at once: with your strong beak +break the knot that keeps him suspended in the air, and lay +him gently on the grass at the foot of the tree."</p> + +<p>The Falcon flew away and after two minutes he returned, +saying:</p> + +<p>"I have done as you commanded."</p> + +<p>"And how did you find him?"</p> + +<p>"To see him he appeared dead, but he cannot really be +quite dead, for I had no sooner loosened the running noose +that tightened his throat than, giving a sigh, he muttered in +a faint voice: 'Now I feel better!'"</p> + +<p>The Fairy then struck her hands together twice and a +magnificent Poodle appeared, walking upright on his hind +legs exactly as if he had been a man.</p> + +<p>He was in the full-dress livery of a coachman. On his +head he had a three-cornered cap braided with gold, his curly +white wig came down on to his shoulders, he had a chocolate-colored +waistcoat with diamond buttons, and two large pockets +to contain the bones that his mistress gave him at dinner. +He had, besides, a pair of short crimson velvet breeches, silk +stockings, cut-down shoes, and hanging behind him a species +of umbrella case made of blue satin, to put his tail into when +the weather was rainy.</p> + +<p>"Be quick, Medoro, like a good dog!" said the Fairy to +the Poodle. "Have the most beautiful carriage in my coach-house +harnessed, and take the road to the wood. When you +come to the Big Oak you will find a poor puppet stretched +on the grass half dead. Pick him up gently and lay him flat +on the cushions of the carriage and bring him here to me. Do +you understand?"</p> + +<p>The Poodle, to show that he had understood, shook the +case of blue satin three or four times and ran off like a race-horse.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterwards a beautiful little carriage came out of +the coach-house. The cushions were stuffed with canary feathers +and it was lined on the inside with whipped cream, custard +and vanilla wafers. The little carriage was drawn by a hundred +pairs of white mice, and the Poodle, seated on the coach-box, +cracked his whip from side to side like a driver when +he is afraid that he is behind time.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had a quarter of an hour passed, when the carriage +returned. The Fairy, who was waiting at the door of +the house, took the poor puppet in her arms and carried him +into a little room that was wainscoted with mother-of-pearl. +She sent at once to summon the most famous doctors in the +neighborhood.</p> + +<p>They came immediately, one after the other: namely, a +Crow, an Owl, and a Talking-Cricket.</p> + +<p>"I wish to know from you, gentlemen," said the Fairy, +"if this unfortunate puppet is alive or dead!"</p> + +<p>At this request the Crow, advancing first, felt Pinocchio's +pulse; he then felt his nose and then the little toe of his foot: +and, having done this carefully, he pronounced solemnly the +following words:</p> + +<p>"To my belief the puppet is already quite dead; but, if +unfortunately he should not be dead, then it would be a sign +that he is still alive!"</p> + +<p>"I regret," said the Owl, "to be obliged to contradict the +Crow, my illustrious friend and colleague; but, in my opinion +the puppet is still alive; but, if unfortunately he should not +be alive, then it would be a sign that he is dead indeed!"</p> + +<p>"And you—have you nothing to say?" asked the Fairy +of the Talking-Cricket.</p> + +<p>"In my opinion, the wisest thing a prudent doctor can do, +when he does not know what he is talking about, is to be +silent. For the rest, that puppet there has a face that is +not new to me. I have known him for some time!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, who up to that moment had lain immovable, +like a real piece of wood, was seized with a fit of convulsive +trembling that shook the whole bed.</p> + +<p>"That puppet there," continued the Talking-Cricket, "is +a confirmed rogue."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio opened his eyes, but shut them again immediately.</p> + +<p>"He is a ragamuffin, a do-nothing, a vagabond."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio hid his face beneath the clothes.</p> + +<p>"That puppet there is a disobedient son who will make +his poor father die of a broken heart!"</p> + +<p>At that instant a suffocated sound of sobs and crying +was heard in the room. Imagine everybody's astonishment +when, having raised the sheets a little, it was discovered that +the sounds came from Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"When a dead person cries, it is a sign that he is on +the road to get well," said the Crow solemnly.</p> + +<p>"I grieve to contradict my illustrious friend and colleague," +added the Owl; "but for me, when the dead person cries, it +is a sign that he is sorry to die."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="figcenter"> +<p><a name="illus-075" id="illus-075"></a></p> +<img src="images/illus-075.png" +alt="Pinocchio Refuses to Take His Medicine" title="Pinocchio Refuses to Take His Medicine" /> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO WILL NOT TAKE HIS MEDICINE</h2> + + +<p>As soon as the three doctors had left the room the Fairy +approached Pinocchio and, having touched his forehead, +she perceived that he was in a high fever.</p> + +<p>She therefore dissolved a certain white powder in half a +tumbler of water and, offering it to the puppet, she said to +him lovingly:</p> + +<p>"Drink it and in a few days you will be cured."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio looked at the tumbler, made a wry face, and +then asked in a plaintive voice:</p> + +<p>"Is it sweet or bitter?"</p> + +<p>"It is bitter, but it will do you good."</p> + +<p>"If it is bitter, I will not take it."</p> + +<p>"Listen to me: drink it."</p> + +<p>"I don't like anything bitter."</p> + +<p>"Drink it, and when you have drunk it I will give you +a lump of sugar to take away the taste."</p> + +<p>"Where is the lump of sugar?"</p> + +<p>"Here it is," said the Fairy, taking a piece from a gold +sugar-basin.</p> + +<p>"Give me first the lump of sugar and then I will drink +that bad bitter water."</p> + +<p>"Do you promise me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The Fairy gave him the sugar and Pinocchio, having +crunched it up and swallowed it in a second, said, licking +his lips:</p> + +<p>"It would be a fine thing if sugar were medicine! I +would take it every day."</p> + +<p>"Now keep your promise and drink these few drops of +water, which will restore you to health."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio took the tumbler unwillingly in his hand and +put the point of his nose to it: he then approached it to his +lips: he then again put his nose to it, and at last said:</p> + +<p>"It is too bitter! too bitter! I cannot drink it."</p> + +<p>"How can you tell that, when you have not even tasted it?"</p> + +<p>"I can imagine it! I know it from the smell. I want +first another lump of sugar and then I will drink it!"</p> + +<p>The Fairy then, with all the patience of a good mamma, +put another lump of sugar in his mouth, and again presented +the tumbler to him.</p> + +<p>"I cannot drink it so!" said the puppet, making a thousand +grimaces.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because that pillow that is down there on my feet +bothers me."</p> + +<p>The Fairy removed the pillow.</p> + +<p>"It is useless. Even so I cannot drink it."</p> + +<p>"What is the matter now?"</p> + +<p>"The door of the room, which is half open, bothers me."</p> + +<p>The Fairy went and closed the door.</p> + +<p>"In short," cried Pinocchio, bursting into tears, "I will +not drink that bitter water—no, no, no!"</p> + +<p>"My boy, you will repent it."</p> + +<p>"I don't care."</p> + +<p>"Your illness is serious."</p> + +<p>"I don't care."</p> + +<p>"The fever in a few hours will carry you into the other +world."</p> + +<p>"I don't care."</p> + +<p>"Are you not afraid of death?"</p> + +<p>"I am not in the least afraid! I would rather die than +drink that bitter medicine."</p> + +<p>At that moment the door of the room flew open and +four rabbits as black as ink entered carrying on their shoulders +a little bier.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me?" cried Pinocchio, sitting +up in bed in a great fright.</p> + +<p>"We have come to take you," said the biggest rabbit.</p> + +<p>"To take me? But I am not yet dead!"</p> + +<p>"No, not yet? but you have only a few minutes to live, +as you have refused the medicine that would have cured you +of the fever."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Fairy, Fairy!" the puppet then began to scream, +"give me the tumbler at once; be quick, for pity's sake, for +I will not die—no, I will not die."</p> + +<p>And, taking the tumbler in both hands, he emptied it +at a gulp.</p> + +<p>"We must have patience!" said the rabbits; "this time +we have made our journey in vain." And, taking the little +bier again on their shoulders, they left the room, grumbling +and murmuring between their teeth.</p> + +<p>In fact, a few minutes afterwards, Pinocchio jumped down +from the bed quite well, because wooden puppets have the +privilege of being seldom ill and of being cured very quickly.</p> + +<p>The Fairy, seeing him running and rushing about the room +as gay and as lively as a young cock, said to him:</p> + +<p>"Then my medicine has really done you good?"</p> + +<p>"Good? I should think so! It has restored me to life!"</p> + +<p>"Then why on earth did you require so much persuasion +to take it?"</p> + +<p>"Because you see that we boys are all like that! We +are more afraid of medicine than of the illness."</p> + +<p>"Disgraceful! Boys ought to know that a good remedy +taken in time may save them from a serious illness, and perhaps +even from death."</p> + +<p>"Oh! but another time I shall not require so much persuasion. +I shall remember those black rabbits with the bier +on their shoulders and then I shall immediately take the +tumbler in my hand, and down it will go!"</p> + +<p>"Now, come here to me and tell me how it came about +that you fell into the hands of those assassins."</p> + +<p>"You see, the showman, Fire-Eater, gave me some gold +pieces and said to me: 'Go, and take them to your father!' +and instead I met on the road a Fox and a Cat, who said +to me: 'Would you like those pieces of gold to become a +thousand or two? Come with us and we will take you to +the Field of Miracles,' and I said: 'Let us go.' And they +said: 'Let us stop at the inn of The Red Craw-Fish,' and after +midnight they left. And when I awoke I found that they +were no longer there, because they had gone away. Then I +began to travel by night, for you cannot imagine how dark +it was; and on that account I met on the road two assassins +in charcoal sacks who said to me: 'Out with your money,' and +I said to them: 'I have got none,' because I had hidden the +four gold pieces in my mouth, and one of the assassins tried +to put his hand in my mouth, and I bit his hand off and spat +it out, but instead of a hand it was a cat's paw. And the +assassins ran after me, and I ran, and ran, until at last they +caught me and tied me by the neck to a tree in this wood, and +said to me: 'Tomorrow we shall return here and then you +will be dead with your mouth open and we shall be able to +carry off the pieces of gold that you have hidden under your +tongue."</p> + +<p>"And the four pieces—where have you put them?" asked +the Fairy.</p> + +<p>"I have lost them!" said Pinocchio, but he was telling a +lie, for he had them in his pocket.</p> + +<p>He had scarcely told the lie when his nose, which was +already long, grew at once two inches longer.</p> + +<p>"And where did you lose them?"</p> + +<p>"In the wood near here."</p> + +<p>At this second lie his nose went on growing.</p> + +<p>"If you have lost them in the wood near here," said the +Fairy, "we will look for them and we shall find them: because +everything that is lost in that wood is always found."</p> + +<p>"Ah! now I remember all about it," replied the puppet, +getting quite confused; "I didn't lose the four gold pieces, I +swallowed them whilst I was drinking your medicine."</p> + +<p>At this lie his nose grew to such an extraordinary length +that poor Pinocchio could not move in any direction. If he +turned to one side he struck his nose against the bed or the +window-panes, if he turned to the other he struck it against +the walls or the door, if he raised his head a little he ran the +risk of sticking it into one of the Fairy's eyes.</p> + +<p>And the Fairy looked at him and laughed.</p> + +<p>"What are you laughing at?" asked the puppet, very +confused and anxious at finding his nose growing so prodigiously.</p> + +<p>"I am laughing at the lie you have told."</p> + +<p>"And how can you possibly know that I have told a lie?"</p> + +<p>"Lies, my dear boy, are found out immediately, because +they are of two sorts. There are lies that have short legs, +and lies that have long noses. Your lie, as it happens, is one +of those that have a long nose."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, not knowing where to hide himself for shame, +tried to run out of the room; but he did not succeed, for his +nose had increased so much that it could no longer pass through +the door.</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<p><a name="hi-illus-081" id="hi-illus-081"></a></p> +<img src="images/hi-illus-081.jpg" +alt="SPLASH! SPLASH! THEY FELL INTO THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE DITCH" +title="SPLASH! SPLASH! THEY FELL INTO THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE DITCH" /> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-082" id="illus-082"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-082.png" +alt="Treacherous Companions" title="Treacherous Companions" /> +</div> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO AGAIN MEETS THE FOX AND THE CAT</h2> + + +<p>The Fairy allowed the puppet to cry for a good half-hour +over his nose, which could no longer pass through the +door of the room. This she did to give him a severe lesson, +and to correct him of the disgraceful fault of telling lies—the +most disgraceful fault that a boy can have. But when +she saw him quite disfigured and his eyes swollen out of his +head from weeping, she felt full of compassion for him. She +therefore beat her hands together and at that signal a thousand +large birds called Woodpeckers flew in at the window. +They immediately perched on Pinocchio's nose and began to +peck at it with such zeal that in a few minutes his enormous +and ridiculous nose was reduced to its usual dimensions.</p> + +<p>"What a good Fairy you are," said the puppet, drying +his eyes, "and how much I love you!"</p> + +<p>"I love you also," answered the Fairy; "and if you will +remain with me you shall be my little brother and I will be +your good little sister."</p> + +<p>"I would remain willingly if it were not for my poor papa."</p> + +<p>"I have thought of everything. I have already let your +father know, and he will be here tonight."</p> + +<p>"Really?" shouted Pinocchio, jumping for joy. "Then, +little Fairy, if you consent, I should like to go and meet +him. I am so anxious to give a kiss to that poor old man, +who has suffered so much on my account, that I am counting +the minutes."</p> + +<p>"Go, then, but be careful not to lose yourself. Take the +road through the wood and I am sure that you will meet him."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio set out, and as soon as he was in the wood he +began to run like a kid. But when he had reached a certain +spot, almost in front of the Big Oak, he stopped, because he +thought he heard people amongst the bushes. In fact, two +persons came out on to the road. Can you guess who they +were? His two traveling companions, the Fox and the Cat, +with whom he had supped at the inn of The Red Craw-Fish.</p> + +<p>"Why, here is our dear Pinocchio!" cried the Fox, kissing +and embracing him. "How came you to be here?"</p> + +<p>"How come you to be here?" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"It is a long story," answered the puppet, "which I will +tell you when I have time. But do you know that the other +night, when you left me alone at the inn, I met with assassins +on the road?"</p> + +<p>"Assassins! Oh, poor Pinocchio! And what did they want?"</p> + +<p>"They wanted to rob me of my gold pieces."</p> + +<p>"Villains!" said the Fox.</p> + +<p>"Infamous villains!" repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"But I ran away from them," continued the puppet, "and +they followed me, and at last they overtook me and hung +me to a branch of that oak tree."</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio pointed to the Big Oak, which was two +steps from them.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible to hear of anything more dreadful?" said +the Fox. "In what a world we are condemned to live! Where +can respectable people like us find a safe refuge?"</p> + +<p>Whilst they were thus talking Pinocchio observed that +the Cat was lame of her front right leg, for in fact she had +lost her paw with all its claws. He therefore asked her:</p> + +<p>"What have you done with your paw?"</p> + +<p>The Cat tried to answer, but became confused. Therefore +the Fox said immediately:</p> + +<p>"My friend is too modest, and that is why she doesn't +speak. I will answer for her. I must tell you that an hour +ago we met an old wolf on the road, almost fainting from +want of food, who asked alms of us. Not having so much as +a fish-bone to give him, what did my friend, who has really +the heart of a Cæsar, do? She bit off one of her fore paws +and threw it to that poor beast that he might appease his +hunger."</p> + +<p>And the Fox, in relating this, dried a tear.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio was also touched and, approaching the Cat, he +whispered into her ear:</p> + +<p>"If all cats resembled you, how fortunate the mice would +be!"</p> + +<p>"And now, what are you doing here?" asked the Fox of +the puppet.</p> + +<p>"I am waiting for my papa, whom I expect to arrive every +moment."</p> + +<p>"And your gold pieces?"</p> + +<p>"I have got them in my pocket, all but one that I spent +at the inn of The Red Craw-Fish."</p> + +<p>"And to think that, instead of four pieces, by tomorrow +they might become one or two thousand! Why do you not +listen to my advice? Why will you not go and bury them in +the Field of Miracles?"</p> + +<p>"Today it is impossible; I will go another day."</p> + +<p>"Another day it will be too late!" said the Fox.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because the field has been bought by a gentleman and +after tomorrow no one will be allowed to bury money there."</p> + +<p>"How far off is the Field of Miracles?"</p> + +<p>"Not two miles. Will you come with us? In half an +hour you will be there. You can bury your money at once, +and in a few minutes you will collect two thousand, and this +evening you will return with your pockets full. Will you +come with us?"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio thought of the good Fairy, old Geppetto, and +the warnings of the Talking-Cricket, and he hesitated a little +before answering. He ended, however, by doing as all boys +do who have not a grain of sense and who have no heart—he +ended by giving his head a little shake and saying to the +Fox and the Cat:</p> + +<p>"Let us go: I will come with you."</p> + +<p>And they went.</p> + +<p>After having walked half the day they reached a town +that was called "Trap for Blockheads." As soon as Pinocchio +entered this town he saw that the streets were crowded with +dogs who were yawning from hunger, shorn sheep trembling +with cold, cocks without combs begging for a grain of Indian +corn, large butterflies that could no longer fly because they +had sold their beautiful colored wings, peacocks which had no +tails and were ashamed to be seen, and pheasants that went +scratching about in a subdued fashion, mourning for their brilliant +gold and silver feathers gone forever.</p> + +<p>In the midst of this crowd of beggars and shamefaced +creatures some lordly carriage passed from time to time containing +a Fox, or a thieving Magpie, or some other ravenous +bird of prey.</p> + +<p>"And where is the Field of Miracles?" asked Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"It is here, not two steps from us."</p> + +<p>They crossed the town and, having gone beyond the walls, +they came to a solitary field.</p> + +<p>"Here we are," said the Fox to the puppet. "Now stoop +down and dig with your hands a little hole in the ground and +put your gold pieces into it."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio obeyed. He dug a hole, put into it the four +gold pieces that he had left, and then filled up the hole with +a little earth.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," said the Fox, "go to that canal close to us, +fetch a can of water, and water the ground where you have +sowed them."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio went to the canal, and, as he had no can, he +took off one of his old shoes and filling it with water he watered +the ground over the hole.</p> + +<p>He then asked:</p> + +<p>"Is there anything else to be done?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing else," answered the Fox. "We can now go +away. You can return in about twenty minutes and you will +find a shrub already pushing through the ground, with its +branches quite loaded with money."</p> + +<p>The poor puppet, beside himself with joy, thanked the +Fox and the Cat a thousand times, and promised them a beautiful +present.</p> + +<p>"We wish for no presents," answered the two rascals. "It +is enough for us to have taught you the way to enrich yourself +without undergoing hard work, and we are as happy as people +out for a holiday."</p> + +<p>Thus saying, they took leave of Pinocchio, and, wishing +him a good harvest, went about their business.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-088" id="illus-088"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-088.png" alt="The Judge Was a Big Ape" title="The Judge Was a Big Ape" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO IS ROBBED OF HIS MONEY</h2> + + +<p>The puppet returned to the town and began to count the +minutes one by one, and when he thought that it must +be time he took the road leading to the Field of Miracles.</p> + +<p>And as he walked along with hurried steps his heart beat +fast—tic, tac, tic, tac—like a drawing-room clock when it is +really going well. Meanwhile he was thinking to himself:</p> + +<p>"And if, instead of a thousand gold pieces, I were to find +on the branches of the tree two thousand? And instead of +two thousand, supposing I found five thousand? and instead +of five thousand, that I found a hundred thousand? Oh! what +a fine gentleman I should then become! I would have a beautiful +palace, a thousand little wooden horses and a thousand +stables to amuse myself with, a cellar full of currant wine and +sweet syrups, and a library quite full of candies, tarts, plum-cakes, +macaroons, and biscuits with cream."</p> + +<p>Whilst he was building these castles in the air he had +arrived in the neighborhood of the field, and he stopped to look +about for a tree with its branches laden with money, but he +saw nothing. He advanced another hundred steps—nothing; +he entered the field and went right up to the little hole where +he had buried his sovereigns—and nothing. He then became +very thoughtful and, forgetting the rules of society and good +manners, he took his hands out of his pocket and gave his head +a long scratch.</p> + +<p>At that moment he heard an explosion of laughter close +to him and, looking up, he saw a large Parrot perched on a +tree, who was pruning the few feathers he had left.</p> + +<p>"Why are you laughing?" asked Pinocchio in an angry +voice.</p> + +<p>"I am laughing because in pruning my feathers I tickled +myself under my wings."</p> + +<p>The puppet did not answer, but went to the canal and, +filling the same old shoe full of water, he proceeded to water +the earth afresh that covered his gold pieces.</p> + +<p>While he was thus occupied another laugh, still more impertinent +than the first, rang out in the silence of that solitary +place.</p> + +<p>"Once for all," shouted Pinocchio in a rage, "may I know, +you ill-educated Parrot, what you are laughing at?"</p> + +<p>"I am laughing at those simpletons who believe in all the +foolish things that are told them, and who allow themselves +to be entrapped by those who are more cunning than they are."</p> + +<p>"Are you perhaps speaking of me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am speaking of you, poor Pinocchio—of you who +are simple enough to believe that money can be sown and +gathered in fields in the same way as beans and gourds. I +also believed it once and today I am suffering for it. Today—but +it is too late—I have at last learned that to put a few +pennies honestly together it is necessary to know how to earn +them, either by the work of our own hands or by the cleverness +of our own brains."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand you," said the puppet, who was +already trembling with fear.</p> + +<p>"Have patience! I will explain myself better," rejoined +the Parrot. "You must know, then, that while you were in +the town the Fox and the Cat returned to the field; they took +the buried money and then fled like the wind. And now he +that catches them will be clever."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio remained with his mouth open and, not choosing +to believe the Parrot's words, he began with his hands and +nails to dig up the earth that he had watered. And he dug, +and dug, and dug, and made such a deep hole that a rick of +straw might have stood upright in it, but the money was no +longer there.</p> + +<p>He rushed back to the town in a state of desperation and +went at once to the Courts of Justice to denounce the two +knaves who had robbed him to the judge.</p> + +<p>The judge was a big ape of the gorilla tribe, an old ape +respectable for his age, his white beard, but especially for his +gold spectacles without glasses that he was always obliged to +wear, on account of an inflammation of the eyes that had +tormented him for many years.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio related in the presence of the judge all the +particulars of the infamous fraud of which he had been the +victim. He gave the names, the surnames, and other details, +of the two rascals, and ended by demanding justice.</p> + +<p>The judge listened with great benignity; took a lively +interest in the story; was much touched and moved; and when +the puppet had nothing further to say he stretched out his +hand and rang a bell.</p> + +<p>At this summons two mastiffs immediately appeared dressed +as gendarmes. The judge then, pointing to Pinocchio, said +to them:</p> + +<p>"That poor devil has been robbed of four gold pieces; take +him away and put him immediately into prison."</p> + +<p>The puppet was petrified on hearing this unexpected sentence +and tried to protest; but the gendarmes, to avoid losing +time, stopped his mouth and carried him off to the lockup.</p> + +<p>And there he remained for four months—four long months—and +he would have remained longer still if a fortunate chance +had not released him. The young Emperor who reigned over +the town of "Trap for Blockheads," having won a splendid +victory over his enemies, ordered great public rejoicings. There +were illuminations, fireworks, horse races and velocipede races, +and as a further sign of triumph he commanded that the prisons +should be opened and all the prisoners freed.</p> + +<p>"If the others are to be let out of prison, I will go also," +said Pinocchio to the jailor.</p> + +<p>"No, not you," said the jailor, "because you do not belong +to the fortunate class."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," replied Pinocchio, "I am also a +criminal."</p> + +<p>"In that case you are perfectly right," said the jailor, and, +taking off his hat and bowing to him respectfully, he opened +the prison doors and let him escape.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO STARTS BACK TO THE FAIRY'S HOUSE</h2> + + +<p>You can imagine Pinocchio's joy when he found himself +free. Without stopping to take breath he immediately +left the town and took the road that led to the Fairy's house.</p> + +<p>On account of the rainy weather the road had become a +marsh into which he sank knee-deep. But the puppet would +not give in. Tormented by the desire of seeing his father and +his little sister with blue hair again, he ran on like a greyhound, +and as he ran he was splashed with mud from head to +foot. And he said to himself as he went along: "How many +misfortunes have happened to me. But I deserved them, for +I am an obstinate, passionate puppet. I am always bent upon +having my own way, without listening to those who wish me +well, and who have a thousand times more sense than I have! +But from this time forth I am determined to change and to +become orderly and obedient. For at last I have seen that +disobedient boys come to no good and gain nothing. And +has my papa waited for me? Shall I find him at the Fairy's +house? Poor man, it is so long since I last saw him: I am +dying to embrace him and to cover him with kisses! And will +the Fairy forgive me my bad conduct to her? To think of +all the kindness and loving care I received from her, to think +that if I am now alive I owe it to her! Would it be possible +to find a more ungrateful boy, or one with less heart than +I have?"</p> + +<p>Whilst he was saying this he stopped suddenly, frightened +to death, and made four steps backwards.</p> + +<p>What had he seen?</p> + +<p>He had seen an immense Serpent stretched across the +road. Its skin was green, it had red eyes, and a pointed tail +that was smoking like a chimney.</p> + +<p>It would be impossible to imagine the puppet's terror. He +walked away to a safe distance and, sitting down on a heap +of stones, waited until the Serpent should have gone about its +business and left the road clear.</p> + +<p>He waited an hour; two hours; three hours; but the Serpent +was always there, and even from a distance he could see +the red light of his fiery eyes and the column of smoke that +ascended from the end of his tail.</p> + +<p>At last Pinocchio, trying to feel courageous, approached +to within a few steps, and said to the Serpent in a little soft, +insinuating voice:</p> + +<p>"Excuse me. Sir Serpent, but would you be so good as +to move a little to one side—just enough to allow me to pass?"</p> + +<p>He might as well have spoken to the wall. Nobody moved.</p> + +<p>He began again in the same soft voice:</p> + +<p>"You must know. Sir Serpent, that I am on my way +home, where my father is waiting for me, and it is such a +long time since I saw him last! Will you, therefore, allow +me to continue my road?"</p> + +<p>He waited for a sign in answer to this request, but there +was none; in fact, the Serpent, who up to that moment had +been sprightly and full of life, became motionless and almost +rigid. He shut his eyes and his tail ceased smoking.</p> + +<p>"Can he really be dead?" said Pinocchio, rubbing his hands +with delight. He determined to jump over him and reach the +other side of the road. But, just as he was going to leap, the +Serpent raised himself suddenly on end, like a spring set in +motion; and the puppet, drawing back, in his terror caught his +feet and fell to the ground.</p> + +<p>And he fell so awkwardly that his head stuck in the mud +and his legs went into the air.</p> + +<p>At the sight of the puppet kicking violently with his head +in the mud, the Serpent went into convulsions of laughter, and +laughed, and laughed, until he broke a blood-vessel in his chest +and died. And that time he was really dead.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio then set off running, in hopes that he should +reach the Fairy's house before dark. But before long he began +to suffer so dreadfully from hunger that he could not bear +it, and he jumped into a field by the wayside, intending to +pick some bunches of Muscatel grapes. Oh, that he had never +done it!</p> + +<p>He had scarcely reached the vines when crack—his legs +were caught between two cutting iron bars and he became so +giddy with pain that stars of every color danced before his eyes.</p> + +<p>The poor puppet had been taken in a trap put there to +capture some big polecats which were the scourge of the poultry-yards +in the neighborhood.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-095" id="illus-095"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-095.png" +alt="Pinocchio Gets His Foot Caught in a Trap" title="Pinocchio Gets His Foot Caught in a Trap" /> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO ACTS AS WATCH-DOG</h2> + + +<p>Pinocchio began to cry and scream, but his tears and +groans were useless, for there was not a house to be seen, +and not a living soul passed down the road.</p> + +<p>At last night came on.</p> + +<p>Partly from the pain of the trap, that cut his legs, and +a little from fear at finding himself alone in the dark in the +midst of the fields, the puppet was on the point of fainting. +Just at that moment he saw a Firefly flitting over his head. +He called to it and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, little Firefly, will you have pity on me and liberate +me from this torture?"</p> + +<p>"Poor boy!" said the Firefly, stopping and looking at +him with compassion; "but how could your legs have been +caught by those sharp irons?"</p> + +<p>"I came into the field to pick two bunches of these Muscatel +grapes, and—"</p> + +<p>"But were the grapes yours?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then who taught you to carry off other people's property?"</p> + +<p>"I was so hungry."</p> + +<p>"Hunger, my boy, is not a good reason for appropriating +what does not belong to us."</p> + +<p>"That is true, that is true!" said Pinocchio, crying. "I +will never do it again."</p> + +<p>At this moment their conversation was interrupted by a +slight sound of approaching footsteps. It was the owner of +the field coming on tiptoe to see if one of the polecats that +ate his chickens during the night had been caught in his trap.</p> + +<p>His astonishment was great when, having brought out his +lantern from under his coat, he perceived that instead of a +polecat a boy had been taken.</p> + +<p>"Ah, little thief," said the angry peasant, "then it is you +who carries off my chickens?"</p> + +<p>"No, it is not I; indeed it is not!" cried Pinocchio, sobbing. +"I only came into the field to take two bunches of +grapes!"</p> + +<p>"He who steals grapes is quite capable of stealing chickens. +Leave it to me, I will give you a lesson that you will not +forget in a hurry."</p> + +<p>Opening the trap, he seized the puppet by the collar and +carried him to his house as if he had been a young lamb.</p> + +<p>When he reached the yard in front of the house he threw +him roughly on the ground and, putting his foot on his neck, +he said to him:</p> + +<p>"It is late and I want to go to bed; we will settle our +accounts tomorrow. In the meanwhile, as the dog who kept +guard at night died today, you shall take his place at once. +You shall be my watch-dog."</p> + +<p>And, taking a great collar covered with brass knobs, he +strapped it so tightly round his throat that he was not able +to draw his head out of it. A heavy chain attached to the +collar was fastened to the wall.</p> + +<p>"If it should rain tonight," he then said to him, "you can +go and lie down in the kennel; the straw that has served as a +bed for my poor dog for the last four years is still there. If +unfortunately robbers should come, remember to keep your +ears pricked and to bark."</p> + +<p>After giving him this last injunction the man went into +the house, shut the door, and put up the chain.</p> + +<p>Poor Pinocchio remained lying on the ground more dead +than alive from the effects of cold, hunger and fear. From +time to time he put his hands angrily to the collar that tightened +his throat and said, crying:</p> + +<p>"It serves me right! Decidedly, it serves me right! I +was determined to be a vagabond and a good-for-nothing. I +would listen to bad companions, and that is why I always meet +with misfortunes. If I had been a good little boy, as so many +are; if I had remained at home with my poor papa, I should +not now be in the midst of the fields and obliged to be the +watch-dog to a peasant's house. Oh, if I could be born again! +But now it is too late and I must have patience!"</p> + +<p>Relieved by this little outburst, which came straight from +his heart, he went into the dog-kennel and fell asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<p><a name="illus-098" id="illus-098"></a></p> +<img src="images/illus-098.png" +alt="The New Watch-Dog" title="The New Watch-Dog" /> +</div> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO DISCOVERS THE ROBBERS</h2> + + +<p>He had been sleeping heavily for about two hours when, +towards midnight, he was aroused by a whispering of +strange voices that seemed to come from the courtyard. Putting +the point of his nose out of the kennel, he saw four little +beasts with dark fur, that looked like cats, standing consulting +together. But they were not cats; they were polecats—carnivorous +little animals, especially greedy for eggs and young +chickens. One of the polecats, leaving his companions, came +to the opening of the kennel and said in a low voice:</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Melampo."</p> + +<p>"My name is not Melampo," answered the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Oh! then who are you?"</p> + +<p>"I am Pinocchio."</p> + +<p>"And what are you doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I am acting as watch-dog."</p> + +<p>"Then where is Melampo? Where is the old dog who +lived in this kennel?"</p> + +<p>"He died this morning."</p> + +<p>"Is he dead? Poor beast! He was so good. But, judging +you by your face, I should say that you were also a +good dog."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, I am not a dog."</p> + +<p>"Not a dog? Then what are you?"</p> + +<p>"I am a puppet."</p> + +<p>"And you are acting as watch-dog?"</p> + +<p>"That is only too true—as a punishment."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I will offer you the same conditions that +we made with the deceased Melampo, and I am sure you will +be satisfied with them."</p> + +<p>"What are these conditions?"</p> + +<p>"One night in every week you are to permit us to visit +this poultry-yard as we have hitherto done, and to carry off +eight chickens. Of these chickens seven are to be eaten by +us, and one we will give to you, on the express understanding, +however, that you pretend to be asleep, and that it never +enters your head to bark and to waken the peasant."</p> + +<p>"Did Melampo act in this manner?" asked Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, and we were always on the best terms with +him. Sleep quietly, and rest assured that before we go we +will leave by the kennel a beautiful chicken ready plucked for +your breakfast tomorrow. Have we understood each other +clearly?"</p> + +<p>"Only too clearly!" answered Pinocchio, and he shook his +head threateningly, as much as to say: "You shall hear of +this shortly!"</p> + +<p>The four polecats, thinking themselves safe, repaired to +the poultry-yard, which was close to the kennel, and, having +opened the wooden gate with their teeth and claws, they slipped +in one by one. But they had only just passed through when +they heard the gate shut behind them with great violence.</p> + +<p>It was Pinocchio who had shut it, and for greater security +he put a large stone against it to keep it closed.</p> + +<p>He then began to bark, and he barked exactly like a +watch-dog: "Bow-wow, bow-wow."</p> + +<p>Hearing the barking, the peasant jumped out of bed and, +taking his gun, he came to the window and asked:</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?"</p> + +<p>"There are robbers!" answered Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Where are they?"</p> + +<p>"In the poultry-yard."</p> + +<p>"I will come down directly."</p> + +<p>In fact, in less time than it takes to say "Amen!" the +peasant came down. He rushed into the poultry-yard, caught +the polecats, and, having put them into a sack, he said to +them in a tone of great satisfaction:</p> + +<p>"At last you have fallen into my hands! I might punish +you, but I am not so cruel. I will content myself instead by +carrying you in the morning to the innkeeper of the neighboring +village, who will skin and cook you as hares with a sweet +and sour sauce. It is an honor that you don't deserve, but +generous people like me don't consider such trifles!"</p> + +<p>He then approached Pinocchio and began to caress him, +and amongst other things he asked him:</p> + +<p>"How did you manage to discover the four thieves? To +think that Melampo, my faithful Melampo, never found out +anything!"</p> + +<p>The puppet might then have told him the whole story; +he might have informed him of the disgraceful conditions that +had been made between the dog and the polecats; but he remembered +that the dog was dead and he thought to himself:</p> + +<p>"What is the good of accusing the dead? The dead are +dead, and the best thing to be done is to leave them in peace!"</p> + +<p>"When the thieves got into the yard, were you asleep or +awake?" the peasant went on to ask him.</p> + +<p>"I was asleep," answered Pinocchio, "but the polecats woke +me with their chatter and one of them came to the kennel and +said to me: 'If you promise not to bark, and not to wake the +master, we will make you a present of a fine chicken ready +plucked!' To think that they should have had the audacity +to make such a proposal to me! For, although I am a puppet, +possessing perhaps nearly all the faults in the world, there is +one that I certainly will never be guilty of, that of making +terms with, and sharing the gains of, dishonest people!"</p> + +<p>"Well said, my boy!" cried the peasant, slapping him on +the shoulder. "Such sentiments do you honor; and as a proof +of my gratitude I will at once set you at liberty, and you may +return home."</p> + +<p>And he removed the dog-collar.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-102" id="illus-102"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-102.png" +alt="Pinocchio's Wild Ride on the Pigeon's Back" title="Pinocchio's Wild Ride on the Pigeon's Back" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO FLIES TO THE SEASHORE</h2> + + +<p>As soon as Pinocchio was released from the heavy and humiliating +weight of the dog-collar he started off across the +fields and never stopped until he had reached the high road +that led to the Fairy's house. He could see amongst the trees +the top of the Big Oak to which he had been hung, but, although +he looked in every direction, the little house belonging to the +beautiful Child with the blue hair was nowhere visible.</p> + +<p>Seized with a sad presentiment, he began to run with all +the strength he had left and in a few minutes he reached the +field where the little white house had once stood. But it was +no longer there. Instead of the house he saw a marble stone, +on which were engraved these sad words:</p> + +<p class="center"> HERE LIES<br /> +THE CHILD WITH THE BLUE HAIR<br /> + WHO DIED FROM SORROW<br /> +BECAUSE SHE WAS ABANDONED BY HER<br /> + LITTLE BROTHER PINOCCHIO</p> + +<p>I leave you to imagine the puppet's feelings when he had +with difficulty spelled out this epitaph. He fell with his face +on the ground and, covering the tombstone with a thousand +kisses, burst into an agony of tears. He cried all night and +when morning came he was still crying, although he had no +tears left, and his sobs and lamentations were so acute and +heart-breaking that they aroused the echoes in the surrounding +hills.</p> + +<p>And as he wept he said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, little Fairy, why did you die? Why did I not die +instead of you, I who am so wicked, whilst you were so good? +And my papa? Where can he be? Oh, little Fairy, tell me +where I can find him, for I want to remain with him always +and never leave him again, never again! Oh, little Fairy, tell +me that it is not true that you are dead! If you really love +your little brother, come to life again. Does it not grieve +you to see me alone and abandoned by everybody? If assassins +come they will hang me again to the branch of a tree, and +then I should die indeed. What do you imagine that I can +do here alone in the world? Now that I have lost you and +my papa, who will give me food? Where shall I go to sleep +at night? Who will make me a new jacket? Oh, it would +be better, a hundred times better, for me to die also! Yes, +I want to die—oh! oh! oh!"</p> + +<p>And in his despair he tried to tear his hair, but his hair +was made of wood so he could not even have the satisfaction +of sticking his fingers into it.</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="An Immense Serpent Stretched across the Road"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>An Immense Serpent Stretched<br /> +Across the Road</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-105" id="illus-105"></a> +<img src="images/illus-105.png" +alt="An Immense Serpent Stretched across the Road" title="An Immense Serpent Stretched across the Road" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<p>Just then a large Pigeon flew over his head and, stopping +with distended wings, called down to him from a great height:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, child, what are you doing there?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you see? I am crying!" said Pinocchio, raising +his head towards the voice and rubbing his eyes with his jacket.</p> + +<p>"Tell me," continued the Pigeon, "amongst your companions, +do you happen to know a puppet who is called Pinocchio?"</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio? Did you say Pinocchio?" repeated the puppet, +jumping quickly to his feet. "I am Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>At this answer the Pigeon descended rapidly to the ground. +He was larger than a turkey.</p> + +<p>"Do you also know Geppetto?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Do I know him! He is my poor papa! Has he perhaps +spoken to you of me? Will you take me to him? Is he still +alive? Answer me, for pity's sake: is he still alive?"</p> + +<p>"I left him three days ago on the seashore."</p> + +<p>"What was he doing?"</p> + +<p>"He was building a little boat for himself, to cross the +ocean. For more than three months that poor man has been +going all round the world looking for you. Not having succeeded +in finding you, he has now taken it into his head to go +to the distant countries of the New World in search of you."</p> + +<p>"How far is it from here to the shore?" asked Pinocchio +breathlessly.</p> + +<p>"More than six hundred miles."</p> + +<p>"Six hundred miles? Oh, beautiful Pigeon, what a fine +thing it would be to have your wings!"</p> + +<p>"If you wish to go, I will carry you there."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"On my back. Do you weigh much?"</p> + +<p>"I weigh next to nothing. I am as light as a feather."</p> + +<p>And without waiting for more Pinocchio jumped at once +on the Pigeon's back and, putting a leg on each side of him +as men do on horseback, he exclaimed joyfully:</p> + +<p>"Gallop, gallop, my little horse, for I am anxious to arrive +quickly!"</p> + +<p>The Pigeon took flight and in a few minutes had soared +so high that they almost touched the clouds. Finding himself +at such an immense height the puppet had the curiosity to turn +and look down; but his head spun round and he became so +frightened to save himself from the danger of falling he wound +his arms tightly round the neck of his feathered steed.</p> + +<p>They flew all day. Towards evening the Pigeon said:</p> + +<p>"I am very thirsty!"</p> + +<p>"And I am very hungry!" rejoined Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Let us stop at that dovecote for a few minutes and then +we will continue our journey, so that we may reach the seashore +by dawn tomorrow."</p> + +<p>They went into a deserted dovecote, where they found +nothing but a basin full of water and a basket full of vetch.</p> + +<p>The puppet had never in his life been able to eat vetch: +according to him it made him sick. That evening, however, +he ate to repletion, and when he had nearly emptied the basket +he turned to the Pigeon and said to him:</p> + +<p>"I never could have believed that vetch was so good!"</p> + +<p>"Be assured, my boy," replied the Pigeon, "that when +hunger is real, and there is nothing else to eat, even vetch +becomes delicious. Hunger knows neither caprice nor greediness."</p> + +<p>Having quickly finished their little meal they recommenced +their journey and flew away. The following morning they +reached the seashore.</p> + +<p>The Pigeon placed Pinocchio on the ground and, not wishing +to be troubled with thanks for having done a good action, +flew quickly away and disappeared.</p> + +<p>The shore was crowded with people who were looking +out to sea, shouting and gesticulating.</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" asked Pinocchio of an old woman.</p> + +<p>"A poor father who has lost his son has gone away in a +boat to search for him on the other side of the water, and +today the sea is tempestuous and the little boat is in danger +of sinking."</p> + +<p>"Where is the little boat?"</p> + +<p>"It is out there in a line with my finger," said the old +woman, pointing to a little boat which, seen at that distance, +looked like a nutshell with a very little man in it.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio fixed his eyes on it and after looking attentively +he gave a piercing scream, crying:</p> + +<p>"It is my papa! It is my papa!"</p> + +<p>The boat, meanwhile, beaten by the fury of the waves, at +one moment disappeared in the trough of the sea, and the next +came again to the surface. Pinocchio, standing on the top of +a high rock, kept calling to his father by name, and making +every kind of signal to him with his hands, his handkerchief, +and his cap.</p> + +<p>And, although he was so far off, Geppetto appeared to +recognize his son, for he also took off his cap and waved it, +and tried by gestures to make him understand that he would +have returned if it had been possible, but that the sea was so +tempestuous that he could not use his oars or approach the shore.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a tremendous wave rose and the boat disappeared. +They waited, hoping it would come again to the surface, +but it was seen no more.</p> + +<p>"Poor man!" said the fishermen who were assembled on +the shore; murmuring a prayer, they turned to go home.</p> + +<p>Just then they heard a desperate cry and, looking back, +they saw a little boy who exclaimed, as he jumped from a rock +into the sea:</p> + +<p>"I will save my papa!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, being made of wood, floated easily and he swam +like a fish. At one moment they saw him disappear under the +water, carried down by the fury of the waves, and next he +reappeared struggling with a leg or an arm. At last they lost +sight of him and he was seen no more.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-110" id="illus-110"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-110.png" +alt="Pinocchio Braves the Sea to Save His Father" title="Pinocchio Braves the Sea to Save His Father" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO FINDS THE FAIRY AGAIN</h2> + + +<p>Pinocchio, hoping to be in time to help his father, swam +the whole night.</p> + +<p>And what a horrible night it was! The rain came down +in torrents, it hailed, the thunder was frightful, and the flashes +of lightning made it as light as day.</p> + +<p>Towards morning he saw a long strip of land not far off. +It was an island in the midst of the sea.</p> + +<p>He tried his utmost to reach the shore, but it was all in +vain. The waves, racing and tumbling over each other, knocked +him about as if he had been a stick or a wisp of straw. At +last, fortunately for him, a billow rolled up with such fury +and impetuosity that he was lifted up and thrown far on to +the sands.</p> + +<p>He fell with such force that, as he struck the ground, his +ribs and all his joints cracked, but he comforted himself, saying:</p> + +<p>"This time also I have made a wonderful escape!"</p> + +<p>Little by little the sky cleared, the sun shone out in all +his splendor, and the sea became as quiet and as smooth as oil.</p> + +<p>The puppet put his clothes in the sun to dry and began +to look in every direction in hopes of seeing on the vast expanse +of water a little boat with a little man in it. But, although +he looked and looked, he could see nothing but the sky, and +the sea, and the sail of some ship, but so far away that it seemed +no bigger than a fly.</p> + +<p>"If I only knew what this island was called!" he said to +himself. "If I only knew whether it was inhabited by civilized +people—I mean, by people who have not the bad habit +of hanging boys to the branches of the trees. But whom can +I ask? Whom, if there is nobody?"</p> + +<p>This idea of finding himself alone, alone, all alone, in the +midst of this great uninhabited country, made him so melancholy +that he was just beginning to cry. But at that moment, +at a short distance from the shore, he saw a big fish swimming +by; it was going quietly on its own business with its head out +of the water.</p> + +<p>Not knowing its name, the puppet called to it in a loud +voice to make himself heard:</p> + +<p>"Eh, Sir Fish, will you permit me a word with you?"</p> + +<p>"Two if you like," answered the fish, who was a Dolphin, +and so polite that few similar are to be found in any sea in +the world.</p> + +<p>"Will you be kind enough to tell me if there are villages +in this island where it would be possible to obtain something +to eat, without running the danger of being eaten?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly there are," replied the Dolphin. "Indeed, you +will find one at a short distance from here."</p> + +<p>"And what road must I take to go there?"</p> + +<p>"You must take that path to your left and follow your +nose. You cannot make a mistake."</p> + +<p>"Will you tell me another thing? You who swim about +the sea all day and all night, have you by chance met a little +boat with my papa in it?"</p> + +<p>"And who is your papa?"</p> + +<p>"He is the best papa in the world, whilst it would be +difficult to find a worse son than I am."</p> + +<p>"During the terrible storm last night," answered the Dolphin, +"the little boat must have gone to the bottom."</p> + +<p>"And my papa?"</p> + +<p>"He must have been swallowed by the terrible Dog-Fish, +who for some days past has been spreading devastation and +ruin in our waters."</p> + +<p>"Is this Dog-Fish very big?" asked Pinocchio, who was +already beginning to quake with fear.</p> + +<p>"Big!" replied the Dolphin. "That you may form some +idea of his size, I need only tell you that he is bigger than a +five-storied house, and that his mouth is so enormous and so +deep that a railway train with its smoking engine could pass +down his throat."</p> + +<p>"Mercy upon us!" exclaimed the terrified puppet; and, +putting on his clothes with the greatest haste, he said to the +Dolphin:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Sir Fish; excuse the trouble I have given you, +and many thanks for your politeness."</p> + +<p>He then took the path that had been pointed out to him +and began to walk fast—so fast, indeed, that he was almost +running. And at the slightest noise he turned to look behind +him, fearing that he might see the terrible Dog-Fish with a +railway train in its mouth following him.</p> + +<p>After a walk of half an hour he reached a little village +called "The Village of the Industrious Bees." The road was +alive with people running here and there to attend to their +business; all were at work, all had something to do. You +could not have found an idler or a vagabond, not even if you +had searched for him with a lighted lamp.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said that lazy Pinocchio at once, "I see that this +village will never suit me! I wasn't born to work!"</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile he was tormented by hunger, for he had +eaten nothing for twenty-four hours—not even vetch. What +was he to do?</p> + +<p>There were only two ways by which he could obtain food—either +by asking for a little work, or by begging for a nickel +or for a mouthful of bread.</p> + +<p>He was ashamed to beg, for his father had always preached +to him that no one had a right to beg except the aged and +the infirm. The really poor in this world, deserving of compassion +and assistance, are only those who from age or sickness +are no longer able to earn their own bread with the labor of +their hands. It is the duty of every one else to work; and if +they will not work, so much the worse for them if they suffer +from hunger.</p> + +<p>At that moment a man came down the road, tired and +panting for breath. He was dragging, alone, with fatigue and +difficulty, two carts full of charcoal.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, judging by his face that he was a kind man, +approached him and, casting down his eyes with shame, he +said to him in a low voice:</p> + +<p>"Would you have the charity to give me a nickel, for I +am dying of hunger?"</p> + +<p>"You shall have not only a nickel," said the man, "but I +will give you a quarter, provided that you help me to drag +home these two carts of charcoal."</p> + +<p>"I am surprised at you!" answered the puppet in a tone +of offense. "Let me tell you that I am not accustomed to do +the work of a donkey: I have never drawn a cart!"</p> + +<p>"So much the better for you," answered the man. "Then, +my boy, if you are really dying of hunger, eat two fine slices +of your pride, and be careful not to get indigestion."</p> + +<p>A few minutes afterwards a mason passed down the road +carrying on his shoulders a basket of lime.</p> + +<p>"Would you have the charity, good man, to give a nickel +to a poor boy who is yawning for want of food?"</p> + +<p>"Willingly," answered the man. "Come with me and +carry the lime, and instead of a nickel I will give you a +quarter."</p> + +<p>"But the lime is heavy," objected Pinocchio, "and I don't +want to tire myself."</p> + +<p>"If you don't want to tire yourself, then, my boy, amuse +yourself with yawning, and much good may it do you."</p> + +<p>In less than half an hour twenty other people went by, +and Pinocchio asked charity of them all, but they all answered:</p> + +<p>"Are you not ashamed to beg? Instead of idling about +the roads, go and look for a little work and learn to earn +your bread."</p> + +<p>At last a nice little woman carrying two cans of water +came by.</p> + +<p>"Will you let me drink a little water out of your can?" +asked Pinocchio, who was burning with thirst.</p> + +<p>"Drink, my boy, if you wish it!" said the little woman, +setting down the two cans.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio drank like a fish, and as he dried his mouth +he mumbled:</p> + +<p>"I have quenched my thirst. If I could only appease +my hunger!"</p> + +<p>The good woman, hearing these words, said at once:</p> + +<p>"If you will help me to carry home these two cans of water +I will give you a fine piece of bread."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio looked at the can and answered neither yes +nor no.</p> + +<p>"And besides the bread you shall have a nice dish of cauliflower +dressed with oil and vinegar," added the good woman.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio gave another look at the can and answered +neither yes nor no.</p> + +<p>"And after the cauliflower I will give you a beautiful +bonbon full of syrup."</p> + +<p>The temptation of this last dainty was so great that Pinocchio +could resist no longer and with an air of decision he said:</p> + +<p>"I must have patience! I will carry the can to your house."</p> + +<p>The can was heavy and the puppet, not being strong +enough to carry it in his hand, had to resign himself to carry +it on his head.</p> + +<p>When they reached the house the good little woman made +Pinocchio sit down at a small table already laid and she placed +before him the bread, the cauliflower and the bonbon.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio did not eat, he devoured. His stomach was like +an apartment that had been left empty and uninhabited for +five months.</p> + +<p>When his ravenous hunger was somewhat appeased he +raised his head to thank his benefactress, but he had no sooner +looked at her than he gave a prolonged "Oh-h!" of astonishment +and continued staring at her with wide open eyes, his +fork in the air, and his mouth full of bread and cauliflower, +as if he had been bewitched.</p> + +<p>"What has surprised you so much?" asked the good woman, +laughing.</p> + +<p>"It is—" answered the puppet, "it is—it is—that you +are like—that you remind me—yes, yes, yes, the same voice—the +same eyes—the same hair—yes, yes, yes—you also have blue +hair—as she had—Oh, little Fairy! tell me that it is you, really +you! Do not make me cry any more! If you knew—I have +cried so much, I have suffered so much."</p> + +<p>And, throwing himself at her feet on the floor, Pinocchio +embraced the knees of the mysterious little woman and began +to cry bitterly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-117" id="illus-117"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-117.png" +alt=""School Gives Me Pain All Over the Body"" title=""School Gives Me Pain All Over the Body"" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO PROMISES THE FAIRY TO BE GOOD</h2> + + +<p>At first the good little woman maintained that she was not +the little Fairy with blue hair, but, seeing that she was +found out and not wishing to continue the comedy any longer, +she ended by making herself known, and she said to Pinocchio:</p> + +<p>"You little rogue! how did you ever discover who I was?"</p> + +<p>"It was my great affection for you that told me."</p> + +<p>"Do you remember? You left me a child, and now that +you have found me again I am a woman—a woman almost old +enough to be your mamma."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted at that, for now, instead of calling you +little sister, I will call you mamma. I have wished for such a +long time to have a mamma like other boys! But how did you +manage to grow so fast?"</p> + +<p>"That is a secret."</p> + +<p>"Teach it to me, for I should also like to grow. Don't +you see? I always remain no bigger than a ninepin."</p> + +<p>"But you cannot grow," replied the Fairy.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because puppets never grow. They are born puppets, +live puppets, and die puppets."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am sick of being a puppet!" cried Pinocchio, giving +himself a slap. "It is time that I became a man."</p> + +<p>"And you will become one, if you know how to deserve it."</p> + +<p>"Not really? And what can I do to deserve it?"</p> + +<p>"A very easy thing: by learning to be a good boy."</p> + +<p>"And you think I am not?"</p> + +<p>"You are quite the contrary. Good boys are obedient, +and you—"</p> + +<p>"And I never obey."</p> + +<p>"Good boys like to learn and to work, and you—"</p> + +<p>"And I instead lead an idle, vagabond life the year +through."</p> + +<p>"Good boys always speak the truth."</p> + +<p>"And I always tell lies."</p> + +<p>"Good boys go willingly to school."</p> + +<p>"And school gives me pain all over the body. But from +today I will change my life."</p> + +<p>"Do you promise me?"</p> + +<p>"I promise you. I will become a good little boy, and I +will be the consolation of my papa. Where is my poor papa +at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know."</p> + +<p>"Shall I ever have the happiness of seeing him again and +kissing him?"</p> + +<p>"I think so; indeed, I am sure of it."</p> + +<p>At this answer Pinocchio was so delighted that he took +the Fairy's hands and began to kiss them with such fervor +that he seemed beside himself. Then, raising his face and looking +at her lovingly, he asked:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, little mamma: then it was not true that you +were dead?"</p> + +<p>"It seems not," said the Fairy, smiling.</p> + +<p>"If you only knew the sorrow I felt and the tightening +of my throat when I read, 'Here lies—'"</p> + +<p>"I know it, and it is on that account that I have forgiven +you. I saw from the sincerity of your grief that you had a +good heart; and when boys have good hearts, even if they are +scamps and have got bad habits, there is always something +to hope for; that is, there is always hope that they will turn +to better ways. That is why I came to look for you here. I +will be your mamma."</p> + +<p>"Oh, how delightful!" shouted Pinocchio, jumping for joy.</p> + +<p>"You must obey me and do everything that I bid you."</p> + +<p>"Willingly, willingly, willingly!"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow," rejoined the Fairy, "you will begin to go +to school."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio became at once a little less joyful.</p> + +<p>"Then you must choose an art, or a trade, according to +your own wishes."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio became very grave.</p> + +<p>"What are you muttering between your teeth?" asked the +Fairy in an angry voice.</p> + +<p>"I was saying," moaned the puppet in a low voice, "that +it seemed to me too late for me to go to school now."</p> + +<p>"No, sir. Keep it in mind that it is never too late to +learn and to instruct ourselves."</p> + +<p>"But I do not wish to follow either an art or a trade."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because it tires me to work."</p> + +<p>"My boy," said the Fairy, "those who talk in that way +end almost always either in prison or in the hospital. Let me +tell you that every man, whether he is born rich or poor, is +obliged to do something in this world—to occupy himself, to +work. Woe to those who lead slothful lives. Sloth is a dreadful +illness and must be cured at once, in childhood. If not, +when we are old it can never be cured."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio was touched by these words and, lifting his head +quickly, he said to the Fairy:</p> + +<p>"I will study, I will work, I will do all that you tell me, +for indeed I have become weary of being a puppet, and I wish +at any price to become a boy. You promised me that I should, +did you not?"</p> + +<p>"I did promise you, and it now depends upon yourself."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-121" id="illus-121"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-121.png" +alt="Pinocchio Starts Off Happily for School" title="Pinocchio Starts Off Happily for School" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI</h3> + +<h2>THE TERRIBLE DOG-FISH</h2> + + +<p>The following day Pinocchio went to the government school. +Imagine the delight of all the little rogues, when they +saw a puppet walk into their school! They set up a roar of +laughter that never ended. They played him all sorts of tricks. +One boy carried off his cap, another pulled his jacket behind; +one tried to give him a pair of inky mustachios just under his +nose, and another attempted to tie strings to his feet and hands +to make him dance.</p> + +<p>For a short time Pinocchio pretended not to care and got +on as well as he could; but at last, losing all patience, he turned +to those who were teasing him most and making game of him, +and said to them, looking very angry:</p> + +<p>"Beware, boys! I have not come here to be your buffoon. +I respect others, and I intend to be respected."</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""Oh, I Am Sick of Being a Puppet!""> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>"Oh, I Am Sick of Being a Puppet!<br /> +Cried Pinocchio</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-123" id="illus-123"></a> +<img src="images/illus-123.png" +alt=""Oh, I Am Sick of Being a Puppet!"" title=""Oh, I Am Sick of Being a Puppet!"" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<p>"Well said, boaster! You have spoken like a book!" +howled the young rascals, convulsed with mad laughter, and +one of them, more impertinent than the others, stretched out +his hand, intending to seize the puppet by the end of his nose.</p> + +<p>But he was not in time, for Pinocchio stuck his leg out +from under the table and gave him a great kick on his shins.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what hard feet!" roared the boy, rubbing the bruise +that the puppet had given him.</p> + +<p>"And what elbows! even harder than his feet!" said another, +who for his rude tricks had received a blow in the stomach.</p> + +<p>But, nevertheless, the kick and the blow acquired at once +for Pinocchio the sympathy and the esteem of all the boys in +the school. They all made friends with him and liked him +heartily.</p> + +<p>And even the master praised him, for he found him attentive, +studious and intelligent—always the first to come to school, +and the last to leave when school was over.</p> + +<p>But he had one fault: he made too many friends, and +amongst them were several young rascals well known for their +dislike to study and love of mischief.</p> + +<p>The master warned him every day, and even the good +Fairy never failed to tell him and to repeat constantly:</p> + +<p>"Take care, Pinocchio! Those bad school-fellows of yours +will end sooner or later by making you lose all love of study, +and perhaps they may even bring upon you some great misfortune."</p> + +<p>"There is no fear of that!" answered the puppet, shrugging +his shoulders and touching his forehead as much as to say: +"There is so much sense here!"</p> + +<p>Now it happened that one fine day, as he was on his way +to school, he met several of his usual companions who, coming +up to him, asked:</p> + +<p>"Have you heard the great news?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"In the sea near here a Dog-Fish has appeared as big +as a mountain."</p> + +<p>"Not really? Can it be the same Dog-Fish that was there +when my papa was drowned?"</p> + +<p>"We are going to the shore to see him. Will you come +with us?"</p> + +<p>"No; I am going to school."</p> + +<p>"What matters school? We can go to school tomorrow. +Whether we have a lesson more or a lesson less, we shall always +remain the same donkeys."</p> + +<p>"But what will the master say?"</p> + +<p>"The master may say what he likes. He is paid on purpose +to grumble all day."</p> + +<p>"And my mamma?"</p> + +<p>"Mammas know nothing," answered those bad little boys.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what I will do?" said Pinocchio. "I have +reasons for wishing to see the Dog-Fish, but I will go and +see him when school is over."</p> + +<p>"Poor donkey!" exclaimed one of the number. "Do you +suppose that a fish of that size will wait your convenience? +As soon as he is tired of being here he will start for another +place, and then it will be too late."</p> + +<p>"How long does it take to go from here to the shore?" +asked the puppet.</p> + +<p>"We can be there and back in an hour."</p> + +<p>"Then away!" shouted Pinocchio, "and he who runs fastest +is the best!"</p> + +<p>Having thus given the signal to start, the boys, with their +books and copy-books under their arms, rushed off across the +fields, and Pinocchio was always the first—he seemed to have +wings to his feet.</p> + +<p>From time to time he turned to jeer at his companions, +who were some distance behind, and, seeing them panting for +breath, covered with dust, and their tongues hanging out of +their mouths, he laughed heartily. The unfortunate boy little +knew what terrors and horrible disasters he was going to +meet with!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-127" id="illus-127"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-127.png" +alt="The Boys Threw Their Books at Poor Pinocchio" title="The Boys Threw Their Books at Poor Pinocchio" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO IS ARRESTED BY THE GENDARMES</h2> + + +<p>When he arrived on the shore Pinocchio looked out to +sea, but he saw no Dog-Fish. The sea was as smooth +as a great crystal mirror.</p> + +<p>"Where is the Dog-Fish?" he asked, turning to his companions.</p> + +<p>"He must have gone to have his breakfast," said one of +them, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Or he has thrown himself on to his bed to have a little +nap," added another, laughing still louder.</p> + +<p>From their absurd answers and silly laughter Pinocchio +perceived that his companions had been making a fool of him, +in inducing him to believe a tale with no truth in it. Taking +it very badly, he said to them angrily:</p> + +<p>"And now, may I ask what fun you could find in deceiving +me with the story of the Dog-Fish?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it was great fun!" answered the little rascals in chorus.</p> + +<p>"And in what did it consist?"</p> + +<p>"In making you miss school and persuading you to come +with us. Are you not ashamed of being always so punctual +and so diligent with your lessons? Are you not ashamed of +studying so hard?"</p> + +<p>"And if I study hard, what concern is it of yours?"</p> + +<p>"It concerns us excessively, because it makes us appear in +a bad light to the master."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because boys who study make those who, like us, have +no wish to learn, seem worse by comparison. And that is too +bad. We, too, have our pride!"</p> + +<p>"Then what must I do to please you?"</p> + +<p>"You must follow our example and hate school, lessons, +and the master—our three greatest enemies."</p> + +<p>"And if I wish to continue my studies?"</p> + +<p>"In that case we will have nothing more to do with you, +and at the first opportunity we will make you pay for it."</p> + +<p>"Really," said the puppet, shaking his head, "you make +me inclined to laugh."</p> + +<p>"Eh, Pinocchio" shouted the biggest of the boys, confronting +him. "None of your superior airs: don't come here +to crow over us, for if you are not afraid of us, we are not +afraid of you. Remember that you are one against seven of us."</p> + +<p>"Seven, like the seven deadly sins," said Pinocchio, with +a shout of laughter.</p> + +<p>"Listen to him! He has insulted us all! He called us +the seven deadly sins!"</p> + +<p>"Take that to begin with and keep it for your supper +tonight," said one of the boys.</p> + +<p>And, so saying, he gave him a blow on the head with his fist.</p> + +<p>But it was give and take; for the puppet, as was to be +expected, immediately returned the blow, and the fight in a +moment became general and desperate.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, although he was one alone, defended himself +like a hero. He used his feet, which were of the hardest wood, +to such purpose that he kept his enemies at a respectful distance. +Wherever they touched they left a bruise by way of +reminder.</p> + +<p>The boys, becoming furious at not being able to measure +themselves hand to hand with the puppet, had recourse to other +weapons. Loosening their satchels, they commenced throwing +their school-books at him—grammars, dictionaries, spelling-books, +geography books, and other scholastic works. But +Pinocchio was quick and had sharp eyes, and always managed +to duck in time, so that the books passed over his head and +all fell into the sea.</p> + +<p>Imagine the astonishment of the fish! Thinking that the +books were something to eat they all arrived in shoals, but, +having tasted a page or two, or a frontispiece, they spat it +quickly out and made a wry face that seemed to say: "It +isn't food for us; we are accustomed to something much better!"</p> + +<p>The battle meantime had become fiercer than ever, when a +big crab, who had come out of the water and had climbed +slowly up on the shore, called out in a hoarse voice that sounded +like a trumpet with a bad cold:</p> + +<p>"Have done with that, you young ruffians, for you are +nothing else! These hand-to-hand fights between boys seldom +finish well. Some disaster is sure to happen!"</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<p><a name="hi-illus-130" id="hi-illus-130"></a></p> +<img src="images/hi-illus-130.jpg" +alt="FOUR RABBITS AS BLACK AS INK ENTERED CARRYING A LITTLE BIER" +title="FOUR RABBITS AS BLACK AS INK ENTERED CARRYING A LITTLE BIER" /> +</div> + + + +<p>Poor crab! He might as well have preached to the wind. +Even that young rascal, Pinocchio, turning around, looked at +him mockingly and said rudely:</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, you tiresome crab! You had better +suck some liquorice lozenges to cure that cold in your throat."</p> + +<p>Just then the boys, who had no more books of their own +to throw, spied at a little distance the satchel that belonged to +Pinocchio, and took possession of it.</p> + +<p>Amongst the books there was one bound in strong cardboard +with the back and points of parchment. It was a Treatise +on Arithmetic.</p> + +<p>One of the boys seized this volume and, aiming at Pinocchio's +head, threw it at him with all the force he could muster. +But instead of hitting the puppet it struck one of his +companions on the temple, who, turning as white as a sheet, +said only:</p> + +<p>"Oh, mother! help, I am dying!" and fell his whole length +on the sand. Thinking he was dead, the terrified boys ran off +as hard as their legs could carry them and in a few minutes +they were out of sight.</p> + +<p>But Pinocchio remained. Although from grief and fright +he was more dead than alive, nevertheless he ran and soaked +his handkerchief in the sea and began to bathe the temples of +his poor school-fellow. Crying bitterly in his despair, he kept +calling him by name and saying to him:</p> + +<p>"Eugene! my poor Eugene! Open your eyes and look at +me! Why do you not answer? I did not do it; indeed it was +not I that hurt you so! believe me, it was not! Open your eyes, +Eugene. If you keep your eyes shut I shall die, too. Oh! +what shall I do? how shall I ever return home? How can I +ever have the courage to go back to my good mamma? What +will become of me? Where can I fly to? Oh! how much better +it would have been, a thousand times better, if I had only +gone to school! Why did I listen to my companions? they +have been my ruin. The master said to me, and my mamma +repeated it often: 'Beware of bad companions!' Oh, dear! +what will become of me, what will become of me, what will +become of me?"</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio began to cry and sob, and to strike his head +with his fists, and to call poor Eugene by his name. Suddenly +he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.</p> + +<p>He turned and saw two soldiers.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing there, lying on the ground?" they +asked Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"I am helping my school-fellow."</p> + +<p>"Has he been hurt?"</p> + +<p>"So it seems."</p> + +<p>"Hurt indeed!" said one of them, stooping down and +examining Eugene closely.</p> + +<p>"This boy has been wounded in the temple. Who wounded +him?"</p> + +<p>"Not I," stammered the puppet breathlessly.</p> + +<p>"If it was not you, who then did it?"</p> + +<p>"Not I," repeated Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"And with what was he wounded?"</p> + +<p>"With this book." And the puppet picked up from the +ground the Treatise on Arithmetic, bound in cardboard and +parchment, and showed it to the soldier.</p> + +<p>"And to whom does this belong?"</p> + +<p>"To me."</p> + +<p>"That is enough, nothing more is wanted. Get up and +come with us at once."</p> + +<p>"But I—"</p> + +<p>"Come along with us!"</p> + +<p>"But I am innocent."</p> + +<p>"Come along with us!"</p> + +<p>Before they left, the soldiers called some fishermen who +were passing at that moment near the shore in their boat, and +said to them:</p> + +<p>"We give this boy who has been wounded in the head in +your charge. Carry him to your house and nurse him. Tomorrow +we will come and see him."</p> + +<p>They then turned to Pinocchio and, having placed him +between them, they said to him in a commanding voice:</p> + +<p>"Forward! and walk quickly, or it will be the worse +for you."</p> + +<p>Without requiring it to be repeated, the puppet set out +along the road leading to the village. But the poor little devil +hardly knew where he was. He thought he must be dreaming, +and what a dreadful dream! He was beside himself. He saw +double; his legs shook; his tongue clung to the roof of his +mouth, and he could not utter a word. And yet, in the midst +of his stupefaction and apathy, his heart was pierced by a cruel +thorn—the thought that he would pass under the windows of +the good Fairy's house between the soldiers. He would rather +have died.</p> + +<p>They had already reached the village when a gust of wind +blew Pinocchio's cap off his head and carried it ten yards off.</p> + +<p>"Will you permit me," said the puppet to the soldiers, +"to go and get my cap?"</p> + +<p>"Go, then; but be quick about it."</p> + +<p>The puppet went and picked up his cap, but instead of +putting it on his head he took it between his teeth and began +to run as hard as he could towards the seashore.</p> + +<p>The soldiers, thinking it would be difficult to overtake him, +sent after him a large mastiff who had won the first prizes at +all the dog races. Pinocchio ran, but the dog ran faster. The +people came to their windows and crowded into the street in +their anxiety to see the end of the desperate race.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-135" id="illus-135"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-135.png" +alt="The Fisherman Put His Hand into the Net" title="The Fisherman Put His Hand into the Net" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO ESCAPES BEING FRIED LIKE A FISH</h2> + + +<p>There came a moment in this desperate race—a terrible +moment—when Pinocchio thought himself lost: for Alidoro, +the mastiff, had run so swiftly that he had nearly come up +with him.</p> + +<p>The puppet could hear the panting of the dreadful beast +close behind him; there was not a hand's breadth between them, +he could even feel the dog's hot breath.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the shore was close and the sea but a few +steps off.</p> + +<p>As soon as he reached the sands the puppet made a wonderful +leap—a frog could have done no better—and plunged +into the water.</p> + +<p>Alidoro, on the contrary, wished to stop himself, but, carried +away by the impetus of the race, he also went into the +sea. The unfortunate dog could not swim, but he made great +efforts to keep himself afloat with his paws; but the more he +struggled the farther he sank head downwards under the water.</p> + +<p>When he rose to the surface again his eyes were rolling +with terror, and he barked out:</p> + +<p>"I am drowning! I am drowning!"</p> + +<p>"Drown!" shouted Pinocchio from a distance, seeing himself +safe from all danger.</p> + +<p>"Help me, dear Pinocchio! Save me from death!"</p> + +<p>At that agonizing cry the puppet, who had in reality an +excellent heart, was moved with compassion, and, turning to +the dog, he said:</p> + +<p>"But if I save your life, will you promise to give me no +further annoyance, and not to run after me?"</p> + +<p>"I promise! I promise! Be quick, for pity's sake, for if +you delay another half-minute I shall be dead."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio hesitated; but, remembering that his father had +often told him that a good action is never lost, he swam to +Alidoro, and, taking hold of his tail with both hands, brought +him safe and sound on to the dry sand of the beach.</p> + +<p>The poor dog could not stand. He had drunk so much +salt water that he was like a balloon. The puppet, however, +not wishing to trust him too far, thought it more prudent to +jump again into the water. When he had swum some distance +from the shore he called out to the friend he had rescued:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Alidoro; a good journey to you, and take +my compliments to all at home."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Pinocchio," answered the dog; "a thousand +thanks for having saved my life. You have done me a great +service, and in this world what is given is returned. If an +occasion offers I shall not forget it."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio swam on, keeping always near the land. At last +he thought that he had reached a safe place. Giving a look +along the shore, he saw amongst the rocks a kind of cave from +which a cloud of smoke was ascending.</p> + +<p>"In that cave," he said to himself, "there must be a fire. +So much the better. I will go and dry and warm myself, and +then? and then we shall see."</p> + +<p>Having taken the resolution he approached the rocks, +but, as he was going to climb up, he felt something under the +water that rose higher and higher and carried him into the air. +He tried to escape, but it was too late, for, to his extreme surprise, +he found himself enclosed in a great net, together with +a swarm of fish of every size and shape, who were flapping +and struggling like so many despairing souls.</p> + +<p>At the same moment a fisherman came out of the cave; +he was so ugly, so horribly ugly, that he looked like a sea +monster. Instead of hair his head was covered with a thick +bush of green grass, his skin was green, his eyes were green, +his long beard that came down to the ground was also green. +He had the appearance of an immense lizard standing on its +hind-paws.</p> + +<p>When the fisherman had drawn his net out of the sea, +he exclaimed with great satisfaction:</p> + +<p>"Thank Heaven! Again today I shall have a splendid +feast of fish!"</p> + +<p>"What a mercy that I am not a fish!" said Pinocchio to +himself, regaining a little courage.</p> + +<p>The netful of fish was carried into the cave, which was +dark and smoky. In the middle of the cave a large frying-pan +full of oil was frying and sending out a smell of mushrooms +that was suffocating.</p> + +<p>"Now we will see what fish we have taken!" said the +green fisherman, and, putting into the net an enormous hand, +so out of all proportion that it looked like a baker's shovel, +he pulled out a handful of fish.</p> + +<p>"These fish are good!" he said, looking at them and smelling +them complacently. And after he had smelled them he +threw them into a pan without water.</p> + +<p>He repeated the same operation many times, and as he +drew out the fish his mouth watered and he said, chuckling +to himself:</p> + +<p>"What good whiting!"</p> + +<p>"What exquisite sardines!"</p> + +<p>"These soles are delicious!"</p> + +<p>"And these crabs excellent!"</p> + +<p>"What dear little anchovies!"</p> + +<p>The last to remain in the net was Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the fisherman taken him out than he opened +his big green eyes with astonishment and cried, half frightened:</p> + +<p>"What species of fish is this? Fish of this kind I never +remember to have eaten."</p> + +<p>And he looked at him again attentively and, having examined +him well all over, he ended by saying:</p> + +<p>"I know: he must be a craw-fish."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, mortified at being mistaken for a craw-fish, said +in an angry voice:</p> + +<p>"A craw-fish indeed! Do you take me for a craw-fish? +what treatment! Let me tell you that I am a puppet."</p> + +<p>"A puppet?" replied the fisherman. "To tell the truth, a +puppet is quite a new fish for me. All the better! I shall +eat you with greater pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Eat me! but will you understand that I am not a fish? +Do you hear that I talk and reason as you do?"</p> + +<p>"That is quite true," said the fisherman; "and as I see +that you are a fish possessed of the talent of talking and +reasoning as I do, I will treat you with all the attention that +is your due."</p> + +<p>"And this attention?"</p> + +<p>"In token of my friendship and particular regard, I will +leave you the choice of how you would like to be cooked. +Would you like to be fried in the frying-pan, or would you +prefer to be stewed with tomato sauce?"</p> + +<p>"To tell the truth," answered Pinocchio, "if I am to choose, +I should prefer to be set at liberty and to return home."</p> + +<p>"You are joking! Do you imagine that I would lose the +opportunity of tasting such a rare fish? It is not every day, +I assure you, that a puppet fish is caught in these waters. +Leave it to me. I will fry you in the frying-pan with the +other fish, and you will be quite satisfied. It is always consolation +to be fried in company."</p> + +<p>At this speech the unhappy Pinocchio began to cry and +scream and to implore for mercy, and he said, sobbing: "How +much better it would have been if I had gone to school! I +would listen to my companions and now I am paying for it."</p> + +<p>And he wriggled like an eel and made indescribable efforts +to slip out of the clutches of the green fisherman. But it was +useless: the fisherman took a long strip of rush and, having +bound his hands and feet as if he had been a sausage, he +threw him into the pan with the other fish.</p> + +<p>He then fetched a wooden bowl full of flour and began +to flour them each in turn, and as soon as they were ready he +threw them into the frying-pan.</p> + +<p>The first to dance in the boiling oil were the poor whitings; +the crabs followed, then the sardines, then the soles, then the +anchovies, and at last it was Pinocchio's turn. Seeing himself +so near death, and such a horrible death, he was so frightened, +and trembled so violently, that he had neither voice nor breath +left for further entreaties.</p> + +<p>But the poor boy implored with his eyes! The green fisherman, +however, without caring in the least, plunged him five +or six times in the flour, until he was white from head to foot +and looked like a puppet made of plaster.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-141" id="illus-141"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-141.png" +alt="The Dog Seizes Pinocchio and Escapes" title="The Dog Seizes Pinocchio and Escapes" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXIX</h3> + +<h2>HE RETURNS TO THE FAIRY'S HOUSE</h2> + + +<p>Just as the fisherman was on the point of throwing Pinocchio +into the frying-pan a large dog entered the cave, enticed +there by the strong and savory odor of fried fish.</p> + +<p>"Get out!" shouted the fisherman, threateningly, holding +the floured puppet in his hand.</p> + +<p>But the poor dog, who was as hungry as a wolf, whined +and wagged his tail as much as to say:</p> + +<p>"Give me a mouthful of fish and I will leave you in peace."</p> + +<p>"Get out, I tell you!" repeated the fisherman and he +stretched out his leg to give him a kick.</p> + +<p>But the dog, who, when he was really hungry, would not +stand trifling, turned upon him, growling and showing his terrible +tusks.</p> + +<p>At that moment a little feeble voice was heard in the cave, +saying entreatingly:</p> + +<p>"Save me, Alidoro! If you do not save me I shall be +fried!"</p> + +<p>The dog recognized Pinocchio's voice and, to his extreme +surprise, perceived that it proceeded from the floured bundle +that the fisherman held in his hand.</p> + +<p>So what do you think he did? He made a spring, seized +the bundle in his mouth, and, holding it gently between his +teeth, he rushed out of the cave and was gone like a flash of +lightning.</p> + +<p>The fisherman, furious at seeing a fish he was so anxious +to eat snatched from him, ran after the dog, but he had not gone +many steps when he was taken with a fit of coughing and had +to give it up.</p> + +<p>Alidoro, when he had reached the path that led to the village, +stopped and put his friend Pinocchio gently on the ground.</p> + +<p>"How much I have to thank you for!" said the puppet.</p> + +<p>"There is no necessity," replied the dog. "You saved me +and I have now returned it. You know that we must all help +each other in this world."</p> + +<p>"But how came you to come to the cave?"</p> + +<p>"I was lying on the shore more dead than alive when the +wind brought to me the smell of fried fish. The smell excited +my appetite and I followed it up. If I had arrived a second +later—"</p> + +<p>"Do not mention it!" groaned Pinocchio, who was still trembling +with fright. "Do not mention it! If you had arrived +a second later I should by this time have been fried, eaten and +digested. Brrr! It makes me shudder only to think of it!"</p> + +<p>Alidoro, laughing, extended his right paw to the puppet, +who shook it heartily in token of great friendship, and they +then separated.</p> + +<p>The dog took the road home, and Pinocchio, left alone, went +to a cottage not far off and said to a little old man who was +warming himself in the sun:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, good man, do you know anything of a poor boy +called Eugene who was wounded in the head?"</p> + +<p>"The boy was brought by some fishermen to this cottage, +and now—"</p> + +<p>"And now he is dead!" interrupted Pinocchio with great +sorrow.</p> + +<p>"No, he is alive and has returned to his home."</p> + +<p>"Not really? not really?" cried the puppet, dancing with +delight. "Then the wound was not serious?"</p> + +<p>"It might have been very serious and even fatal," answered +the little old man, "for they threw a thick book bound in cardboard +at his head."</p> + +<p>"And who threw it at him?"</p> + +<p>"One of his school-fellows, a certain Pinocchio."</p> + +<p>"And who is this Pinocchio?" asked the puppet, pretending +ignorance.</p> + +<p>"They say that he is a bad boy, a vagabond, a regular +good-for-nothing."</p> + +<p>"Calumnies! all calumnies!"</p> + +<p>"Do you know this Pinocchio?"</p> + +<p>"By sight!" answered the puppet.</p> + +<p>"And what is your opinion of him?" asked the little man.</p> + +<p>"He seems to me to be a very good boy, anxious to learn, +and obedient and affectionate to his father and family."</p> + +<p>Whilst the puppet was firing off all these lies, he touched +his nose and perceived that it had lengthened more than a hand. +Very much alarmed he began to cry out:</p> + +<p>"Don't believe, good man, what I have been telling you. +I know Pinocchio very well and I can assure you that he is +a very bad boy, disobedient and idle, who, instead of going to +school, runs off with his companions to amuse himself."</p> + +<p>He had hardly finished speaking when his nose became +shorter and returned to the same size that it was before.</p> + +<p>"And why are you all covered with white?" asked the old +man suddenly.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you. Without observing it I rubbed myself +against a wall which had been freshly whitewashed," answered +the puppet, ashamed to confess that he had been floured like +a fish prepared for the frying-pan.</p> + +<p>"And what have you done with your jacket, your trousers, +and your cap?"</p> + +<p>"I met with robbers, who took them from me. Tell me, +good old man, could you perhaps give me some clothes to return +home in?"</p> + +<p>"My boy, as to clothes, I have nothing but a little sack in +which I keep beans. If you wish for it, take it; there it is."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio did not wait to be told twice. He took the sack +at once and with a pair of scissors he cut a hole at the end +and at each side, and put it on like a shirt. And with this slight +clothing he set off for the village.</p> + +<p>But as he went he did not feel at all comfortable—so little +so, indeed, that for a step forward he took another backwards, +and he said, talking to himself:</p> + +<p>"How shall I ever present myself to my good little Fairy? +What will she say when she sees me? Will she forgive me this +second escapade? Oh, I am sure that she will not forgive me! +And it serves me right, for I am a rascal. I am always promising +to correct myself and I never keep my word!"</p> + +<p>When he reached the village it was night and very dark. +A storm had come on and as the rain was coming down in +torrents he went straight to the Fairy's house, resolved to knock +at the door.</p> + +<p>But when he was there his courage failed him and instead +of knocking he ran away some twenty paces. He returned to +the door a second time and laid hold of the knocker, and, trembling, +gave a little knock.</p> + +<p>He waited and waited. At last, after half an hour had +passed, a window on the top floor was opened—the house was +four stories high—and Pinocchio saw a big Snail with a lighted +candle on her head looking out. She called to him:</p> + +<p>"Who is there at this hour?"</p> + +<p>"Is the Fairy at home?" asked the puppet.</p> + +<p>"The Fairy is asleep and must not be awakened; but who +are you?"</p> + +<p>"It is I."</p> + +<p>"Who is I?"</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio."</p> + +<p>"And who is Pinocchio?"</p> + +<p>"The puppet who lives in the Fairy's house."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I understand!" said the Snail. "Wait for me there. +I will come down and open the door directly."</p> + +<p>"Be quick, for pity's sake, for I am dying of cold."</p> + +<p>"My boy, I am a snail, and snails are never in a hurry."</p> + +<p>An hour passed, and then two, and the door was not opened. +Pinocchio, who was wet through and through, and trembling +from cold and fear, at last took courage and knocked again, +and this time he knocked louder.</p> + +<p>At this second knock a window on the lower story opened +and the same Snail appeared at it.</p> + +<p>"Beautiful little Snail," cried Pinocchio from the street, +"I have been waiting for two hours! And two hours on such +a bad night seem longer than two years. Be quick, for pity's +sake."</p> + +<p>"My boy," answered the calm little animal—"my boy, I +am a snail, and snails are never in a hurry."</p> + +<p>And the window was shut again.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterwards midnight struck; then one o'clock, then +two o'clock, and the door remained still closed.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio at last, losing all patience, seized the knocker +in a rage, intending to give a blow that would resound through +the house. But the knocker, which was iron, turned suddenly +into an eel and, slipping out of his hands, disappeared in +the stream of water that ran down the middle of the street.</p> + +<p>"Ah! is that it?" shouted Pinocchio, blind with rage. +"Since the knocker has disappeared, I will kick instead with +all my might."</p> + +<p>And, drawing a little back, he gave a tremendous kick +against the house door. The blow was indeed so violent that +his foot went through the wood and stuck; and when he tried +to draw it back again it was trouble thrown away, for it +remained fixed like a nail that has been hammered down.</p> + +<p>Think of poor Pinocchio! He was obliged to spend the +remainder of the night with one foot on the ground and the +other in the air.</p> + +<p>The following morning at daybreak the door was at last +opened. The clever little Snail had taken only nine hours +to come down from the fourth story to the house-door. It +is evident that her exertions must have been great.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing with your foot stuck in the door?" +she asked the puppet.</p> + +<p>"It was an accident. Do try, beautiful little Snail, if +you cannot release me from this torture."</p> + +<p>"My boy, that is the work of a carpenter, and I have +never been a carpenter."</p> + +<p>"Beg the Fairy from me!"</p> + +<p>"The Fairy is asleep and must not be awakened."</p> + +<p>"But what do you suppose that I can do all day nailed +to this door?"</p> + +<p>"Amuse yourself by counting the ants that pass down +the street."</p> + +<p>"Bring me at least something to eat, for I am quite +exhausted."</p> + +<p>"At once," said the Snail.</p> + +<p>In fact, after three hours and a half she returned to +Pinocchio carrying a silver tray on her head. The tray contained +a loaf of bread, a roast chicken, and four ripe apricots.</p> + +<p>"Here is the breakfast that the Fairy has sent you," said +the Snail.</p> + +<p>The puppet felt very much comforted at the sight of +these good things. But when he began to eat them, what +was his disgust at making the discovery that the bread was +plaster, the chicken cardboard, and the four apricots painted +alabaster.</p> + +<p>He wanted to cry. In his desperation he tried to throw +away the tray and all that was on it; but instead, either from +grief or exhaustion, he fainted away.</p> + +<p>When he came to himself he found that he was lying on +a sofa, and the Fairy was beside him.</p> + +<p>"I will pardon you once more," the Fairy said, "but woe +to you if you behave badly a third time!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio promised and swore that he would study, and +that for the future he would always conduct himself well.</p> + +<p>And he kept his word for the remainder of the year. +Indeed, at the examinations before the holidays, he had the +honor of being the first in the school, and his behavior in +general was so satisfactory and praiseworthy that the Fairy +was very much pleased, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow your wish shall be gratified."</p> + +<p>"And that is?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow you shall cease to be a wooden puppet and +you shall become a boy."</p> + +<p>No one who had not witnessed it could ever imagine +Pinocchio's joy at this long-sighed-for good fortune. All his +school-fellows were to be invited for the following day to a +grand breakfast at the Fairy's house, that they might celebrate +together the great event. The Fairy had prepared two +hundred cups of coffee and milk, and four hundred rolls cut +and buttered on each side. The day promised to be most +happy and delightful, but—</p> + +<p>Unfortunately in the lives of puppets there is always a +"but" that spoils everything.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-149" id="illus-149"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-149.png" +alt=""Here Is the Coach!" Shouted Candlewick" title=""Here Is the Coach!" Shouted Candlewick" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a>CHAPTER XXX</h3> + +<h2>THE "LAND OF BOOBIES"</h2> + + +<p>Pinocchio, as was natural, asked the Fairy's permission +to go round the town to give out the invitations, and the +Fairy said to him:</p> + +<p>"Go, if you like, and invite your companions for the +breakfast tomorrow, but remember to return home before dark. +Have you understood?"</p> + +<p>"I promise to be back in an hour," answered the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Take care, Pinocchio! Boys are always very ready to +promise, but generally they are little given to keep their word."</p> + +<p>"But I am not like other boys. When I say a thing, +I do it."</p> + +<p>"We shall see. If you are disobedient, so much the worse +for you."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because boys who do not listen to the advice of those +who know more than they do always meet with some misfortune or other."</p> + +<p>"I have experienced that," said Pinocchio, "but I shall +never make that mistake again."</p> + +<p>"We shall see if that is true."</p> + +<p>Without saying more the puppet took leave of his good +Fairy, who was like a mamma to him, and went out of the +house singing and dancing.</p> + +<p>In less than an hour all his friends were invited. Some +accepted at once heartily; others at first required pressing; but +when they heard that the rolls to be eaten with the coffee were +to be buttered on both sides they ended by saying:</p> + +<p>"We will come also, to do you a pleasure."</p> + +<p>Now I must tell you that amongst Pinocchio's friends +and school-fellows there was one that he greatly preferred and +was very fond of. This boy's name was Romeo, but he always +went by the nickname of Candlewick, because he was so thin, +straight and bright, like the new wick of a little nightlight.</p> + +<p>Candlewick was the laziest and the naughtiest boy in the +school, but Pinocchio was devoted to him. He had indeed +gone at once to his house to invite him to the breakfast, but +he had not found him. He returned a second time, but Candlewick +was not there. He went a third time, but it was in +vain. Where could he search for him? He looked here, there, +and everywhere, and at last he saw him hiding on the porch +of a peasant's cottage.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing there?" asked Pinocchio, coming +up to him.</p> + +<p>"I am waiting for midnight, to start away."</p> + +<p>"And where are you going?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to live in a country—the most delightful +country in the world: a real land of sweetmeats!"</p> + +<p>"And what is it called?"</p> + +<p>"It is called the 'Land of Boobies.' Why do you not +come, too?"</p> + +<p>"I? No, never!"</p> + +<p>"You are wrong, Pinocchio. If you do not come you +will repent it. Where could you find a better country for us +boys? There are no schools there; there are no masters; there +are no books. In that delightful land nobody ever studies. +On Saturday there is never school, and every week consists +of six Saturdays and one Sunday. Only think, the autumn +holidays begin on the first of January and finish on the last +day of December. That is the country for me! That is what +all civilized countries should be like!"</p> + +<p>"But how are the days spent in the 'Land of Boobies'?"</p> + +<p>They are spent in play and amusement from morning till +night. When night comes you go to bed, and recommence +the same life in the morning. What do you think of it?"</p> + +<p>"Hum!" said Pinocchio, and he shook his head slightly, +as much as to say, "That is a life that I also would willingly +lead."</p> + +<p>"Well, will you go with me? Yes or no? Resolve quickly."</p> + +<p>"No, no, no, and again no. I promised my good Fairy +to become a well conducted boy, and I will keep my word. +And as I see that the sun is setting I must leave you at once +and run away. Good-bye, and a pleasant journey to you."</p> + +<p>"Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"</p> + +<p>"Home. My good Fairy wishes me to be back before +dark."</p> + +<p>"Wait another two minutes."</p> + +<p>"It will make me too late."</p> + +<p>"Only two minutes."</p> + +<p>"And if the Fairy scolds me?"</p> + +<p>"Let her scold. When she has scolded well she will hold +her tongue," said that rascal Candlewick.</p> + +<p>"And what are you going to do? Are you going alone +or with companions?"</p> + +<p>"Alone? Indeed not, there will be more than a hundred +boys."</p> + +<p>"And do you make the journey on foot?"</p> + +<p>"A coach will pass by shortly which is to take me to that +happy country."</p> + +<p>"What would I not give for the coach to pass by now!"</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"That I might see you all start together."</p> + +<p>"Stay here a little longer and you will see us."</p> + +<p>"No, no, I must go home."</p> + +<p>"Wait another two minutes."</p> + +<p>"I have already delayed too long. The Fairy will be +anxious about me."</p> + +<p>"Poor Fairy! Is she afraid that the bats will eat you?"</p> + +<p>"But now," continued Pinocchio, "are you really certain +that there are no schools in that country?"</p> + +<p>"Not even the shadow of one."</p> + +<p>"And no masters either?"</p> + +<p>"Not one."</p> + +<p>"And no one is ever made to study?"</p> + +<p>"Never, never, never!"</p> + +<p>"What a delightful country!" said Pinocchio, his mouth +watering. "What a delightful country! I have never been +there, but I can quite imagine it."</p> + +<p>"Why will you not come also?"</p> + +<p>"It is useless to tempt me. I promised my good Fairy +to become a sensible boy, and I will not break my word."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, then, and give my compliments to all the +boys at school, if you meet them in the street."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Candlewick; a pleasant journey to you; amuse +yourself, and think sometimes of your friends."</p> + +<p>Thus saying, the puppet made two steps to go, but then +stopped, and, turning to his friend, he inquired:</p> + +<p>"But are you quite certain that in that country all the +weeks consist of six Saturdays and one Sunday?"</p> + +<p>"Most certainly."</p> + +<p>"But do you know for certain that the holidays begin on +the first of January and finish on the last day of December?"</p> + +<p>"Assuredly."</p> + +<p>"What a delightful country!" repeated Pinocchio, looking +enchanted. Then, with a resolute air, he added in a great +hurry:</p> + +<p>"This time really good-bye, and a pleasant journey to you."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"When do you start?"</p> + +<p>"Shortly."</p> + +<p>"What a pity! If really it wanted only an hour to the +time of your start, I should almost be tempted to wait."</p> + +<p>"And the Fairy?"</p> + +<p>"It is already late. If I return home an hour sooner or +later it will be all the same."</p> + +<p>"Poor Pinocchio! And if the Fairy scolds you?"</p> + +<p>"I must have patience! I will let her scold. When she +has scolded well she will hold her tongue."</p> + +<p>In the meantime night had come on and it was quite dark. +Suddenly they saw in the distance a small light moving and +they heard a noise of talking, and the sound of a trumpet, +but so small and feeble that it resembled the hum of a mosquito.</p> + +<p>"Here it is!" shouted Candlewick, jumping to his feet.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Pinocchio in a whisper.</p> + +<p>"It is the coach coming to take me. Now will you come, +yes or no?"</p> + +<p>"But is it really true," asked the puppet, "that in that +country boys are never obliged to study?"</p> + +<p>"Never, never, never!"</p> + +<p>"What a delightful country! What a delightful country! +What a delightful country!"</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<p><a name="hi-illus-155" id="hi-illus-15"></a></p> +<img src="images/hi-illus-155.jpg" +alt="IT WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE ON THE TUNNY'S BACK" +title="IT WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE ON THE TUNNY'S BACK" /> +</div> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<p><a name="illus-156" id="illus-156"></a></p> +<img src="images/illus-156.png" +alt="They Arrive in the "Land of the Boobies"" title="They Arrive in the "Land of the Boobies"" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a>CHAPTER XXXI</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO ENJOYS FIVE MONTHS OF HAPPINESS</h2> + + +<p>At last the coach arrived, and it arrived without making +the slightest noise, for its wheels were bound round with +flax and rags.</p> + +<p>It was drawn by twelve pairs of donkeys, all the same +size but of different colors.</p> + +<p>Some were gray, some white, some brindled like pepper +and salt, and others had large stripes of yellow and blue.</p> + +<p>But the most extraordinary thing was this: the twelve +pairs, that is, the twenty-four donkeys, instead of being shod +like other beasts of burden, had on their feet men's boots +made of white kid.</p> + +<p>And the coachman?</p> + +<p>Picture to yourself a little man broader than he was long, +flabby and greasy like a lump of butter, with a small round +face like an orange, a little mouth that was always laughing, +and a soft, caressing voice like a cat when she is trying to +insinuate herself into the good graces of the mistress of the +house.</p> + +<p>All the boys vied with each other in taking places in his +coach, to be conducted to the "Land of Boobies."</p> + +<p>The coach was, in fact, quite full of boys between eight +and fourteen years old, heaped one upon another like herrings +in a barrel. They were uncomfortable, packed closely together +and could hardly breathe; but nobody said "Oh!"—nobody +grumbled. The consolation of knowing that in a few hours +they would reach a country where there were no books, no +schools, and no masters, made them so happy and resigned +that they felt neither fatigue nor inconvenience, neither hunger, +nor thirst, nor want of sleep.</p> + +<p>As soon as the coach had drawn up the little man turned +to Candlewick and with a thousand smirks and grimaces said +to him, smiling:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, my fine boy, would you also like to go to that +fortunate country?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly wish to go."</p> + +<p>"But I must warn you, my dear child, that there is not +a place left in the coach. You can see for yourself that it is +quite full."</p> + +<p>"No matter," replied Candlewick, "if there is no place +inside, I will manage to sit on the springs."</p> + +<p>And, giving a leap, he seated himself astride on the +springs.</p> + +<p>"And you, my love!" said the little man, turning in a +flattering manner to Pinocchio, "what do you intend to do? +Are you coming with us or are you going to remain behind?"</p> + +<p>"I remain behind," answered Pinocchio. "I am going +home. I intend to study, as all well conducted boys do."</p> + +<p>"Much good may it do you!"</p> + +<p>"Pinocchio!" called out Candlewick, "listen to me: come +with us and we shall have such fun."</p> + +<p>"No, no, no!"</p> + +<p>"Come with us and we shall have such fun," shouted in +chorus a hundred voices from the inside of the coach.</p> + +<p>"But if I come with you, what will my good Fairy say?" +said the puppet, who was beginning to yield.</p> + +<p>"Do not trouble your head with melancholy thoughts. +Consider only that we are going to a country where we shall +be at liberty to run riot from morning till night."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio did not answer, but he sighed; he sighed again; +he sighed for the third time, and he said finally:</p> + +<p>"Make a little room for me, for I am coming, too."</p> + +<p>"The places are all full," replied the little man; "but, to +show you how welcome you are, you shall have my seat on +the box."</p> + +<p>"And you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I will go on foot."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed, I could not allow that. I would rather +mount one of these donkeys," cried Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>Approaching the right-hand donkey of the first pair, he +attempted to mount him, but the animal turned on him and, +giving him a great blow in the stomach, rolled him over with +his legs in the air.</p> + +<p>You can imagine the impertinent and immoderate laughter +of all the boys who witnessed this scene.</p> + +<p>But the little man did not laugh. He approached the +rebellious donkey and, pretending to give him a kiss, bit off +half of his ear.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio in the meantime had gotten up from the ground +in a fury and, with a spring, he seated himself on the poor +animal's back. And he sprang so well that the boys stopped +laughing and began to shout: "Hurrah, Pinocchio!" and they +clapped their hands and applauded him as if they would never +finish.</p> + +<p>Now that Pinocchio was mounted, the coach started. +Whilst the donkeys were galloping and the coach was rattling +over the stones of the high road, the puppet thought that he +heard a low voice that was scarcely audible saying to him:</p> + +<p>"Poor fool! you would follow your own way, but you will +repent it!"</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, feeling almost frightened, looked from side to +side to try and discover where these words could come from, +but he saw nobody. The donkeys galloped, the coach rattled, +the boys inside slept, Candlewick snored like a dormouse, and +the little man seated on the box sang between his teeth:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"During the night all sleep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But I sleep never."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After they had gone another mile, Pinocchio heard the +same little low voice saying to him:</p> + +<p>"Bear it in mind, simpleton! Boys who refuse to study +and turn their backs upon books, schools and masters, to pass +their time in play and amusement, sooner or later come to a +bad end. I know it by experience, and I can tell you. A +day will come when you will weep as I am weeping now, but +then it will be too late!"</p> + +<p>On hearing these words whispered very softly, the puppet, +more frightened than ever, sprang down from the back of +his donkey and went and took hold of his mouth.</p> + +<p>Imagine his surprise when he found that the donkey was +crying—crying like a boy!</p> + +<p>"Eh! Sir Coachman," cried Pinocchio to the little man, +"here is an extraordinary thing! This donkey is crying."</p> + +<p>"Let him cry; he will laugh when he is a bridegroom."</p> + +<p>"But have you by chance taught him to talk?"</p> + +<p>"No; but he spent three years in a company of learned +dogs, and he learned to mutter a few words."</p> + +<p>"Poor beast!"</p> + +<p>"Come, come," said the little man, "don't let us waste +time in seeing a donkey cry. Mount him and let us go on: +the night is cold and the road is long."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio obeyed without another word. In the morning +about daybreak they arrived safely in the "Land of Boobies."</p> + +<p>It was a country unlike any other country in the world. +The population was composed entirely of boys. The oldest +were fourteen, and the youngest scarcely eight years old. In +the streets there was such merriment, noise and shouting that +it was enough to turn anybody's head. There were troops of +boys everywhere. Some were playing with nuts, some with +battledores, some with balls. Some rode velocipedes, others +wooden horses. A party were playing at hide and seek, a +few were chasing each other. Some were reciting, some singing, +some leaping. Some were amusing themselves with walking +on their hands with their feet in the air; others were +trundling hoops or strutting about dressed as generals, wearing +leaf helmets and commanding a squadron of cardboard soldiers. +Some were laughing, some shouting, some were calling +out; others clapped their hands, or whistled, or clucked like +a hen who has just laid an egg.</p> + +<p>In every square, canvas theaters had been erected and +they were crowded with boys from morning till evening. On +the walls of the houses there were inscriptions written in charcoal: +"Long live playthings, we will have no more schools; +down with arithmetic," and similar other fine sentiments, all +in bad spelling.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, Candlewick and the other boys who had made +the journey with the little man, had scarcely set foot in the +town before they were in the thick of the tumult, and I need +not tell you that in a few minutes they had made acquaintance +with everybody. Where could happier or more contented boys +be found?</p> + +<p>In the midst of continual games and every variety of +amusement, the hours, the days and the weeks passed like +lightning.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a delightful life!" said Pinocchio, whenever +by chance he met Candlewick.</p> + +<p>"See, then, if I was not right?" replied the other. "And +to think that you did not want to come! To think that you +had taken it into your head to return home to your Fairy, +and to lose your time in studying! If you are this moment +free from the bother of books and school, you must acknowledge +that you owe it to me, to my advice, and to my persuasions. +It is only friends who know how to render such +great services."</p> + +<p>"It is true, Candlewick! If I am now a really happy +boy, it is all your doing. But do you know what the master +used to say when he talked to me of you? He always said +to me: 'Do not associate with that rascal Candlewick, for he +is a bad companion, and will only lead you into mischief!'"</p> + +<p>"Poor master!" replied the other, shaking his head. "I +know only too well that he disliked me, and amused himself +by calumniating me; but I am generous and I forgive him!"</p> + +<p>"Noble soul!" said Pinocchio, embracing his friend affectionately +and kissing him between the eyes.</p> + +<p>This delightful life had gone on for five months. The +days had been entirely spent in play and amusement, without +a thought of books or school, when one morning Pinocchio +awoke to a most disagreeable surprise that put him into a +very bad humor.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-163" id="illus-163"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-163.png" alt="The Boys Are Turned into Donkeys" title="The Boys Are Turned into Donkeys" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a>CHAPTER XXXII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO TURNS INTO A DONKEY</h2> + + +<p>The surprise was that Pinocchio, when he awoke, scratched +his head, and in scratching his head he discovered, to his +great astonishment, that his ears had grown more than a hand.</p> + +<p>You know that the puppet from his birth had always +had very small ears—so small that they were not visible to +the naked eye. You can imagine then what he felt when he +found that during the night his ears had become so long that +they seemed like two brooms.</p> + +<p>He went at once in search of a glass that he might look +at himself, but, not being able to find one, he filled the basin +of his washing-stand with water, and he saw reflected what +he certainly would never have wished to see. He saw his +head embellished with a magnificent pair of donkey's ears!</p> + +<p>Only think of poor Pinocchio's sorrow, shame and despair!</p> + +<p>He began to cry and roar, and he beat his head against +the wall, but the more he cried the longer his ears grew; they +grew, and grew, and became hairy towards the points.</p> + +<p>At the sound of his loud outcries a beautiful little Marmot +that lived on the first floor came into the room. Seeing the +puppet in such grief she asked earnestly:</p> + +<p>"What has happened to you, my dear fellow-lodger?"</p> + +<p>"I am ill, my dear little Marmot, very ill, and my illness +frightens me. Do you understand counting a pulse?"</p> + +<p>"A little."</p> + +<p>"Then feel and see if by chance I have got fever."</p> + +<p>The little Marmot raised her right fore-paw, and, after +having felt Pinocchio's pulse, she said to him, sighing:</p> + +<p>"My friend, I am grieved to be obliged to give you bad +news!"</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"You have got a very bad fever!"</p> + +<p>"What fever is it?"</p> + +<p>"It is donkey fever."</p> + +<p>"That is a fever that I do not understand," said the puppet, +but he understood it only too well.</p> + +<p>"Then I will explain it to you," said the Marmot. "You +must know that in two or three hours you will be no longer +a puppet, or a boy."</p> + +<p>"Then what shall I be?"</p> + +<p>"In two or three hours you will become really and truly +a little donkey, like those that draw carts and carry cabbages +and salad to market."</p> + +<p>"Oh, unfortunate that I am! unfortunate that I am!" cried +Pinocchio, seizing his two ears with his hands and pulling them +and tearing them furiously as if they had been some one +else's ears.</p> + +<p>"My dear boy," said the Marmot, by way of consoling +him, "you can do nothing. It is destiny. It is written in the +decrees of wisdom that all boys who are lazy, and who take +a dislike to books, to schools, and to masters, and who pass +their time in amusement, games, and diversions, must end +sooner or later by becoming transformed into so many little +donkeys."</p> + +<p>"But is it really so?" asked the puppet, sobbing.</p> + +<p>"It is indeed only too true! And tears are now useless. +You should have thought of it sooner!"</p> + +<p>"But it was not my fault; believe me, little Marmot, the +fault was all Candlewick's!"</p> + +<p>"And who is this Candlewick?"</p> + +<p>"One of my school-fellows. I wanted to return home; I +wanted to be obedient. I wished to study, but Candlewick +said to me: 'Why should you bother yourself by studying? +Why should you go to school? Come with us instead to the +"Land of Boobies"; there we shall none of us have to learn; +there we shall amuse ourselves from morning to night, and +we shall always be merry'."</p> + +<p>"And why did you follow the advice of that false friend? +of that bad companion?"</p> + +<p>"Why? Because, my dear little Marmot, I am a puppet +with no sense, and with no heart. Ah! if I had had the least +heart I should never have left that good Fairy who loved me +like a mamma, and who had done so much for me! And I +would be no longer a puppet, for I would by this time have +become a little boy like so many others: But if I meet Candlewick, +woe to him! He shall hear what I think of him!"</p> + +<p>And he turned to go out. But when he reached the door +he remembered his donkey's ears, and, feeling ashamed to +show them in public, what do you think he did? He took a +big cotton cap and, putting it on his head, he pulled it well +down over the point of his nose.</p> + +<p>He then set out and went everywhere in search of Candlewick. +He looked for him in the streets, in the squares, in +the little theaters, in every possible place, but he could not +find him. He inquired for him of everybody he met, but no +one had seen him.</p> + +<p>He then went to seek him at his house and, having reached +the door, he knocked.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" asked Candlewick from within.</p> + +<p>"It is I!" answered the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Wait a moment and I will let you in."</p> + +<p>After half an hour the door was opened and imagine +Pinocchio's feelings when, upon going into the room, he saw +his friend Candlewick with a big cotton cap on his head which +came down over his nose.</p> + +<p>At the sight of the cap Pinocchio felt almost consoled and +thought to himself:</p> + +<p>"Has my friend got the same illness that I have? Is he +also suffering from donkey fever?"</p> + +<p>And, pretending to have observed nothing, he asked him, +smiling:</p> + +<p>"How are you, my dear Candlewick?"</p> + +<p>"Very well; as well as a mouse in a Parmesan cheese."</p> + +<p>"Are you saying that seriously?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I tell you a lie?"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me; but why, then, do you keep that cotton cap +on your head which covers up your ears?"</p> + +<p>"The doctor ordered me to wear it because I have hurt +this knee. And you, dear puppet, why have you got on that +cotton cap pulled down over your nose?"</p> + +<p>"The doctor prescribed it because I have grazed my foot."</p> + +<p>"Oh, poor Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, poor Candlewick!"</p> + +<p>After these words a long silence followed, during which +the two friends did nothing but look mockingly at each other.</p> + +<p>At last the puppet said in a soft voice to his companion:</p> + +<p>"Satisfy my curiosity, my dear Candlewick: have you +ever suffered from disease of the ears?"</p> + +<p>"Never! And you?"</p> + +<p>"Never. Only since this morning one of my ears aches."</p> + +<p>"Mine is also paining me."</p> + +<p>"You also? And which of your ears hurts you?"</p> + +<p>"Both of them. And you?"</p> + +<p>"Both of them. Can we have got the same illness?"</p> + +<p>"I fear so."</p> + +<p>"Will you do me a kindness, Candlewick?"</p> + +<p>"Willingly! With all my heart."</p> + +<p>"Will you let me see your ears?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? But first, my dear Pinocchio, I should like +to see yours."</p> + +<p>"No: you must be first."</p> + +<p>"No, dear. First you and then I!"</p> + +<p>"Well," said the puppet, "let us come to an agreement +like good friends."</p> + +<p>"Let us hear it."</p> + +<p>"We will both take off our caps at the same moment. Do +you agree?"</p> + +<p>"I agree."</p> + +<p>"Then, attention!"</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio began to count in a loud voice:</p> + +<p>"One, two, three!"</p> + +<p>At the word "Three!" the two boys took off their caps +and threw them into the air.</p> + +<p>And then a scene followed that would seem incredible if +it were not true. That is, that when Pinocchio and Candlewick +discovered that they were both struck with the same +misfortune, instead of feeling full of mortification and grief, +they began to prick their ungainly ears and to make a thousand +antics, and they ended by going into bursts of laughter.</p> + +<p>And they laughed, and laughed, and laughed, until they +had to hold themselves together. But in the midst of their +merriment Candlewick suddenly stopped, staggered, and, +changing color, said to his friend:</p> + +<p>"Help, help, Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>"Alas, I cannot any longer stand upright."</p> + +<p>"Neither can I," exclaimed Pinocchio, tottering and beginning +to cry.</p> + +<p>And whilst they were talking, they both doubled up and +began to run round the room on their hands and feet. And +as they ran, their hands became hoofs, their faces lengthened +into muzzles, and their backs became covered with a light gray +hairy coat sprinkled with black.</p> + +<p>But do you know what was the worst moment for these +two wretched boys? The worst and the most humiliating moment +was when their tails grew. Vanquished by shame and +sorrow, they wept and lamented their fate.</p> + +<p>Oh, if they had but been wiser! But instead of sighs and +lamentations they could only bray like asses; and they brayed +loudly and said in chorus: "Hee-haw!"</p> + +<p>Whilst this was going on some one knocked at the door +and a voice on the outside said:</p> + +<p>"Open the door! I am the little man, I am the coachman +who brought you to this country. Open at once, or it will +be the worse for you!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-170" id="illus-170"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-170.png" +alt="The Little Donkeys Are Sold" title="The Little Donkeys Are Sold" /> + +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO IS TRAINED FOR THE CIRCUS</h2> + + +<p>Finding that the door remained shut the little man burst +it open with a violent kick and, coming into the room, he +said to Pinocchio and Candlewick with his usual little laugh:</p> + +<p>"Well done, boys! You brayed well, and I recognized +you by your voices. That is why I am here."</p> + +<p>At these words the two little donkeys were quite stupefied +and stood with their heads down, their ears lowered, and their +tails between their legs.</p> + +<p>At first the little man stroked and caressed them; then, +taking out a currycomb, he currycombed them well. And +when by this process he had polished them till they shone like +two mirrors, he put a halter round their necks and led them +to the market-place, in hopes of selling them and making a +good profit.</p> + +<p>And indeed buyers were not wanting. Candlewick was +bought by a peasant whose donkey had died the previous day. +Pinocchio was sold to the director of a company of buffoons +and tight-rope dancers, who bought him that he might teach +him to leap and to dance with the other animals belonging to +the company.</p> + +<p>And now, my little readers, you will have understood the +fine trade that little man pursued. The wicked little monster, +who had a face all milk and honey, made frequent journeys +round the world with his coach. As he went along he collected, +with promises and flattery, all the idle boys who had +taken a dislike to books and school. As soon as his coach was +full he conducted them to the "Land of Boobies," that they +might pass their time in games, in uproar, and in amusement. +When these poor, deluded boys, from continual play and no +study, had become so many little donkeys, he took possession +of them with great delight and satisfaction, and carried them +off to the fairs and markets to be sold. And in this way he +had in a few years made heaps of money and had become a +millionaire.</p> + +<p>What became of Candlewick I do not know, but I do +know that Pinocchio from the very first day had to endure a +very hard, laborious life.</p> + +<p>When he was put into his stall his master filled the +manger with straw; but Pinocchio, having tried a mouthful, +spat it out again.</p> + +<p>Then his master, grumbling, filled the manger with hay; +but neither did the hay please him.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" exclaimed his master in a passion. "Does not hay +please you either? Leave it to me, my fine donkey; if you +are so full of caprices I will find a way to cure you!"</p> + +<p>And by way of correcting him he struck his legs with +his whip.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio began to cry and to bray with pain, and he +said, braying:</p> + +<p>"Hee-haw! I cannot digest straw!"</p> + +<p>"Then eat hay!" said his master, who understood perfectly +the asinine dialect.</p> + +<p>"Hee-haw! hay gives me a pain in my stomach."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to pretend that a little donkey like you +must be kept on breasts of chickens, and capons in jelly?" +asked his master, getting more and more angry, and whipping +him again.</p> + +<p>At this second whipping Pinocchio prudently held his +tongue and said nothing more.</p> + +<p>The stable was then shut and Pinocchio was left alone. +He had not eaten for many hours and he began to yawn from +hunger. And when he yawned he opened a mouth that seemed +as wide as an oven.</p> + +<p>At last, finding nothing else in the manger, he resigned +himself and chewed a little hay; and after he had chewed it +well, he shut his eyes and swallowed it.</p> + +<p>"This hay is not bad," he said to himself; "but how much +better it would have been if I had gone on with my studies! +Instead of hay I might now be eating a hunch of new bread +and a fine slice of sausage. But I must have patience!"</p> + +<p>The next morning when he woke he looked in the manger +for a little more hay; but he found none, for he had eaten +it all during the night.</p> + +<p>Then he took a mouthful of chopped straw, but whilst +he was chewing it he had to acknowledge that the taste of +chopped straw did not in the least resemble a savory dish +of macaroni or pie.</p> + +<p>"But I must have patience!" he repeated as he went on +chewing. "May my example serve at least as a warning to +all disobedient boys who do not want to study. Patience!"</p> + +<p>"Patience indeed!" shouted his master, coming at that +moment into the stable. "Do you think, my little donkey, that +I bought you only to give you food and drink? I bought you +to make you work, and that you might earn money for me. +Up, then, at once! you must come with me into the circus, and +there I will teach you to jump through hoops, to go through +frames of paper head foremost, to dance waltzes and polkas, +and to stand upright on your hind legs."</p> + +<p>Poor Pinocchio, either by love or by force, had to learn +all these fine things. But it took him three months before +he had learned them, and he got many a whipping that nearly +took off his skin.</p> + +<p>At last a day came when his master was able to announce +that he would give a really extraordinary representation. The +many colored placards stuck on the street corners were thus +worded:<br /><br /></p> + +<p class="center"> <span class="smcap">Great Full Dress Representation</span></p> + +<hr class="minor" /> + +<p class="center"> <big><b>TONIGHT</b></big><br /> + <span class="smcap">Will Take Place the Usual Feats and Surprising</span><br /> + <span class="smcap">Performances Executed by All the Artists</span><br /> + <span class="smcap">and by all the horses of the company</span><br /> + <span class="smcap">and moreover</span><br /> + <span class="smcap">The Famous</span><br /> + <big><b>LITTLE DONKEY PINOCCHIO</b></big><br /> + <span class="smcap">called</span><br /> + <big><b>THE STAR OF THE DANCE</b></big><br /> + <span class="smcap">Will Make His First Appearance</span></p> + +<hr class="minor" /> + +<p class="center"> <span class="smcap">the theater will be brilliantly illuminated</span> +<br /><br /></p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="All His Friends Were Invited"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>In Less Than an Hour All His Friends<br /> +Were Invited</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-175" id="illus-175"></a> +<img src="images/illus-175.png" +alt="All His Friends Were Invited" title="All His Friends Were Invited" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + + + +<p>On that evening, as you may imagine, an hour before +the play was to begin the theater was crammed.</p> + +<p>There was not a place to be had either in the pit or the +stalls, or in the boxes even, by paying its weight in gold.</p> + +<p>The benches round the circus were crowded with children +and with boys of all ages, who were in a fever of impatience +to see the famous little donkey Pinocchio dance.</p> + +<p>When the first part of the performance was over, the +director of the company, dressed in a black coat, white breeches, +and big leather boots that came above his knees, presented +himself to the public, and, after making a profound bow, he +began with much solemnity the following ridiculous speech:</p> + +<p>"Respectable public, ladies and gentlemen! The humble +undersigned being a passer-by in this illustrious city, I have +wished to procure for myself the honor, not to say the pleasure, +of presenting to this intelligent and distinguished audience a +celebrated little donkey, who has already had the honor of +dancing in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor of all +the principal courts of Europe.</p> + +<p>"And, thanking you, I beg of you to help us with your +inspiring presence and to be indulgent to us."</p> + +<p>This speech was received with much laughter and applause, +but the applause redoubled and became tumultuous when the +little donkey Pinocchio made his appearance in the middle of +the circus. He was decked out for the occasion. He had a +new bridle of polished leather with brass buckles and studs, +and two white camelias in his ears. His mane was divided and +curled, and each curl was tied with bows of colored ribbon. +He had a girth of gold and silver round his body, and his tail +was plaited with amaranth and blue velvet ribbons. He was, +in fact, a little donkey to fall in love with!</p> + +<p>The director, in presenting him to the public, added these +few words:</p> + +<p>"My respectable auditors! I am not here to tell you +falsehoods of the great difficulties that I have overcome in +understanding and subjugating this mammifer, whilst he was +grazing at liberty amongst the mountains in the plains of the +torrid zone. I beg you will observe the wild rolling of his +eyes. Every means having been tried in vain to tame him, +and to accustom him to the life of domestic quadrupeds, I +was often forced to have recourse to the convincing argument +of the whip. But all my goodness to him, instead of gaining +his affections, has, on the contrary, increased his viciousness. +However, following the system of Gall, I discovered in his +cranium a bony cartilage that the Faculty of Medicine of Paris +has itself recognized as the regenerating bulb of the hair, and +of dance. For this reason I have not only taught him to dance, +but also to jump through hoops and through frames covered +with paper. Admire him, and then pass your opinion on him! +But before taking my leave of you, permit me, ladies and +gentlemen, to invite you to the daily performance that will +take place tomorrow evening; but in case the weather should +threaten rain, the performance will be postponed till tomorrow +morning at 11 ante-meridian of post-meridian."</p> + +<p>Here the director made another profound bow, and, then +turning to Pinocchio, he said:</p> + +<p>"Courage, Pinocchio! before you begin your feats make +your bow to this distinguished audience—ladies, gentlemen, and +children."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio obeyed, and bent both his knees till they touched +the ground, and remained kneeling until the director, cracking +his whip, shouted to him:</p> + +<p>"At a foot's pace!"</p> + +<p>Then the little donkey raised himself on his four legs and +began to walk round the theater, keeping at a foot's pace.</p> + +<p>After a little the director cried:</p> + +<p>"Trot!" and Pinocchio, obeying the order, changed to +a trot.</p> + +<p>"Gallop!" and Pinocchio broke into a gallop.</p> + +<p>"Full gallop!" and Pinocchio went full gallop. But whilst +he was going full speed like a race horse the director, raising +his arm in the air, fired off a pistol.</p> + +<p>At the shot the little donkey, pretending to be wounded, +fell his whole length in the circus, as if he were really dying.</p> + +<p>As he got up from the ground amidst an outburst of +applause, shouts and clapping of hands, he naturally raised his +head and looked up, and he saw in one of the boxes a beautiful +lady who wore round her neck a thick gold chain from +which hung a medallion. On the medallion was painted the +portrait of a puppet.</p> + +<p>"That is my portrait! That lady is the Fairy!" said Pinocchio +to himself, recognizing her immediately; and, overcome +with delight, he tried to cry:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my little Fairy! Oh, my little Fairy!"</p> + +<p>But instead of these words a bray came from his throat, +so sonorous and so prolonged that all the spectators laughed, +and more especially all the children who were in the theater.</p> + +<p>Then the director, to give him a lesson, and to make him +understand that it is not good manners to bray before the +public, gave him a blow on his nose with the handle of his whip.</p> + +<p>The poor little donkey put his tongue out an inch and +licked his nose for at least five minutes, thinking perhaps that +it would ease the pain he felt.</p> + +<p>But what was his despair when, looking up a second time, +he saw that the box was empty and that the Fairy had disappeared!</p> + +<p>He thought he was going to die; his eyes filled with tears +and he began to weep. Nobody, however, noticed it, and +least of all the director who, cracking his whip, shouted:</p> + +<p>"Courage, Pinocchio! Now let the audience see how +gracefully you can jump through the hoops."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio tried two or three times, but each time that +he came in front of the hoop, instead of going through it, he +found it easier to go under it. At last he made a leap and +went through it, but his right leg unfortunately caught in the +hoop, and that caused him to fall to the ground doubled up +in a heap on the other side.</p> + +<p>When he got up he was lame and it was only with great +difficulty that he managed to return to the stable.</p> + +<p>"Bring out Pinocchio! We want the little donkey! Bring +out the little donkey!" shouted all the boys in the theater, +touched and sorry for the sad accident.</p> + +<p>But the little donkey was seen no more that evening.</p> + +<p>The following morning the veterinary, that is, the doctor +of animals, paid him a visit, and declared that he would +remain lame for life.</p> + +<p>The director then said to the stable-boy:</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose I can do with a lame donkey? +He would eat food without earning it. Take him to the +market and sell him."</p> + +<p>When they reached the market a purchaser was found +at once. He asked the stable-boy:</p> + +<p>"How much do you want for that lame donkey?"</p> + +<p>"Twenty dollars."</p> + +<p>"I will give you two dollars. Don't suppose that I am +buying him to make use of; I am buying him solely for his +skin. I see that his skin is very hard and I intend to make +a drum with it for the band of my village."</p> + +<p>Imagine poor Pinocchio's feelings when he heard that he +was destined to become a drum!</p> + +<p>As soon as the purchaser had paid his two dollars he +conducted the little donkey to the seashore. He then put a +stone round his neck and, tying a rope, the end of which he +held in his hand, round his leg, he gave him a sudden push +and threw him into the water.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio, weighted down by the stone, went at once to +the bottom, and his owner, keeping tight hold of the cord, +sat down quietly on a piece of rock to wait until the little +donkey was drowned, intending then to skin him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-181" id="illus-181"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px;"> +<img src="images/illus-181.png" width="640" height="380" +alt="The Puppet Was Wriggling Like an Eel" title="The Puppet Was Wriggling Like an Eel" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXXIV</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO IS SWALLOWED BY THE DOG-FISH</h2> + + +<p>After Pinocchio had been fifty minutes under the water, +his purchaser said aloud to himself:</p> + +<p>"My poor little lame donkey must by this time be quite +drowned. I will therefore pull him out of the water, and I +will make a fine drum of his skin."</p> + +<p>And he began to haul in the rope that he had tied to +the donkey's leg, and he hauled, and hauled, and hauled, until +at last—what do you think appeared above the water? Instead +of a little dead donkey he saw a live puppet, who was wriggling +like an eel.</p> + +<p>Seeing this wooden puppet, the poor man thought he was +dreaming, and, struck dumb with astonishment, he remained +with his mouth open and his eyes starting out of his head.</p> + +<p>Having somewhat recovered from his first stupefaction, +he asked in a quavering voice:</p> + +<p>"And the little donkey that I threw into the sea? What +has become of him?"</p> + +<p>"I am the little donkey!" said Pinocchio, laughing.</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"I."</p> + +<p>"Ah, you young scamp!! Do you dare to make game +of me?"</p> + +<p>"To make game of you? Quite the contrary, my dear +master? I am speaking seriously."</p> + +<p>"But how can you, who but a short time ago were a little +donkey, have become a wooden puppet, only from having been +left in the water?"</p> + +<p>"It must have been the effect of sea water. The sea makes +extraordinary changes."</p> + +<p>"Beware, puppet, beware! Don't imagine that you can +amuse yourself at my expense. Woe to you if I lose patience!"</p> + +<p>"Well, master, do you wish to know the true story? +If you will set my leg free I will tell it you."</p> + +<p>The good man, who was curious to hear the true story, +immediately untied the knot that kept him bound; and Pinocchio, +finding himself free as a bird in the air, commenced as +follows:</p> + +<p>"You must know that I was once a puppet as I am now, +and I was on the point of becoming a boy like the many who +are in the world. But instead, induced by my dislike for study +and the advice of bad companions, I ran away from home. +One fine day when I awoke I found myself changed into a +donkey with long ears, and a long tail. What a disgrace it +was to me!—a disgrace, dear master, that even your worst +enemy would not inflict upon you! Taken to the market to +be sold I was bought by the director of an equestrian company, +who took it into his head to make a famous dancer of me, and +a famous leaper through hoops. But one night during a performance +I had a bad fall in the circus and lamed both my +legs. Then the director, not knowing what to do with a lame +donkey, sent me to be sold, and you were the purchaser!"</p> + +<p>"Only too true. And I paid two dollars for you. And +now, who will give me back my good money?"</p> + +<p>"And why did you buy me? You bought me to make a +drum of my skin!"</p> + +<p>"Only too true! And now, where shall I find another +skin?"</p> + +<p>"Don't despair, master. There are such a number of little +donkeys in the world!"</p> + +<p>"Tell me, you impertinent rascal, does your story end +here?"</p> + +<p>"No," answered the puppet; "I have another two words +to say and then I shall have finished. After you had bought +me you brought me to this place to kill me; but then, yielding +to a feeling of compassion, you preferred to tie a stone round +my neck and to throw me into the sea. This humane feeling +does you great honor and I shall always be grateful to you +for it. But, nevertheless, dear master, this time you made +your calculations without considering the Fairy!"</p> + +<p>"And who is the Fairy?"</p> + +<p>"She is my mamma and she resembles all other good +mammas who care for their children, and who never lose sight +of them, but help them lovingly, even when, on account of +their foolishness and evil conduct, they deserve to be abandoned +and left to themselves. Well, then, the good Fairy, as +soon as she saw that I was in danger of drowning, sent immediately +an immense shoal of fish, who, believing me really to +be a little dead donkey, began to eat me. And what mouthfuls +they took; I should never have thought that fish were +greedier than boys! Some ate my ears, some my muzzle, others +my neck and mane, some the skin of my legs, some my coat. +Amongst them there was a little fish so polite that he even +condescended to eat my tail."</p> + +<p>"From this time forth," said his purchaser, horrified, "I +swear that I will never touch fish. It would be too dreadful +to open a mullet, or a fried whiting, and to find inside a +donkey's tail!"</p> + +<p>"I agree with you," said the puppet, laughing. "However, +I must tell you that when the fish had finished eating the +donkey's hide that covered me from head to foot, they naturally +reached the bone, or rather the wood, for, as you see, I am +made of the hardest wood. But after giving a few bites they +soon discovered that I was not a morsel for their teeth, and, +disgusted with such indigestible food, they went off, some in +one direction and some in another, without so much as saying +'Thank you' to me. And now, at last, I have told you how +it was that when you pulled up the rope you found a live +puppet instead of a dead donkey."</p> + +<p>"I laugh at your story," cried the man in a rage. "I +know only that I spent two dollars to buy you, and I will +have my money back. Shall I tell you what I will do? I +will take you back to the market and I will sell you by weight +as seasoned wood for lighting fires."</p> + +<p>"Sell me if you like; I am content," said Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>But as he said it he made a spring and plunged into the +water. Swimming gaily away from the shore, he called to his +poor owner:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, master; if you should be in want of a skin to +make a drum, remember me."</p> + +<p>And he laughed and went on swimming, and after a while +he turned again and shouted louder:</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, master; if you should be in want of a little +well seasoned wood for lighting the fire, remember me."</p> + +<p>In the twinkling of an eye he had swum so far off that he +was scarcely visible. All that could be seen of him was a little +black speck on the surface of the sea that from time to time +lifted its legs out of the water and leaped and capered like +a dolphin enjoying himself.</p> + +<p>Whilst Pinocchio was swimming, he knew not whither, he +saw in the midst of the sea a rock that seemed to be made +of white marble, and on the summit there stood a beautiful +little goat who bleated lovingly and made signs to him to +approach.</p> + +<p>But the most singular thing was this. The little goat's +hair, instead of being white or black, or a mixture of two colors +as is usual with other goats, was blue, and a very vivid blue, +greatly resembling the hair of the beautiful Child.</p> + +<p>I leave you to imagine how rapidly poor Pinocchio's heart +began to beat. He swam with redoubled strength and energy +towards the white rock; and he was already half-way there +when he saw, rising up out of the water and coming to meet +him, the horrible head of a sea-monster. His wide-open, cavernous +mouth and his three rows of enormous teeth would have +been terrifying to look at even in a picture.</p> + +<p>And do you know what this sea-monster was?</p> + +<p>This sea-monster was neither more nor less than that +gigantic Dog-Fish, who has been mentioned many times in this +story, and who, for his slaughter and for his insatiable voracity, +had been named the "Attila of Fish and Fishermen."</p> + +<p>Only to think of poor Pinocchio's terror at the sight of +the monster. He tried to avoid it, to change his direction; he +tried to escape, but that immense, wide-open mouth came +towards him with the velocity of an arrow.</p> + +<p>"Be quick, Pinocchio, for pity's sake!" cried the beautiful +little goat, bleating.</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio swam desperately with his arms, his chest, +his legs, and his feet.</p> + +<p>"Quick, Pinocchio, the monster is close upon you!"</p> + +<p>And Pinocchio swam quicker than ever, and flew on with +the rapidity of a ball from a gun. He had nearly reached the +rock, and the little goat, leaning over towards the sea, had +stretched out her fore-legs to help him out of the water!</p> + +<p>But it was too late! The monster had overtaken him and, +drawing in his breath, he sucked in the poor puppet as he +would have sucked a hen's egg; and he swallowed him with +such violence and avidity that Pinocchio, in falling into the +Dog-Fish's stomach, received such a blow that he remained +unconscious for a quarter of an hour afterwards.</p> + +<p>When he came to himself again after the shock he could +not in the least imagine in what world he was. All around +him it was quite dark, and the darkness was so black and so +profound that it seemed to him that he had fallen head downwards +into an inkstand full of ink. He listened, but he +could hear no noise; only from time to time great gusts of +wind blew in his face. At first he could not understand where +the wind came from, but at last he discovered that it came +out of the monster's lungs. For you must know that the +Dog-Fish suffered very much from asthma, and when he +breathed it was exactly as if a north wind was blowing.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio at first tried to keep up his courage, but when +he had one proof after another that he was really shut up in +the body of this sea-monster he began to cry and scream, and +to sob out:</p> + +<p>"Help! help! Oh, how unfortunate I am! Will nobody +come to save me?"</p> + +<p>"Who do you think could save you, unhappy wretch?" +said a voice in the dark that sounded like a guitar out of tune.</p> + +<p>"Who is speaking?" asked Pinocchio, frozen with terror.</p> + +<p>"It is I! I am a poor Tunny who was swallowed by the +Dog-Fish at the same time that you were. And what fish +are you?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing in common with fish. I am a puppet."</p> + +<p>"Then, if you are not a fish, why did you let yourself +be swallowed by the monster?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't let myself be swallowed; it was the monster +swallowed me! And now, what are we to do here in the dark?"</p> + +<p>"Resign ourselves and wait until the Dog-Fish has digested +us both."</p> + +<p>"But I do not want to be digested!" howled Pinocchio, +beginning to cry again.</p> + +<p>"Neither do I want to be digested," added the Tunny; +"but I am enough of a philosopher to console myself by +thinking that when one is born a Tunny it is more dignified +to die in the water than in oil."</p> + +<p>"That is all nonsense!" cried Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"It is my opinion," replied the Tunny, "and opinions, so +say the political Tunnies, ought to be respected."</p> + +<p>"To sum it all up, I want to get away from here. I +want to escape."</p> + +<p>"Escape, if you are able!"</p> + +<p>"Is this Dog-Fish who has swallowed us very big?" asked +the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Big! Why, only imagine, his body is two miles long +without counting his tail."</p> + +<p>Whilst they were holding this conversation in the dark, +Pinocchio thought that he saw a light a long way off.</p> + +<p>"What is that little light I see in the distance?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"It is most likely some companion in misfortune who is +waiting, like us, to be digested."</p> + +<p>"I will go and find him. Do you not think that it may +by chance be some old fish who perhaps could show us how +to escape?"</p> + +<p>"I hope it may be so, with all my heart, dear puppet."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Tunny."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, puppet, and good fortune attend you."</p> + +<p>"Where shall we meet again?"</p> + +<p>"Who can say? It is better not even to think of it!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-189" id="illus-189"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-189.png" +alt="Swallowed by the Dog-Fish" title="Swallowed by the Dog-Fish" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV"></a>CHAPTER XXXV</h3> + +<h2>A HAPPY SURPRISE FOR PINOCCHIO</h2> + + +<p>Pinocchio, having taken leave of his friend the Tunny, +began to grope his way in the dark through the body of +the Dog-Fish, taking a step at a time in the direction of the +light that he saw shining dimly at a great distance.</p> + +<p>The farther he advanced the brighter became the light; +and he walked and walked until at last he reached it; and +when he reached it—what did he find? I will give you a +thousand guesses. He found a little table spread out and on +it a lighted candle stuck into a green glass bottle, and, seated +at the table, was a little old man. He was eating some live +fish, and they were so very much alive that whilst he was +eating them they sometimes even jumped out of his mouth.</p> + +<p>At this sight Pinocchio was filled with such great and +unexpected joy that he became almost delirious. He wanted +to laugh, he wanted to cry, he wanted to say a thousand things, +and instead he could only stammer out a few confused and +broken words. At last he succeeded in uttering a cry of joy, +and, opening his arms, he threw them around the little old +man's neck, and began to shout:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear papa! I have found you at last! I will +never leave you more, never more, never more!"</p> + +<p>"Then my eyes tell me true?" said the little old man, +rubbing his eyes; "then you are really my dear Pinocchio?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I am Pinocchio, really Pinocchio! And you +have quite forgiven me, have you not? Oh, my dear papa, +how good you are! And to think that I, on the contrary—Oh! +but if you only knew what misfortunes have been poured +on my head, and all that has befallen me! Only imagine, the +day that you, poor, dear papa, sold your coat to buy me a +spelling-book, that I might go to school, I escaped to see the +puppet show, and the showman wanted to put me on the fire, +that I might roast his mutton, and he was the same that afterwards +gave me five gold pieces to take them to you, but I +met the Fox and the Cat, who took me to the inn of The +Red Craw-Fish, where they ate like wolves, and I left by +myself in the middle of the night, and I encountered assassins +who ran after me, and I ran away, and they followed, +and I ran, and they always followed me, and I ran, until they +hung me to a branch of a Big Oak, and the beautiful Child +with blue hair sent a little carriage to fetch me, and the doctors +when they saw me said immediately, 'If he is not dead, it is +a proof that he is still alive'—and then by chance I told a lie, +and my nose began to grow until I could no longer get through +the door of the room, for which reason I went with the Fox +and the Cat to bury the four gold pieces, for one I had spent +at the inn, and the Parrot began to laugh, and instead of two +thousand gold pieces I found none left, for which reason the +judge when he heard that I had been robbed had me immediately +put in prison to content the robbers, and then when I +was coming away I saw a beautiful bunch of grapes in a field, +and I was caught in a trap, and the peasant, who was quite +right, put a dog-collar round my neck that I might guard the +poultry-yard, and acknowledging my innocence let me go, and +the Serpent with the smoking tail began to laugh and broke a +blood-vessel in his chest, and so I returned to the house of +the beautiful Child, who was dead, and the Pigeon, seeing that +I was crying, said to me, 'I have seen your father who was +building a little boat to go in search of you,' and I said to +him, 'Oh! if I also had wings,' and he said to me, 'Do you +want to go to your father?' and I said, 'Without doubt! but +who will take me to him?' and he said to me, 'I will take you,' +and I said to him, 'How?' and he said to me, 'Get on my +back,' and so we flew all night, and then in the morning all +the fishermen who were looking out to sea said to me, 'There +is a poor man in a boat who is on the point of being drowned,' +and I recognized you at once, even at that distance, for my +heart told me, and I made signs to you to return to land."</p> + +<p>"I also recognized you," said Geppetto, "and I would +willingly have returned to the shore, but what was I to do! +The sea was tremendous and a great wave upset my boat. +Then a horrible Dog-Fish, who was near, as soon as he saw +me in the water, came towards me, and, putting out his tongue, +took hold of me and swallowed me as if I had been a little +apple tart."</p> + +<p>"And how long have you been shut up here?" asked +Pinocchio.</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="It Would Be More Comfortable on the Tunny's Back"> +<tr><td align='center'><big><b>They Thought It Would Be More<br /> +Comfortable to Get on the Tunny's<br /> +Back</b></big></td> +<td align='center'><a name="illus-193" id="illus-193"></a> +<img src="images/illus-193.png" +alt="It Would Be More Comfortable on the Tunny's Back" title="It Would Be More Comfortable on the Tunny's Back" /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + + + + +<p>"Since that day—it must be nearly two years ago; two +years, my dear Pinocchio, that have seemed like two centuries!"</p> + +<p>"And how have you managed to live? And where did +you get the candle? And the matches to light it? Who gave +them to you?"</p> + +<p>"Stop, and I will tell you everything. You must know, +then, that in the same storm in which my boat was upset a +merchant vessel foundered. The sailors were all saved, but +the vessel went to the bottom, and the Dog-Fish, who had that +day an excellent appetite, after he had swallowed me, swallowed +also the vessel."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"He swallowed it in one mouthful, and the only thing +that he spat out was the mainmast, that had stuck between +his teeth like a fish-bone. Fortunately for me, the vessel was +laden with preserved meat in tins, biscuit, bottles of wine, +dried raisins, cheese, coffee, sugar, candles, and boxes of wax +matches. With this providential supply I have been able to +live for two years. But I have arrived at the end of my +resources; there is nothing left in the larder, and this candle +that you see burning is the last that remains."</p> + +<p>"And after that?"</p> + +<p>"After that, dear boy, we shall both remain in the dark."</p> + +<p>"Then, dear little papa," said Pinocchio, "there is no time +to lose. We must think of escaping."</p> + +<p>"Of escaping? How?"</p> + +<p>"We must escape through the mouth of the Dog-Fish, +throw ourselves into the sea and swim away."</p> + +<p>"You talk well; but, dear Pinocchio, I don't know how +to swim."</p> + +<p>"What does that matter? I am a good swimmer, and +you can get on my shoulders and I will carry you safely +to shore."</p> + +<p>"All illusions, my boy!" replied Geppetto, shaking his +head, with a melancholy smile. "Do you suppose it possible +that a puppet like you, scarcely a yard high, could have the +strength to swim with me on his shoulders!"</p> + +<p>"Try it and you will see!"</p> + +<p>Without another word Pinocchio took the candle in his +hand, and, going in front to light the way, he said to his father:</p> + +<p>"Follow me, and don't be afraid."</p> + +<p>And they walked for some time and traversed the body +and the stomach of the Dog-Fish. But when they had arrived +at the point where the monster's big throat began, they thought +it better to stop to give a good look around and to choose the +best moment for escaping.</p> + +<p>Now, I must tell you that the Dog-Fish, being very old, +and suffering from asthma and palpitation of the heart, was +obliged to sleep with his mouth open. Pinocchio, therefore, +having approached the entrance to his throat, and, looking up, +could see beyond the enormous gaping mouth a large piece of +starry sky and beautiful moonlight.</p> + +<p>"This is the moment to escape," he whispered, turning to +his father; "the Dog-Fish is sleeping like a dormouse, the sea +is calm, and it is as light as day. Follow me, dear papa, and +in a short time we shall be in safety."</p> + +<p>They immediately climbed up the throat of the sea-monster, +and, having reached his immense mouth, they began to +walk on tiptoe down his tongue.</p> + +<p>Before taking the final leap the puppet said to his father:</p> + +<p>"Get on my shoulders and put your arms tightly around +my neck. I will take care of the rest."</p> + +<p>As soon as Geppetto was firmly settled on his son's shoulders, +Pinocchio, feeling sure of himself, threw himself into the +water and began to swim. The sea was as smooth as oil, the +moon shone brilliantly, and the Dog-Fish was sleeping so +profoundly that even a cannonade would have failed to wake +him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><a name="illus-197" id="illus-197"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus-197.png" +alt="The Blind Cat and the Tailless Fox" title="The Blind Cat and the Tailless Fox" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXXVI</h3> + +<h2>PINOCCHIO AT LAST CEASES TO BE A PUPPET +AND BECOMES A BOY</h2> + + +<p>Whilst Pinocchio was swimming quickly towards the +shore he discovered that his father, who was on his +shoulders with his legs in the water, was trembling as violently +as if the poor man had an attack of ague fever.</p> + +<p>Was he trembling from cold or from fear. Perhaps a +little from both the one and the other. But Pinocchio, thinking +it was from fear, said, to comfort him:</p> + +<p>"Courage, papa! In a few minutes we shall be safely +on shore."</p> + +<p>"But where is this blessed shore?" asked the little old man, +becoming still more frightened, and screwing up his eyes as +tailors do when they wish to thread a needle. "I have been +looking in every direction and I see nothing but the sky and +the sea."</p> + +<p>"But I see the shore as well," said the puppet. "You must +know that I am like a cat: I see better by night than by day."</p> + +<p>Poor Pinocchio was making a pretense of being in good +spirits, but in reality he was beginning to feel discouraged; +his strength was failing, he was gasping and panting for breath. +He could do no more, and the shore was still far off.</p> + +<p>He swam until he had no breath left; then he turned his +head to Geppetto and said in broken words?</p> + +<p>"Papa, help me, I am dying!"</p> + +<p>The father and son were on the point of drowning when +they heard a voice like a guitar out of tune saying:</p> + +<p>"Who is it that is dying?"</p> + +<p>"It is I, and my poor father!"</p> + +<p>"I know that voice! You are Pinocchio!"</p> + +<p>"Precisely; and you?"</p> + +<p>"I am the Tunny, your prison companion in the body of +the Dog-Fish."</p> + +<p>"And how did you manage to escape?"</p> + +<p>"I followed your example. You showed me the road, and +I escaped after you."</p> + +<p>"Tunny, you have arrived at the right moment! I implore +you to help us or we are lost."</p> + +<p>"Willingly and with all my heart. You must, both of you, +take hold of my tail and leave it to me to guide you. I will take +you on shore in four minutes."</p> + +<p>Geppetto and Pinocchio, as I need not tell you, accepted +the offer at once; but, instead of holding on by his tail, they +thought it would be more comfortable to get on the Tunny's +back.</p> + +<p>Having reached the shore, Pinocchio sprang first on land +that he might help his father to do the same. He then turned +to the Tunny and said to him in a voice full of emotion:</p> + +<p>"My friend, you have saved my papa's life. I can find +no words with which to thank you properly. Permit me at least +to give you a kiss as a sign of my eternal gratitude!"</p> + +<p>The Tunny put his head out of the water and Pinocchio, +kneeling on the ground, kissed him tenderly on the mouth. At +this spontaneous proof of warm affection, the poor Tunny, +who was not accustomed to it, felt extremely touched, and, +ashamed to let himself be seen crying like a child, he plunged +under the water and disappeared.</p> + +<p>By this time the day had dawned. Pinocchio, then offering +his arm to Geppetto, who had scarcely breath to stand, +said to him:</p> + +<p>"Lean on my arm, dear papa, and let us go. We will +walk very slowly, like the ants, and when we are tired we can +rest by the wayside."</p> + +<p>"And where shall we go?" asked Geppetto.</p> + +<p>"In search of some house or cottage, where they will give +us for charity a mouthful of bread, and a little straw to serve +as a bed."</p> + +<p>They had not gone a hundred yards when they saw by +the roadside two villainous-looking individuals begging.</p> + +<p>They were the Cat and the Fox, but they were scarcely +recognizable. Fancy! the Cat had so long feigned blindness +that she had become blind in reality; and the Fox, old, mangy, +and with one side paralyzed, had not even his tail left. That +sneaking thief, having fallen into the most squalid misery, one +fine day had found himself obliged to sell his beautiful tail to +a traveling peddler, who bought it to drive away flies.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Pinocchio!" cried the Fox, "give a little in charity +to two poor, infirm people."</p> + +<p>"Infirm people," repeated the Cat.</p> + +<p>"Begone, impostors!" answered the puppet. "You took +me in once, but you will never catch me again."</p> + +<p>"Believe me, Pinocchio, we are now poor and unfortunate +indeed!"</p> + +<p>"If you are poor, you deserve it. Recollect the proverb: +'Stolen money never fructifies.' Begone, impostors!"</p> + +<p>And, thus saying, Pinocchio and Geppetto went their way +in peace. When they had gone another hundred yards they +saw, at the end of a path in the middle of the fields, a nice +little straw hut with a roof of tiles and bricks.</p> + +<p>"That hut must be inhabited by some one," said Pinocchio. +"Let us go and knock at the door."</p> + +<p>They went and knocked.</p> + +<p>"We are a poor father and son without bread and without +a roof," answered the puppet.</p> + +<p>"Turn the key and the door will open," said the same +little voice.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio turned the key and the door opened. They +went in and looked here, there, and everywhere, but could see +no one.</p> + +<p>"Oh! where is the master of the house?" said Pinocchio, +much surprised.</p> + +<p>"Here I am, up here!"</p> + +<p>The father and son looked immediately up to the ceiling, +and there on a beam they saw the Talking-Cricket.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear little Cricket!" said Pinocchio, bowing politely +to him.</p> + +<p>"Ah! now you call me 'Your dear little Cricket.' But +do you remember the time when you threw the handle of a +hammer at me, to drive me from your house?"</p> + +<p>"You are right, Cricket! Drive me away also! Throw +the handle of a hammer at me, but have pity on my poor papa."</p> + +<p>"I will have pity on both father and son, but I wished +to remind you of the ill treatment I received from you, to +teach you that in this world, when it is possible, we should +show courtesy to everybody, if we wish it to be extended to +us in our hour of need."</p> + +<p>"You are right. Cricket, you are right, and I will bear +in mind the lesson you have given me. But tell me how you +managed to buy this beautiful hut."</p> + +<p>"This hut was given to me yesterday by a goat whose +wool was of a beautiful blue color."</p> + +<p>"And where has the goat gone?" asked Pinocchio, with +lively curiosity.</p> + +<p>"I do not know."</p> + +<p>"And when will it come back?"</p> + +<p>"It will never come back. It went away yesterday in +great grief and, bleating, it seemed to say: 'Poor Pinocchio! +I shall never see him more, for by this time the Dog-Fish +must have devoured him!'"</p> + +<p>"Did it really say that? Then it was she! It was my +dear little Fairy," exclaimed Pinocchio, crying and sobbing.</p> + +<p>When he had cried for some time he dried his eyes and +prepared a comfortable bed of straw for Geppetto to lie down +upon. Then he asked the Cricket:</p> + +<p>"Tell me, little Cricket, where can I find a tumbler of +milk for my poor papa?"</p> + +<p>"Three fields off from here there lives a gardener called +Giangio, who keeps cows. Go to him and you will get the +milk you are in want of."</p> + +<p>Pinocchio ran all the way to Giangio's house, and the +gardener asked him:</p> + +<p>"How much milk do you want?"</p> + +<p>"I want a tumblerful."</p> + +<p>"A tumbler of milk costs five cents. Begin by giving +me the five cents."</p> + +<p>"I have not even one cent," replied Pinocchio, grieved and +mortified.</p> + +<p>"That is bad, puppet," answered the gardener. "If you +have not even one cent, I have not even a drop of milk."</p> + +<p>"I must have patience!" said Pinocchio, and he turned +to go.</p> + +<p>"Wait a little," said Giangio. "We can come to an arrangement +together. Will you undertake to turn the pumping +machine?"</p> + +<p>"What is the pumping machine?"</p> + +<p>"It is a wooden pole which serves to draw up the water +from the cistern to water the vegetables."</p> + +<p>"You can try me."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, if you will draw a hundred buckets of water, +I will give you in compensation a tumbler of milk."</p> + +<p>"It is a bargain."</p> + +<p>Giangio then led Pinocchio to the kitchen garden and +taught him how to turn the pumping machine. Pinocchio +immediately began to work; but before he had drawn up the +hundred buckets of water the perspiration was pouring from +his head to his feet. Never before had he undergone such +fatigue.</p> + +<p>"Up till now," said the gardener, "the labor of turning +the pumping machine was performed by my little donkey, but +the poor animal is dying."</p> + +<p>"Will you take me to see him?" said Pinocchio.</p> + +<p>"Willingly."</p> + +<p>When Pinocchio went into the stable he saw a beautiful +little donkey stretched on the straw, worn out from hunger +and overwork. After looking at him earnestly, he said to +himself, much troubled:</p> + +<p>"I am sure I know this little donkey! His face is not +new to me."</p> + +<p>And, bending over him, he asked him in asinine language:</p> + +<p>"Who are you?"</p> + +<p>At this question the little donkey opened his dying eyes, +and answered in broken words in the same language:</p> + +<p>"I am—Can—dle—wick."</p> + +<p>And, having again closed his eyes, he expired.</p> + +<p>"Oh, poor Candlewick!" said Pinocchio in a low voice; +and, taking a handful of straw, he dried a tear that was rolling +down his face.</p> + +<p>"Do you grieve for a donkey that cost you nothing?" said +the gardener. "What must it be to me, who bought him for +ready money?"</p> + +<p>"I must tell you—he was my friend!"</p> + +<p>"Your friend?"</p> + +<p>"One of my school-fellows!"</p> + +<p>"How?" shouted Giangio, laughing loudly. "How? had +you donkeys for school-fellows? I can imagine what wonderful +studies you must have made!"</p> + +<p>The puppet, who felt much mortified at these words, did +not answer; but, taking his tumbler of milk, still quite warm, +he returned to the hut.</p> + +<p>And from that day for more than five months he continued +to get up at daybreak every morning to go and turn the +pumping machine, to earn the tumbler of milk that was of +such benefit to his father in his bad state of health. Nor was +he satisfied with this; for, during the time that he had over, +he learned to make hampers and baskets of rushes, and with +the money he obtained by selling them he was able with great +economy to provide for all the daily expenses. Amongst other +things he constructed an elegant little wheel-chair, in which +he could take his father out on fine days to breathe a mouthful +of fresh air.</p> + +<p>By his industry, ingenuity and his anxiety to work and +to overcome difficulties, he not only succeeded in maintaining +his father, who continued infirm, in comfort, but he also contrived +to put aside five dollars to buy himself a new coat.</p> + +<p>One morning he said to his father:</p> + +<p>"I am going to the neighboring market to buy myself a +jacket, a cap, and a pair of shoes. When I return," he added, +laughing, "I shall be so well dressed that you will take me +for a fine gentleman."</p> + +<p>And, leaving the house, he began to run merrily and +happily along. All at once he heard himself called by name +and, turning around, he saw a big Snail crawling out from +the hedge.</p> + +<p>"Do you not know me?" asked the Snail.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me—and yet I am not sure—"</p> + +<p>"Do you not remember the Snail who was lady's-maid to +the Fairy with blue hair? Do you not remember the time +when I came downstairs to let you in, and you were caught +by your foot, which you had stuck through the house-door?"</p> + +<p>"I remember it all" shouted Pinocchio. "Tell me quickly, +my beautiful little Snail, where have you left my good Fairy? +What is she doing? Has she forgiven me? Does she still remember +me? Does she still wish me well? Is she far from here? Can +I go and see her?"</p> + +<p>To all these rapid, breathless questions the Snail replied in +her usual phlegmatic manner:</p> + +<p>"My dear Pinocchio, the poor Fairy is lying in bed at the +hospital!"</p> + +<p>"At the hospital?"</p> + +<p>"It is only too true. Overtaken by a thousand misfortunes, +she has fallen seriously ill, and she has not even enough +to buy herself a mouthful of bread."</p> + +<p>"Is it really so? Oh, what sorrow you have given me! +Oh, poor Fairy! Poor Fairy! Poor Fairy! If I had a million +I would run and carry it to her, but I have only five dollars. +Here they are—I was going to buy a new coat. Take them, +Snail, and carry them at once to my good Fairy."</p> + +<p>"And your new coat?"</p> + +<p>"What matters my new coat? I would sell even these +rags that I have on to be able to help her. Go, Snail, and +be quick; and in two days return to this place, for I hope I +shall then be able to give you some more money. Up to this +time I have worked to maintain my papa; from today I will +work five hours more that I may also maintain my good +mamma. Good-bye, Snail, I shall expect you in two days."</p> + +<p>The Snail, contrary to her usual habits, began to run like +a lizard in a hot August sun.</p> + +<p>That evening Pinocchio, instead of going to bed at ten +o'clock, sat up till midnight had struck; and instead of making +eight baskets of rushes he made sixteen.</p> + +<p>Then he went to bed and fell asleep. And whilst he +slept he thought that he saw the Fairy, smiling and beautiful, +who, after having kissed him, said to him:</p> + +<p>"Well done, Pinocchio! To reward you for your good +heart I will forgive you for all that is past. Boys who minister +tenderly to their parents and assist them in their misery and +infirmities, are deserving of great praise and affection, even if +they cannot be cited as examples of obedience and good behavior. +Try and do better in the future and you will be happy."</p> + +<p>At this moment his dream ended and Pinocchio opened +his eyes and awoke.</p> + +<p>But imagine his astonishment when upon awakening he +discovered that he was no longer a wooden puppet, but that +he had become instead a boy, like all other boys. He gave a +glance round and saw that the straw walls of the hut had +disappeared, and that he was in a pretty little room furnished +and arranged with a simplicity that was almost elegance. Jumping +out of bed he found a new suit of clothes ready for him, +a new cap, and a pair of new boots, that fitted him beautifully.</p> + +<p>He was hardly dressed when he naturally put his hands +in his pockets and pulled out a little ivory purse on which +these words were written: "The Fairy with blue hair returns +the five dollars to her dear Pinocchio, and thanks him for his +good heart." He opened the purse and instead of five dollars +he saw fifty shining gold pieces fresh from the mint.</p> + +<p>He then went and looked at himself in the glass, and he +thought he was some one else. For he no longer saw the +usual reflection of a wooden puppet; he was greeted instead +by the image of a bright, intelligent boy with chestnut hair, +blue eyes, and looking as happy and joyful as if it were the +Easter holidays.</p> + +<p>In the midst of all these wonders succeeding each other, +Pinocchio felt quite bewildered, and he could not tell if he +was really awake or if he was dreaming with his eyes open.</p> + +<p>"Where can my papa be?" he exclaimed suddenly, and, +going into the next room, he found old Geppetto quite well, +lively, and in good humor, just as he had been formerly. He +had already resumed his trade of wood-carving, and he was +designing a rich and beautiful frame of leaves, flowers and +the heads of animals.</p> + +<p>"Satisfy my curiosity, dear papa," said Pinocchio, throwing +his arms around his neck and covering him with kisses; +"how can this sudden change be accounted for?"</p> + +<p>"This sudden change in our home is all your doing," answered +Geppetto.</p> + +<p>"How my doing?"</p> + +<p>"Because when boys who have behaved badly turn over +a new leaf and become good, they have the power of bringing +contentment and happiness to their families."</p> + +<p>"And where has the old wooden Pinocchio hidden himself?"</p> + +<p>"There he is," answered Geppetto, and he pointed to a +big puppet leaning against a chair, with its head on one side, +its arms dangling, and its legs so crossed and bent that it was +really a miracle that it remained standing.</p> + +<p>Pinocchio turned and looked at it; and, after he had +looked at it for a short time, he said to himself with great +complacency:</p> + +<p>"How ridiculous I was when I was a puppet! And how +glad I am that I have become a well-behaved little boy!"</p> +<hr style="width: 95%;" /> + +<h4>Transcriber's Note:</h4> + +<p class="tnote">The untitled illustration on page 26 was not listed in the List of +Illustrations of the source book.</p> + +<p class="tnote">In several cases, missing punctuation was added or wrong punctuation +removed.</p> + +<p class="tnote">The following typos were fixed:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;"> thouand to thousand</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;"> Harelquin to Harlequin</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;"> pretrified to petrified</span></p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pinocchio, by C. Collodi + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PINOCCHIO *** + +***** This file should be named 16865-h.htm or 16865-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/8/6/16865/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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