The story of a puppet : or The adventures of Pinocchio

Story of a Puppet

7"fe

to

XJoocLuarcl

"Date

\ Z^Clvt

o »

THE ADVENTURES

OF

PINOCCHIO

THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY.

THE BROWN OWL.

THE CHINA CUP, AND OTHER STORIES.

STORIES FROM FAIRYLAND.

THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO.

THE LITTLE PRINCESS.

THE

STORY OF A PUPPET

OR

THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

BY C. COLLODI

TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN BY

M. A. MURRAY

ILLUSTRATED BY C. MAZZAttTI

LONDON

T. FISHER UNWIN
1892

i

How it came to pass that Master Cherry
the carpenter found a piece of wood that
laughed and cried like a child.

THERE was once upon a time . . .

' A king 1 ' my little readers will instantly
exclaim.

No, children, you are wrong. There
was once upon a time a piece of wood.

This wood was not valuable : it was only
a common log like those that are burnt in
winter in the stoves and fireplaces to make
a cheerful blaze and warm the rooms.

I cannot say how it came about, but the
fact is, that one fine day this piece of wood
was lying in the shop of an old carpenter of
B

2 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

the name of Master Antonio. He was, how-
ever, called by everybody Master Cherry, on
account of the end of his nose, which was
always as red and polished as a ripe cherry.

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 :

'This wood has come at the right mo-
ment ; it will just do to make the leg of a
little table.'

Having said this he immediately took a
sharp axe with which to remove the bark
and the rough surface. Just, however, as he
was going to give the first stroke he remained
with his arm suspended in the air, for he
heard a very small voice saying imploringly,
{ Do not strike me so hard ! '

Picture to yourselves the astonishment of
good old Master Cherry !

He turned his terrified eyes all round 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 ?

* I see how it is,' he said, laughing and
scratching his wig ; ' evidently that little voice

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 3

was all my imagination. Let us set to work
again.'

And taking up the axe he struck a tremen-
dous blow on the piece of wood.

* Oh ! oh ! you have hurt me ! ' cried the
same little voice dolefully.

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 :

* But where on earth can that little voice
have come from that said Oh ! oh ! ? . . .
Here there is certainly not a living soul.
Is it possible that this piece of wood can
have learnt to cry and to lament like a child ?
I cannot believe it. This piece of wood,
here it is ; 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 any one be hidden inside it ? If any
one is hidden inside, so much the worse
for him. I will settle him at once.'

So saying, he seized the poor piece of
wood and commenced beating it without
mercy against the walls of the room.

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 !

4 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 1 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.'

But as all the same he was in a great
fright, he tried to sing to give himself a little
courage.

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 :

' Have done ! you are tickling me all
over ! '

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.

His face was quite changed, even the end
of his nose, instead of being crimson, as it
was nearly always, had become blue from
fright.

II

Master Cherry makes a present of the piece
of wood to his friend Geppetto, who
takes it to make for himself a wonderful
puppet^ that shall know how to dance,
and to fence, and to leap like an acrobat.

AT that moment some one knocked at the
door.

4 Come in,' said the carpenter, without
having the strength to rise to his feet.

A lively little old man immediately walked
into the shop. His name was Geppetto,
but when the boys of the neighbourhood
wished to put him in a passion they called
him by the nickname of Polendina,1 because

1 Polendina. In Italian, pudding of Indian corn.

6 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

his yellow wig greatly resembled a pudding
made of Indian corn.

Geppetto was very fiery. Woe to him
who called him Polendina ! He became
furious, and there was no holding him.

' Good day, Master Antonio,' said
Geppetto ; ' what are you doing there on
the floor ? '

1 1 am teaching the alphabet to the ants.'

' Much good may that do you.'

' What has brought you to me, neighbour
Geppetto ? '

' My legs. But to say the truth, Master
Antonio, I am come to ask a favour of
you.'

' Here I am, ready to serve you,' replied
the carpenter, getting on to his knees.

' This morning an idea came into my
head.'

' Let us hear it.'

* I thought I would make a beautiful
wooden puppet ; but a wonderful puppet
that should know how to dance, to fence,
and to 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 ? '

1 Bravo, Polendina ! ' exclaimed the same
little voice, and it was impossible to say
where it came from.

Hearing himself called Polendina Gep-
petto became as red as a turkey-cock from

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 7

rage, and turning to the carpenter he said
in a fury :

' Why do you insult me ? '

' Who insults you ? '

' You called me Polendina ! . . . ;

' It was not I ! '

' Would you have it, then, that it was
I ? It was you, I say ! '

1 No ! '

1 Yes ! '

< No ! '

' Yes ! '

And becoming more and more angry,
from words they came to blows, and flying
at each other they bit, and fought, and
scratched manfully.

When the fight was over Master Antonio
was in possession of Geppetto's yellow wig,
and Geppetto discovered that the gray wig
belonging to the carpenter had remained
between his teeth.

' Give me back my wig,' screamed
Master Antonio.

1 And you, return me mine, and let us
make friends.'

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.

' Well then, neighbour Geppetto,' said the
carpenter, to prove that peace was made,
4 what is the favour that you wish of me ? '

8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' I want a little wood to make my
puppet ; will you give me some ? '

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 its force against the
dried-up shins of poor Geppetto.

' Ah ! is that the courteous way in which
you make your presents, Master Antonio ?
You have almost lamed me ! . . .'

' I swear to you that it was not I ! . . .'

'Then you would have it that it was
I ? . . .'

' The wood is entirely to blame ! . . .'

' I know that it was the wood ; but it
was you that hit my legs with it ! . . .'

' I did not hit you with it ! . . .'

1 Liar ! '

' Geppetto, don't insult me or I will call
you Polendina ! . . .'

' Ass ! '

' Polendina ! '

' Donkey ! '

' Polendina ! '

' Baboon ! '

' Polendina ! '

On hearing himself called Polendina for the
third time Geppetto, blind with rage, fell upon
the carpenter and they fought desperately.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 9

When the battle was over, Master
Antonio had two more scratches on his
nose, and his adversary had two buttons
too little on his waistcoat. Their accounts
being thus squared they shook hands, and
swore to remain good friends for the rest of
their lives.

Geppetto carried off his fine piece of
wood, and thanking Master Antonio re-
turned limping to his house.

Ill

Geppetto having returned home begins at
once to make a puppet, to which he gives
the name of Pinocchio. The first tricks
played by the puppet.

GEPPETTO lived in a small ground -floor
room that was only lighted from the stair-
case. The furniture could not have been
simpler, — a bad 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.

As soon as he reached home Geppetto
took his tools and set to work to cut out and
model his puppet.

' 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,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO n

and Pinocchi the children, and all of them
did well. The richest of them was a
beggar.'

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.

The eyes being finished, imagine his
astonishment when he perceived that they
moved and looked fixedly at him.

Geppetto seeing himself stared at by those
two wooden eyes took it almost in bad part,
and said in an angry voice :

' Wicked wooden eyes, why do you look
at me ? '

No one answered.

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.

Poor Geppetto tired himself out with cut-
ting it off; but the more he cut and shortened
it, the longer did that impertinent nose be-
come !

The mouth was not even completed when
it began to laugh and deride him.

4 Stop laughing !' said Geppetto, provoked ;
but he might as well have spoken to the wall.

' Stop laughing, I say ! ' he roared in a
threatening tone.

12 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

The mouth then ceased laughing, but put
out its tongue as far as it would go.

Geppetto, not to spoil his handiwork, pre-
tended not to see, and continued his labours.
After the mouth he fashioned the chin, then
the throat, then the shoulders, the stomach,
the arms and the hands.

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.

4 Pinocchio ! . . . Give me back my wig
instantly ! '

But Pinocchio, instead of returning it, put
it on his own head, and was in consequence
nearly smothered.

Geppetto at this insolent and derisive be-
haviour felt sadder and more melancholy
than he had ever been in his life before ;
and turning to Pinocchio he said to him :

' 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 ! '

And he dried a tear.

The legs and the feet remained to be
done.

When Geppetto had finished the feet he
received a kick on the point of his nose.

'I deserve it!' he said to himself; 'I
should have thought of it sooner ! Now it
is too late ! '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 13

He then took the puppet under the arms
and placed him on the floor to teach him to
walk.

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.

When his legs became flexible 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.

Poor Geppetto rushed after him but was
not able to overtake him, for that rascal
Pinocchio leapt 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.

* Stop him ! stop him ! ' shouted Geppetto ;
but the people in the street, seeing a wooden
puppet running like a racehorse, stood still
in astonishment to look at it, and laughed,
and laughed, and laughed, until it beats
description.

At last, as good luck would have it, a
carabineer 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 stop-
ping him, and thus preventing the chance of
worse disasters.

When Pinocchio, still at some distance,

i4 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

saw the carabineer barricading the whole
street, he endeavoured to take him by sur-
prise and to pass between his legs. But he
failed signally.

The carabineer without disturbing himself
in the least caught him cleverly by the nose
— it was an immense nose of ridiculous pro-
portions that seemed made on purpose to be
laid hold of by carabineers — and consigned
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 ? It was that, in his hurry to
model him, he had forgotten to make them.

He then took him by the collar, and as he
was leading him away he said to him, shaking
his head threateningly :

' We will go home at once, and as soon as
we arrive we will regulate our accounts, never
doubt it.'

At this announcement 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 round them.

Some of them said one thing, some
another.

' Poor puppet ! ' said several, ' he is right
not to wish to return home ! Who knows
how Geppetto, that bad old man, will beat
him ! . . .'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 15

And the others added maliciously :

' 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 cap-
able of tearing him in pieces ! . . .'

It ended in so much being said and done
that the carabineer at last set Pinocchio at
liberty and conducted 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 :

' Wretched boy ! And to think how I
have laboured to make him a well-conducted
puppet ! But it serves me right ! I should
have thought of it sooner ! . . .'

What happened afterwards is a story that
really is past all belief, but I will relate it to
you in the following chapters.

IV

The story of Pinocchio and the Talking-
cricket ', from which we see that naughty
boys cannot endure to be corrected by
those who know more than they do.

WELL then, children, I
must tell you that whilst
poor Geppetto was being
taken to prison for no
fault of his, that imp
Pinocchio, finding him-
self free from the clutches
of the carabineer, 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, exactly as a kid
or a leveret would have done if pursued
by hunters.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 17

Having arrived at the house he found the
street door ajar. He pushed it open, went
in, and having secured the latch threw
himself seated on the ground and gave a
great sigh of satisfaction.

But his satisfaction did not last long, for
he heard some one in the room who was
saying :

< Cri-cri-cri ! '

{ Who calls me ? ' said Pinocchio in a
fright.

< It is I ! '

Pinocchio turned round and saw a big
cricket crawling slowly up the wall.

c Tell me, Cricket, who may you be ? '

' I am the Talking-cricket, and I have
lived in this room a hundred years and
more. '

' Now, however, this room is mine,' said
the puppet, ' and if you would do me a
pleasure go away at once, without even turn-
ing round.'

1 I will not go,' answered the Cricket, ' until
I have told you a great truth.'

* Tell it me, then, and be quick about it.'

' Woe to those boys who rebel against
their parents, and run away capriciously
from home. They will never come to any
good in the world, and sooner or later they
will repent bitterly.'

' Sing away, Cricket, as you please, and
as long as you please. For me, I have
c

i8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

made up my mind to run away to-morrow
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.'

' 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 game of you ? '

' Hold your tongue, you wicked ill-omened
croaker ! ' shouted Pinocchio.

But the Cricket, who was patient and
philosophical, instead of becoming angry at
this impertinence, continued in the same
tone :

' 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 ! '

' 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.'

* And that trade — what is it ? '

r It is to eat, drink, sleep, and amuse
myself, and to lead a vagabond life from
morning to night.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 19

1 As a rule,' said the Talking-cricket with
the same composure, ' all those who follow
that trade end almost always either in a
hospital or in prison.'

' Take care, you wicked ill - omened
croaker ! . . . Woe to you if I fly into a
passion ! . . .'

' Poor Pinocchio ! I really pity you ! . . .'

' Why do you pity me ? '

' Because you are a puppet and, what is
worse, because you have a wooden head.'

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.

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.

Pinocchio is hungry and searches for an egg
to make himself an omelet; but just at
the most interesting moment the omelet
flies out of the window.

NIGHT was coming on, and Pinocchio, re-
membering that he had eaten nothing all
day, began to feel a gnawing in his stomach
that very much resembled appetite.

But appetite with boys travels quickly, and
in fact after a few minutes his appetite had
become hunger, and in no time his hunger
became ravenous — a hunger that was really
quite insupportable.

Poor Pinocchio ran quickly to the fire-
place 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 fingers.

He then began to run about the room,
searching in the drawers and in every

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 21

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 mouldy
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.

And in the meanwhile his hunger grew
and grew ; and 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 was going to
faint.

Then he began to cry desperately, and he
said :

'The Talking -cricket was right. I did
wrong to rebel against my papa and to run
away from home. ... If my papa was here
I should not now be dying of yawning ! Oh !
what a dreadful illness hunger is ! '

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.

Pinocchio's joy beats description ; it can
only be imagined. 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 :

' And now, how shall I cook it ? Shall I

22 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

make an omelet ? ... No, it would be
better to cook it in a saucer ! ... Or would
it not be more savoury 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 ! '

Without loss of time he placed an earthen-
ware 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 that the contents might
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 :

' 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 ! '

Thus saying it spread its wings, darted
through the open window, and flying away
was lost to sight.

The poor puppet stood as if he had been
bewitched, with his eyes fixed, his mouth
open, and the egg-shell in his hand. Re-
covering, 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 :

4 Ah ! indeed the Talking - cricket was
right. If I had not run away from home,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 23

and if my papa was here, I should not now
be dying of hunger ! Oh ! what a dreadful
illness hunger is ! . . .'

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 neighbourhood in
hopes of finding some charitable person who
would give him a piece of bread.

VI

Pinocchio falls asleep with his feet on the
brazier^ and wakes in the morning to
find them burnt off.

IT was a wild and stormy winter's night.
The thunder was tremendous and the light-
ning so vivid that the sky seemed on fire.
A bitter blusterous wind whistled angrily,
and raising clouds of dust swept over the
country, causing the trees to creak and groan
as it passed.

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.

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.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 25

Pinocchio, urged by desperation and
hunger, laid hold of the bell of a house and
began to peal it with all his might, saying to
himself :

* That will bring somebody.'

And so it did. A little old man appeared
at a window with a nightcap on his head,
and called to him angrily :

' What do you want at such an hour ? '
' Would you be kind enough to give me a
little bread ? '

* Wait there, I will be back directly,' said
the little old man, thinking he had to do with
one of those rascally boys who amuse them-
selves at night by ringing the house bells to
rouse respectable people who are sleeping
quietly.

After half a minute the window was again
opened, and the voice of the same little old
man shouted to Pinocchio :

* Come underneath and hold out your
cap.'

Pinocchio pulled off his cap ; but just as
he held it out an enormous basin of water
was poured down on him, watering him from
head to foot as if he had been a pot of dried-
up geraniums.

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.

26 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

And then he fell asleep ; and whilst he
slept his feet, which were wooden, took fire,
and little by little they burnt away and be-
came cinders.

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.

' Who is there ? ' he asked, yawning and
rubbing his eyes.

' It is I ! ' answered a voice.

And the voice was Geppetto's voice.

VII

Geppetto returns home, makes tl

new feet) and gives him the breakfast
that the poor man had brought for
himself.

POOR Pinocchio, whose eyes were still halt
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.

And the noise he made in falling was as
if a sack of wooden ladles had been thrown
from a fifth story.

28 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Open the door ! ' shouted Geppetto from
the street.

* Dear papa, I cannot,' answered the
puppet, crying and rolling about on the
ground.

* Why cannot you ? '

' Because my feet have been eaten.3
' And who has eaten your feet ? '
' The 'cat,' said Pinocchio, seeing the cat,
who was amusing herself by making some
shavings dance with her forepaws.

' 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 ! '

* 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 ! . . .'

Geppetto, believing that all this lamenta-
tion 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.

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 :

1 My little Pinocchio ! how did you
manage to burn your feet ? '

* I don't know, papa, but believe me it

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 29

has been an infernal night that I shall
remember 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 nightcap opening the
window said to me : " Come underneath
and hold out your hat, " and poured a basin-
ful 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! Ih! Ih ! Ih ! Ih ! . . .' And poor
Pinocchio began to cry and to roar so loudly
that he was heard five miles off.

Geppetto, who from all this jumbled
account had only understood one thing,
which was that the puppet was dying of

30 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

hunger, drew from his pocket three pears,
and giving them to him said :

1 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.'

' If you wish me to eat them, be kind
enough to peel them for me.'

' 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 ! . . .'

'You are no doubt right,' interrupted
Pinocchio, 'but I will never eat fruit that
has not been peeled. I cannot bear rind.'

So that good Geppetto fetched a knife,
and arming himself with patience peeled the
three pears, and put the rind on a corner
of the table.

Having eaten the first pear in two mouth-
fuls, Pinocchio was about to throw away the
core ; but Geppetto caught hold of his arm
and said to him :

' Do not throw it away ; in this world
everything may be of use.'

* But core I am determined I will not eat,'
shouted the puppet, turning upon him like a
viper.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 31

' Who knows ! there are so many
chances ! . . .' repeated Geppetto without
losing his temper.

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.

Having eaten, or rather having devoured
the three pears, Pinocchio yawned tremen-
dously, and then said in a fretful tone :

1 1 am as hungry as ever ! '

« But, my boy, I have nothing more to
give you ! '

' Nothing, really nothing ? '

* I have only the rind and the cores of the
three pears.'

' One must have patience ! ' said
Pinocchio ; ' if there is nothing else I will
eat a rind.'

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 :

' Ah ! now I feel comfortable.'

1 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 ! . . .'

VIII

Geppetto makes Pinocchio new feet, and sells
his own coat to buy him a Spelling-book.

No sooner had the puppet appeased his
hunger than he began to cry and to grumble
because he wanted a pair of new feet.

But Geppetto, to punish him for his
naughtiness, allowed him to cry and to despair
for half the day. He then said to him :

* Why should I make you new feet ? To
enable you, perhaps, to escape again from
home ? '

' 1 promise you,' said the puppet, sobbing,
' that for the future I will be good.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 33

1 All boys,' replied Geppetto, ' when they
are bent upon obtaining something, say the
same thing.'

* I promise you that I will go to school,
and that I will study and earn a good
character.'

{ All boys, when they are bent on obtaining
something, repeat the same story.'

' 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 consola-
tion and the staff of your old age.'

Geppetto, although he put on a severe face,
had his eyes full of tears and his heart big
with sorrow at seeing his poor Pinocchio in
such a pitiable state. He did not say an-
other word, but taking his tools and two
small pieces of well-seasoned wood he set
to work with great diligence.

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.

Geppetto then said to the puppet :

' Shut your eyes and go to sleep ! '

And Pinocchio shut his eyes and pretended
to be asleep.

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

34 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO

trace could be seen of where they were
joined.

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.

' To reward you for what you have done
for me,' said Pinocchio to his father, c I will
go to school at once.'

' Good boy.'

I But to go to school I shall want some
clothes.'

Geppetto, who was poor, and who had not
so much as a farthing 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.

Pinocchio ran immediately to look at him-
self in a crock of water, and he was so
pleased with his appearance that he said,
strutting about like a peacock :

I 1 look quite like a gentleman ! '

'Yes indeed,' answered Geppetto, 'for
bear in mind that it is not fine clothes that
make the gentleman, but rather clean
clothes.'

' By the bye,' added the puppet, ' to go to
school I am still in want — indeed I am with-
out the best thing, and the most important.'

f And what is it ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 35

'I have no Spelling-book.'

* You are right : but what shall we do to
get one ? '

* It is quite easy. We have only to go to
the bookseller's and buy it.'

' And the money ? '
' I have got none.'

* No more have I,' added the good old
man very sadly.

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.

' Well, patience ! ' exclaimed Geppetto, all
at once rising to his feet, and putting on his
old fustian coat, all patched and darned, he
ran out of the house.

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 snow-
ing.

* And the coat, papa ? '
' I have sold it.'

< Why did you sell it ? '

1 Because I found it too hot.'

Pinocchio understood this answer in an
instant, and unable to restrain the impulse
of his good heart he sprang up, and throw-
ing his arms round Geppetto's neck he
began kissing him again and again.

IX

Pinocchio sells his Spelling-book that he may
go and see a puppet-show.

As soon as it had done 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.
And talking to himself he said :
' To-day at school I will learn to read at
once ; then to-morrow I will begin to write,
and the day after to-morrow to cipher.
Then with my acquirements I will earn a
great deal of money, and with the first
money I have in my pocket I will im-
mediately buy for my papa a beautiful new
cloth coat. But what am I saying ? Cloth,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 37

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 ! . . .'

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-fi-fi, fi-fi-fi, zum,
zum, zum, zum.

He stopped and listened. The sounds
came from the end of a cross street that
took to a little village on the seashore.

' What can that music be ? What a pity
that I have to go to school, or else . . .'

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 ?

* To-day I will go and hear the fifes,
and to-morrow I will go to school,' finally
decided the young scapegrace, shrugging his
shoulders.

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.

At last he found himself in the middle of
a square quite full of people, who were all
crowding round a building made of wood
and canvas, and painted a thousand colours.

38 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' What is that building ? ' asked Pinocchio,
turning to a little boy who belonged to the
place.

' Read the placard — it is all written — and
then you will know.'

1 1 would read it willingly, but it so
happens that to-day I don't know how to
read.'

' Bravo, blockhead ! Then I will read it
to you. The writing on that placard in
those letters red as fire is :

'GREAT PUPPET THEATRE.'

* Has the play begun long ? '

* It is beginning now.'

' How much does it cost to go in ? '

* Twopence.'

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 :

'Would you lend me twopence until
to-morrow ? '

' I would lend them to you willingly,' said
the other, taking him off, ' but it so happens
that to-day I cannot give them to you.'

1 1 will sell you my jacket for twopence,'
the puppet then said to him.

* What do you think that I could do with
a jacket of flowered paper ? If there was
rain and it got wet, it would be impossible
to get it off my back.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 39

f Will you buy my shoes ? '

* They would only be of use to light the
fire.'

'How much will you give me for my
cap ?'

' 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.'

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 :

1 Will you give me twopence for this new
Spelling-book ? '

4 1 am a boy and I don't buy from boys,
replied his little interlocutor, who had much
more sense than he had.

' I will buy the Spelling-book for two-
pence,' called out a hawker of old clothes,
who had been listening to the conversation.

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, that he might buy his son
a Spelling-book !

X

The puppets recognise their brother Pinocchio ,
and receive him with delight; but at that
moment their master Fire-eater makes his
appearance and Pinocchio is in danger of
coming to a bad end.

WHEN Pinocchio came into the little puppet
theatre, an incident occurred that almost
produced a revolution.

I must tell you that the curtain was drawn
up, and the play had already begun.

On the stage Harlequin and Punchinello
were as usual quarrelling with each other,
and threatening every moment to come to
blows.

The audience, all attention, laughed till
they were ill as they listened to the bicker-

ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO 41

ings of these two puppets, who gesticulated
and abused each other so naturally that
they might have been two reasonable beings,
and two persons of the world.

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 :

' Gods of the firmament ! do I dream, or am
I awake ? But surely that is Pinocchio! . . .'

' It is indeed Pinocchio !' cried Punchinello.

' It is indeed himself ! ' screamed Miss
Rose, peeping from behind the scenes.

' 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 ! . . . '

* Pinocchio, come up here to me,' cried
Harlequin, ' and throw yourself into the arms
of your wooden brothers ! '

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.

The embraces, the hugs, 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 beat de-
scription.

42 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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 ! '

It was all breath thrown away. The
puppets, instead of continuing the recital,
redoubled their noise and outcries, and put-
ting Pinocchio on their shoulders they carried
him in triumph before the footlights.

At that moment out came the showman.
He was very big, and so ugly that the sight
of him was enough to frighten any one. 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.

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.

* Why have you come to raise a disturb-
ance in my theatre ? ' asked the showman
of Pinocchio, in the gruff voice of a hob-
goblin suffering from a severe cold in the
head.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 43

' Believe me, honoured sir, that it was not
my fault ! . . .'

' That is enough ! To-night we will settle
our accounts.'

As soon as the play was over the show-
man 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 Pun-
chinello, and said to them :

' 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 was thrown on the fire he would
make a beautiful blaze for the roast.'

At first Harlequin and Punchinello hesi-
tated ; 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 desper-
ately : ' Papa ! papa 1 save me ! I will not
die, I will not die ! . . .'

XI

Fire-eater sneezes and pardons Pinocchio,
who then saves the life of his friend
Harlequin.

THE showman Fire-eater — for that was his
name — looked, I must say, a terrible 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 scream-
ing « 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, Har-

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 45

lequin, 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 :

' Good news, brother. The showman has
sneezed, and that is a sign that he pities you,
and consequently you are saved.'

For you must know that whilst 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 sneez-
ing.

After he had sneezed the showman, still
acting the ruffian, shouted to Pinocchio :

{ Have done crying ! Your lamentations
have given me a pain in my stomach. . . .
I feel a spasm, that almost . . . Etci ! etci ! '
and he sneezed again twice.

' Bless you ! ' said Pinocchio.

' Thank you ! And your papa and your
mamma, are they still alive ? ' asked Fire-
eater.

* Papa, yes : my mamma I have never
known.'

* Who can say what a sorrow it would be
for your poor old father if I was to have you
thrown amongst those burning coals ! Poor
old man ! I compassionate him ! . . . Etci !
etci ! etci !' and he sneezed again three times.

' Bless you ! ' said Pinocchio.

46 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Thank you ! All the same, some compas-
sion 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 ! '

At this call two wooden gendarmes im-
mediately appeared. They were very long
and very thin, and had on cocked hats, and
held unsheathed swords in their hands.

The showman said to them in a hoarse
voice :

' Take Harlequin, bind him securely, and
then throw him on the fire to burn. I am
determined that my mutton shall be well
roasted.'

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.

At this agonising 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 :

' Have pity, Sir Fire-eater ! . . .'

' Here there are no sirs,' the showman
answered severely.

' Have pity, Sir Knight ! . . .'

* Here there are no knights ! '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 47

' Have pity, Commander ! . . .'

* Here there are no commanders ! '
' Have pity, Excellence ! . . . '

Upon hearing himself called Excellence
the showman began to smile, and became at
once kinder and more tractable. Turning
to Pinocchio he asked :

1 Well, what do you want from me ? '

' I implore you to pardon poor Harlequin.'

* 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.'

' 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 ! . . .'

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.

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 :

' You are a good brave boy ! Come here
and give me a kiss.'

48 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCH1O

Pinocchio ran at once, and climbing like
a squirrel up the showman's beard he de-
posited a hearty kiss on the point of his nose.

* Then the pardon is granted ? ' asked poor
Harlequin in a faint voice that was scarcely
audible.

* The pardon is granted ! ' answered Fire-
eater : he then added, sighing and shaking
his head :

' I must have patience ! To-night I shall
have to resign myself to eat the mutton half
raw ; but another time, woe to him who
chances ! . . .'

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 per-
formance, they began to leap and to dance
merrily. At dawn they were still dancing.

XII

The showman Fire-eater makes Pinocchio a
present of five gold pieces to take home
to his father Geppetto : but Pinocchio
instead allows himself to be taken in by
the Fox and the Cat, and goes with them.

THE following day Fire-eater called Pin-
occhio on one side and asked him :

' What is your father's name ? '

' Geppetto.3

4 And what trade does he follow ? '

' He is a beggar.'

' Does he gain much ? '

' Gain much ? Why, he has never a
penny in his pocket. Only think, to buy
a Spelling-book for me to 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.'

' Poor devil ! I feel almost sorry for him !
E

50 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

Here are five gold pieces. Go at once and
take them to him with my compliments.3

You can easily understand that Pinocchio
thanked the showman a thousand times.
He embraced all the puppets of the company
one by one, even to the gendarmes, and
beside himself with delight set out to return
home.

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, who 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.

' Good day, Pinocchio,' said the Fox,
accosting him politely.

1 How do you come to know my name ?'
asked the puppet.

' I know your father well.'

' Where did you see him ? '

* I saw him yesterday at the door of his
house.'

' And what was he doing ? '

' He was in his shirt sleeves and shiver-
ing with cold.'

' Poor papa ! But that is over ; for the
future he shall shiver no more ! . . .'

< Why ? '

* Because I am become a gentleman.'

1 A gentleman — you ! ' said the Fox, and
he began to laugh rudely and scornfully

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 51

The Cat also began to laugh, but to conceal
it she combed her whiskers with her fore-
paws.

'There is little to laugh at,' cried Pin-
occhio angrily. * I am really sorry to make
your mouths water, but if you know any-
thing about it, you can see that these here
are five gold pieces.'

And he pulled out the money that Fire-
eater had made him a present of.

At the sympathetic ring of the money
the Fox with an involuntary movement
stretched out the paw that had 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.

' And now,' asked the Fox, « what are you
going to do with all that money ? '

* 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.'

' For yourself ? '

* Yes indeed : for I wish to go to school
to study in earnest.'

* Look at me ! ' said the Fox. * Through
my foolish passion for study I have lost a leg.'

' Look at me ! ' said the Cat. ' Through
my foolish passion for study I have lost the
sight of both my eyes.'

52 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

At that moment a white Blackbird, that
was perched on the hedge by the road,
began his usual song, and said :

' Pinocchio, don't listen to the advice ot
bad companions : if you do you will repent
it ! . . .'

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.

Having eaten him and cleaned her mouth
she shut her eyes again and feigned blind-
ness as before.

4 Poor Blackbird ! ' said Pinocchio to the
Cat, ' why did you treat him so badly ? '

* I did it to give him a lesson. He will
learn another time not to meddle in other
people's conversation.'

They had gone almost half-way when the
Fox, halting suddenly, said to the puppet :

* Would you like to double your money ? '
' In what way ? '

'Would you like to make out of your
five miserable sovereigns, a hundred, a
thousand, two thousand ? '

* 1 should think so ! but in what
way?'

'The way is easy enough. Instead of
returning home you must go with us.'

' And where do you wish to take me.'

' To the land of the Owls.'

AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 53

Pinocchio reflected a moment, and then
he said resolutely :

I 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 my cost,
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 ! '

' Well, then,' said the Fox, ' you are quite
decided to go home ? Go, then, and so
much the worse for you.'

' So much the worse for you ! ' repeated the
Cat.

' Think well of it, Pinocchio, for you are
giving a kick to fortune.'

' To fortune ! ' repeated the Cat.

{ Between to-day and to-morrow your five
sovereigns would have become two thousand.'

< Two thousand ! ' repeated the Cat.

'But how is it possible that they could
have become so many ? ' asked Pinocchio,
remaining with his mouth open from
astonishment.

I 1 will explain it to you at once,' said the
Fox. ' You must know that in the land of

54 AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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.'

' 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 ? '

1 That is an exceedingly easy calculation,'
replied the Fox, { a calculation that you can
make on the ends of your fingers. Put that
every sovereign gives 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.'

' 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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 55

hundred I will make a present of to you
two.'

' A present to us ? ' cried the Fox with
indignation, and appearing much offended.
1 What are you dreaming of ? '

' What are you dreaming of ? ' repeated the
Cat.

'We do not work,' said the Fox, 'for
dirty interest : we work solely to enrich
others.'

1 Others ! ' repeated the Cat.

1 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 :

' Let us be off at once. I will go with you.

XIII

The inn of The Red Craw-fish.

THEY walked, and walked, and walked, until
at last, towards evening, they arrived dead
tired at the inn of The Red Craw-fish.

* 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 to-morrow
morning.'

Having gone into the inn they all three
sat down to table : but none of them had
any appetite.

The Cat, who was suffering from indigestion
and feeling seriously indisposed, could only
eat thirty -five mullet with tomato sauce,
and four portions of tripe with Parmesan
cheese ; and because she thought the tripe

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 57

was not seasoned enough, she asked three
times for the butter and grated cheese !

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 had such a
disgust to food, he said, that he could put
nothing to his lips.

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, whose thoughts were continually
fixed on the Field of miracles, had got in
anticipation an indigestion of gold pieces.

When they had supped, the Fox said to
the host :

' 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.'

1 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 ! '

No sooner had Pinocchio got into bed

58 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

than he fell asleep at once and began to
dream. And he dreamt that he was in the
middle of a field, and the field was full of
shrubs covered with clusters of gold sover-
eigns, 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.3 But
when Pinocchio was at the most interesting
moment, that is, just as he was stretching
out his hand to pick handfuls of those beau-
tiful gold pieces and to put them in his
pocket, he was suddenly wakened by three
violent blows on the door of his room.

It was the host who had come to tell him
that midnight had struck.

' Are my companions ready ? ' asked the
puppet.

' Ready ! Why, they left two hours
ago.'

* Why were they in such a hurry ? '

' 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.'

* Did they pay for the supper ? '

'What are you thinking of? They are
much too well educated to dream of offering
such an insult to a gentleman like you.'

' What a pity ! It is an insult that would
have given me so much pleasure ! ' said
Pinocchio, scratching his head. He then
asked :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 59

' And where did my good friends say they
would wait for me ? '

'At the Field of miracles, to-morrow
morning at daybreak.'

Pinocchio paid a sovereign for his supper
and that of his companions, and then left.

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. In the adjacent country not a leaf
moved. Only 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 ? Who goes there ? '

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.

' Who are you ? ' asked Pinocchio.

* 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.

* What do you want with me ? ' said the
puppet.

' 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

60 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

and in despair because you have never re-
turned to him.'

* By to-morrow my papa will be a gentle-
man, for these four sovereigns will have
become two thousand.'

' Don't trust, my boy, 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.'

' On the contrary, I am determined to go
on.'

'The hour is late ! . . .'

* I am determined to go on.'

I The night is dark ! . . .'

I 1 am determined to go on.'

I The road is dangerous ! . . .'

I 1 am determined to go on.'

' Remember that boys who are bent on
following their caprices, and will have their
own way, sooner or later repent it.'

'Always the same stories. Good-night,
Cricket.'

' Good-night, Pinocchio, and may Heaven
preserve you from dangers and from assas-
sins.'

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.

•^

XIV

Pinocchio, because he would not heed the
good counsels of the Talking-cricket, falls
amongst assassins.

1 REALLY,' said the
puppet to himself
as he resumed his

- journey, ' how un-

* fortunate we poor
boys are. Every-
body scolds us,
everybody admon-
ishes us, everybody
gives us good ad-
vice. To let them
talk, they would all
take it into their
heads to be our
fathers and our

masters — all : even the Talking-cricket. See

62 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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, said in a deter-
mined tone, those poor assassins — I think I
see them — would run away like the wind. If,
however, they were so badly educated as not
to run away, why, then, I would run away my-
self, and there would be an end of it. . . .'

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.

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.

' Here they are in reality ! ' he said to him-

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 63

self, and not knowing where to hide his gold
pieces he put them in his mouth precisely
under his tongue.

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 :

* Your money or your life ! '
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 false far-
thing in his pocket.

' Come now ! Less nonsense and [ out
with the money ! ' cried the two brigands
threateningly.

And the puppet made a gesture with his
hands to signify : * I have got none.'

* Deliver up your money or you are dead,'
said the tallest of the brigands.

1 Dead ! ' repeated the other.
' And after we have killed you, we will also
kill your father.'

* Also your father ! '

* No, no, no, not my poor papa ! ' cried
Pinocchio in a despairing tone ; and as he
said it, the sovereigns clinked in his mouth.

' Ah ! you rascal ! Then you have hidden

6 4 AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

your money under your tongue ! Spit it out
at once ! '

But Pinocchio was obdurate.

* Ah ! you pretend to be deaf, do you ?
Wait a moment, leave it to us to find a
means to make you spit it out.'

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 constrain
him to open his mouth. But it was all to no
purpose. Pinocchio's mouth seemed to be
nailed and riveted together.

Then the shortest assassin drew out an
ugly knife and tried to force 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 clean off and
spat it out. Imagine his astonishment when
instead of a hand he perceived that he had
spat a cat's paw on to the ground.

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 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.

After a race of some miles Pinocchio
could do no more. Giving himself up for
lost he climbed the stem of a very high pine-

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 65

tree and seated himself in the topmost
branches. The assassins attempted to climb
after him, but when they had reached half-
way up the stem they slid down again, and
arrived on the ground with the skin grazed
from their hands and knees.

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 assas-
sins followed him, and kept behind him with-
out once giving in.

The day began to break and they were
still pursuing him. Suddenly Pinocchio
found his way barred by a wide deep ditch
full of dirty water the colour 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. Pin-
occhio, who heard the plunge and the splash-
ing of the water, shouted out, laughing, and
without stopping :

F

66 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 A fine bath to you, gentleman assassins.'
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.

XV

The assassins pursue Pinocchio ; and having
overtaken him hang him to a branch of
the Big Oak.

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,
standing out amidst the dark green of the
trees, a small house as white as snow.

' If I had only breath to reach that house,'
he said to himself, 'perhaps I should be
saved.'

And without delaying an instant, he
recommenced running for his life through
the wood, and the assassins after him.

At last, after a desperate race of nearly
two hours, he arrived quite breathless at the
door of the house, and knocked.

No one answered.

He knocked again with great violence,
for he heard the sound of steps approach-

68 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

ing him, and the heavy panting of his
persecutors. The same silence.

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 :

I In this house there is no one. They
are all dead.'

'Then at least open the door for me
yourself,' shouted Pinocchio, crying and
imploring.

I 1 am dead also.'

1 Dead ? then what are you doing there
at the window?'

' I am waiting for the bier to come to
carry me away.'

Having said this she immediately dis-
appeared, and the window was closed again
without the slightest noise.

' Oh ! beautiful Child with blue hair,'
cried Pinocchio, 'open the door for pity's
sake ! Have compassion on a poor boy
pursued by assas . . .'

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 :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 69

* You shall not escape from us again ! '
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.

' 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 ! . . .'

And drawing out two long horrid knives as
sharp as razors, clash . . . they attempted
to stab him twice.

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.

' I see what we must do,' said one of them.
* He must be hung ! let us hang him ! '

* Let us hang him ! ' repeated the other.
Without loss of time they tied his arms

behind him, passed a running noose round
his throat, and then hung him to the branch
of a tree called the Big Oak.

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.

Losing patience they turned to Pinocchio
and said in a bantering tone :

70 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

'Good-bye till to-morrow. 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.'

And they walked off.

In the meantime a tempestuous northerly
wind began to blow and roar angrily, and
it beat the poor puppet as he hung from
side to side, making him swing violently
like the clapper 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.

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 assist-
ance 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 :

' Oh, papa! papa! if only you were here ! '

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.

XVI

The beautiful Child with blue hair has the
puppet taken down : has him put to bed
and calls in three doctors to know if he
is alive or dead.

WHILST poor Pinocchio, suspended to a
branch of the Big Oak, was apparently more
dead than alive, the beautiful Child with
the 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 made three little claps.

At this signal there came a sound of the
sweep of wings flying rapidly, and a large
Falcon flew on to the window-sill.

' What are your orders, gracious Fairy ? '
he asked, inclining his beak in sign of
reverence — for I must tell you that the
Child with blue hair was no more and no
less than a beautiful Fairy, who for more
than a thousand years had lived in the wood

72 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

I Do you see that puppet dangling from
a branch of the Big Oak ? '

I 1 see him.'

' 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.'

The Falcon flew away, and after two
minutes he returned, saying :

' I have done as you commanded.'

' And how did you find him ? '

* 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 !..."'

The Fairy then striking her hands to-
gether made two little claps, and a magnifi-
cent Poodle appeared, walking upright on
his hind-legs exactly as if he had been a
man.

He was in the full-dress livery of a coach-
man. 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-coloured 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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 73

species of umbrella-case made of blue satin,
to put his tail into when the weather was rainy.

' Be quick, Medoro, like a good dog ! ' said
the Fairy to the Poodle. ' Have the most
beautiful carriage in my coach-house put to,
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. Have you understood ? '

The Poodle, to show that he had under-
stood, shook the case of blue satin that he
had on three or four times, and ran off like
a racehorse.

Shortly afterwards a beautiful little
carriage came out of the coach-house. The
cushions were stuffed with canary feathers,
and it was lined in the inside with whipped
cream, custard, and Savoy biscuits. 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.

A quarter of an hour had not 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 wainscotted with
mother-of-pearl, and sent at once to summon
the most famous doctors in the neighbourhood.

74 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

The doctors came immediately one after
the other : namely a Crow, an Owl, and a
Talking-cricket.

' I wish to know from you gentlemen,'
said the Fairy, turning to the three doctors
who were assembled round Pinocchio's bed —
1 I wish to know from you gentlemen, if this
unfortunate puppet is alive or dead ! . . .'

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 :

1 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 !'

' 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 ! '

' And you — have you nothing to say ? '
asked the Fairy of the Talking-cricket.

{ 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 ! . . .'

Pinocchio, who up to that moment had lain

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 75

immovable, like a real piece of wood, was
seized with a fit of convulsive trembling that
shook the whole bed.

I That puppet there,' continued the Talk-
ing-cricket, ' is a confirmed rogue. . . .'

Pinocchio opened his eyes, but shut them
again immediately.

'He is a ragamuffin, a do-nothing, a
vagabond. . . .'

Pinocchio hid his face beneath the clothes.
' That puppet there is a disobedient son
who will make his poor father die of a
broken heart ! . . .'

At that instant a suffocated sound of sobs
and crying was heard in the room. Ima-
gine everybody's astonishment when, having
raised the sheets a little, it was discovered
that the sounds came from Pinocchio.

' When the dead person cries, it is a sign
that he is on the road to get well,' said the
Crow solemnly.

I 1 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.'

XVII

Pinocchio eats the sugar, but will not take
his medicine: when, however, he sees
the grave-diggers, who have arrived to
carry him away, he takes it. He then
tells a lie, and as a punishment his nose
grows longer.

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 that was not
to be trifled with.

She therefore dissolved a certain white
powder in half a tumbler of water, and
offering it to the puppet she said to him
lovingly :

' Drink it, and in a few days you will be
cured.3

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 77

Pinocchio looked at the tumbler, made
a wry face, and then asked in a plaintive
voice :

' Is it sweet or bitter ? '

' It is bitter, but it will do you good.'

* If it is bitter, I will not take it.'
' Listen to me : drink it.'

' I don't like anything bitter.'

' Drink it, and when you have drunk it
I will give you a lump of sugar to take
away the taste.'

' Where is the lump of sugar ? '

* Here it is,' said the Fairy, taking a
piece from a gold sugar-basin.

' Give me first the lump of sugar, and
then I will drink that bad bitter water. . . .'

' Do you promise me ? '

'Yes. . . .'

The Fairy gave him the sugar, and
Pinocchio, having crunched it up and
swallowed it in a second, said, licking his
lips :

' It would be a fine thing if sugar was
medicine ! . . . I would take it every day.'

' Now keep your promise and drink these
few drops of water, which will restore you
to health.'

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 :

78 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 It is too bitter ! too bitter ! I cannot
drink it.'

I How can you tell that, when you have
not even tasted it ? '

' I can imagine it ! I know it from
the smell. I want first another lump of
sugar . . . and then I will drink it ! . . .'

The Fairy then, with all the patience of a
good mamma, put another lump of sugar in
his mouth, and then again presented the
tumbler to him.

I 1 cannot drink it so ! ' said the puppet,
making a thousand grimaces.

'Why?'

' Because that pillow that is down there
on my feet bothers me.'

The Fairy removed the pillow.

' It is useless. Even so I cannot drink
it. . . .'

* What is the matter now ? '

* The door of the room, which is half open,
bothers me.'

The Fairy went and closed the door.

1 In short,' cried Pinocchio, bursting into
tears, ' I will not drink that bitter water —
no, no, no ! . . .'

1 My boy, you will repent it. . . .'

* I don't care. . . .'

1 Your illness is serious. . . .'

* I don't care. . . .'

' The fever in a few hours will carry you
into the other world. . . .'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

79

* I don't care. . . .'

' Are you not afraid of death ? '

' I am not in the least afraid ! . . . I
would rather die than drink that bitter
medicine.'

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.

'What do you want with me?' cried
Pinocchio, sitting up in bed in a great
fright.

'We are come to take you,' said the
biggest rabbit.

' To take me ? ... But I am not yet
dead! . . .'

' No, not yet : but you have only a few
minutes to live, as you have refused the

8o ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

medicine that would have cured you of the
fever.'

' 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. . . .'

And taking the tumbler in both hands he
emptied it at a draught.

* 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.

In fact, a few minutes afterwards Pin-
occhio jumped down from the bed quite
well : because you must know that wooden
puppets have the privilege of being seldom
ill and of being cured very quickly.

The Fairy, seeing him running and rush-
ing about the room as gay and as lively as
a young cock, said to him :

' Then my medicine has really done you
good?'

{ Good, I should think so ! It has
restored me to life ! . . .'

' Then why on earth did you require so
much persuasion to take it ? '

' Because you see that we boys are all
like that ! We are more afraid of medicine
than of the illness.'

' Disgraceful ! Boys ought to know that

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 81

a good remedy taken in time may save them
from a serious illness, and perhaps even
from death. . . .'

' Oh ! but another time I shall not
require so much persuasion. I shall re-
member 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 ! . . .'

1 Now come here to me, and tell me how
it came about that you fell into the hands
of those assassins.'

1 It came about that 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, two very respectable persons, 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 mid-
night 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
G

82 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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 I spat out 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 : " To-morrow 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." '

'And the four pieces — where have you
put them ? ' asked the Fairy.

4 1 have lost them ! ' said Pinocchio ; but
he was telling a lie, for he had them in his
pocket.

He had scarcely told the lie when his
nose, which was already long, grew at once
two fingers longer.

' And where did you lose them ?

1 In the wood near here.'

At this second lie his nose went on
growing.

' 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.'

{ Ah ! now I remember all about it,' re-
plied the puppet, getting quite confused ; * I
didn't lose the four gold pieces, I swallowed

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 83

them inadvertently whilst I was drinking
your medicine.3

At this third 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.

And the Fairy looked at him and
laughed.

' What are you laughing at ? ' asked the
puppet, very confused and anxious at find-
ing his nose growing so prodigiously.

' I am laughing at the lie you have told.'

1 And how can you possibly know that I
have told a lie ? '

1 Lies, my dear boy, are found out im-
mediately, because they are of two sorts.
There are lies that have short legs, and

84 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

lies that have long noses. Your lie, as it
happens, is one of those that have a long
nose.'

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.

XVIII

Pinocchio meets again the Fox and the
Cat, and goes with them to bury his
money in the Field of miracles.

THE Fairy, as you can imagine, allowed
the puppet to cry and to roar 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 Wood-
peckers flew in at the window. They im-
mediately 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.

86 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' What a good Fairy you are,' said the
puppet, drying his eyes, ' and how much I
love you ! '

' I love you also,' answered the Fairy ;
4 and if you will remain with me, you
shall be my little brother and I will be your
good little sister. . . .'

* I would remain willingly . . . but my
poor papa ? '

' I have thought of everything. I have
already let your father know, and he will be
here to-night.'

' 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.'

* Go, then, but be careful not to lose your-
self. Take the road through the wood and
I am sure that you will meet him.'

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 that he heard people
amongst the bushes. In fact, two persons
came out on to the road. Can you guess
who they were ? . . . His two travelling
companions, the Fox and the Cat, with
whom he had supped at the inn of the Red
Craw-fish.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 87

' Why, here is our dear Pinocchio ! ' cried
the Fox, kissing and embracing him. * How
come you to be here ? '

' How come you to be here ? ' repeated
the Cat.

1 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. . . .'

' Assassins ! . . . Oh, poor Pinocchio !
And what did they want ? '

'They wanted to rob me of my gold
pieces.'

'Villains ! . . .' said the Fox.

' Infamous villains ! ' repeated the Cat.

' 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. . . .'

And Pinocchio pointed to the Big Oak,
which was two steps from them.

' 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 ?'

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 :

' What have you done with your paw ? *

The Cat tried to answer but became

88 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

confused. Therefore the Fox said im-
mediately :

* 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 Caesar, do ? She bit off one of her
fore paws, and threw it to that poor beast
that he might appease his hunger.'

And the Fox, in relating this, dried a tear.

Pinocchio was also touched, and approach-
ing the Cat he whispered into her ear :

'If all cats resembled you, how fortunate
the mice would be ! '

f And now, what are you doing here ? '
asked the Fox of the puppet.

* I am waiting for my papa, whom I
expect to arrive every moment.'

{ And your gold pieces ? '

' I have got them in my pocket, all but
one that I spent at the inn of the Red
Craw-fish.'

' And to think that, instead of four pieces,
by to-morrow 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 ? '

' To-day it is impossible : I will go
another day.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 89

' Another day it will be too late !...'*
said the Fox.

' Why ? '

* Because the field has been bought by
a gentleman, and after to-morrow no one
will be allowed to bury money there.'

' How far off is the Field of miracles ? '

1 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 ? '

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 :

' Let us go : I will come with you.'

And they went.

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 had lost their coats
and who were yawning from hunger, shorn
sheep trembling with cold, cocks without
combs or crests who were begging for a
grain of Indian corn, large butterflies who

90 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

could no longer fly because they had sold
their beautiful coloured wings, peacocks
who had no tails and were ashamed to be
seen, and pheasants who went scratching
about in a subdued fashion, mourning for
their brilliant gold and silver feathers gone
for ever.

In the midst of this crowd of beggars
and shame -faced creatures, some lordly
carriage passed from time to time contain-
ing a Fox, or a thieving Magpie, or some
other ravenous bird of prey.

* And where is the Field of miracles ? '
asked Pinocchio.

' It is here, not two steps from us.'

They crossed the town, and having gone
beyond the walls they came to a solitary
field which to look at resembled all other
fields.

'We are arrived,' 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.'

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.

' 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.'

Pinocchio went to the canal, and as he
had no can he took off one of his old shoes

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 91

and filling it with water he watered the
ground over the hole.

He then asked :

' Is there anything else to be done ?'

* Nothing else,' answered the Fox. c 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.'

The poor puppet, beside himself with joy,
thanked the Fox and the Cat a thousand
times, and promised them a beautiful
present.

' We wish for no presents,' answered the
two rascals. ' It is enough for us to have
taught you the way to enrich yourself with-
out undergoing hard work, and we are as
happy as folk out for a holiday.'

Thus saying they took leave of Pinocchio,
and wishing him a good harvest went
about their business.

XIX

Pinocchio is robbed of his money, and as a
punishment he is sent to prison for
four months.

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.

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 :

* And if instead of a thousand gold pieces,
I was to find on the branches of the tree
two thousand ? . . . And instead of two

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 93

thousand supposing I found five thousand ?
and instead of five thousand that I found a
hundred thousand ? Oh ! what a fine gentle-
man 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.'

Whilst he was building these castles in
the air he had arrived in the neighbourhood
of the field, and he stopped to look if by
chance he could perceive a tree with its
branches laden with money : but he saw
nothing. He advanced another hundred
steps — nothing : he entered the field . . .
he went right up to the little hole where he
had buried his sovereigns — and nothing.
He then became very thoughtful, and for-
getting the rules of society and good
manners he took his hands out of his pocket
and gave his head a long scratch.

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.

1 Why are you laughing ?' asked Pinocchio
in an angry voice.

' I am laughing because in pruning my
feathers I tickled myself under my wings.'

The puppet did not answer, but went to

94 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O

the canal and, filling the same old shoe full
of water, he proceeded to water the earth
afresh that covered his gold pieces.

Whilst he was thus occupied another
laugh, and still more impertinent than the
first, rang out in the silence of that solitary
place.

' Once for all,' shouted Pinocchio in a
rage, * may I know, you ill-educated Parrot,
what you are laughing at ? '

{ 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.'

' Are you perhaps speaking of me ? '

'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
to-day I am suffering for it. To-day — but
it is too late — I have at last learnt 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.'

' I don't understand you,' said the puppet,
who was already trembling with fear.

' Have patience ! I will explain myself
better,' rejoined the Parrot. ' You must
know, then, that whilst you were in the town

ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO 95

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.' -

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.

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.

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.

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.

The judge listened with great benignity ;
took a lively interest in the story ; was
much touched and moved ; and when the

96 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

puppet had nothing further to say he
stretched out his hand and rang a bell.

At this summons two mastiffs immediately
appeared dressed as gendarmes. The judge
then, pointing to Pinocchio, said to them :

' That poor devil has been robbed of four
gold pieces ; take him up, and put him im-
mediately into prison.'

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 lock-up.

And there he remained for four months —
four long months — and he would have re-
mained longer still if a fortunate chance had
not released him. For I must tell you that
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, fire-works, horse races,
and velocipede races, and as a further sign
of triumph he commanded that the prisons
should be opened and all the prisoners
liberated.

* If the others are to be let out of
prison, I will go also,' said Pinocchio to
the jailor.

'No, not you,' said the jailor, 'because
you do not belong to the fortunate
class.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 97

' I beg your pardon,' replied Pinocchio, ' I
am also a criminal.'

' 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.

XX

Liberated from prison, he starts to return to
the Fairy^s house; but on the road he
meets with a hort ible serpent, and after-
wards he is caught in a trap.

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.

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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 99

again he ran and leapt 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 . . . and 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 will my papa have
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 em-
brace 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 ! . . .'

Whilst he was saying this he stopped
suddenly, frightened to death, and made four
steps backwards.

What had he seen ? . . .

He had seen an immense Serpent stretched
across the road. Its skin was green, it had

TOO ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

red eyes, and a pointed tail that was smoking
like a chimney.

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 had left the road
clear.

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.

At last Pinocchio, trying to feel courageous,
approached to within a few steps, and said
to the Serpent in a little, soft, insinuating
voice :

* 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 ? '

He might as well have spoken to the wall.
Nobody moved.

He began again in the same soft voice :

* 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 ? '

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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 101

sprightly and full of life, became motionless
and almost rigid. He shut his eyes and his
tail ceased smoking.

' Can he really be dead ? ' said Pinocchio,
rubbing his hands with delight ; and 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 him-
self 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.

And he fell so awkwardly that his head
stuck in the mud and his legs went into
the air.

At the sight of the puppet kicking
violently with his head in the mud the
Serpent went into convulsions of laughter,
and he laughed, and laughed, and laughed,
until from the violence of his laughter he
broke a blood-vessel in his chest and died.
And that time he was really dead.

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 way -side intending to pick
some bunches of muscatel grapes. Oh,
that he had never done it !

He had scarcely reached the vines when
crac ... his legs were caught between

102 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

two cutting iron bars, and he became so
giddy with pain that stars of every colour
danced before his eyes.

The poor puppet had been taken in a
trap put there to capture some big polecats
who were the scourge of the poultry -yards
in the neighbourhood.

XXI

Pinocchio is taken by a peasant^ who obliges
him to fill the place of his watch -dog
in the poultry-yard.

PINOCCHIO, as you can imagine, 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.

At last night came on.

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 :

* Oh, little Firefly, will you have pity on
me and liberate me from this torture ? '

' Poor boy ! ' said the Firefly, stopping and
looking at him with compassion, * but how
could your legs have been caught by those
sharp irons ? '

104 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 1 came into the field to pick two
bunches of these muscatel grapes, and . . .'

* But were the grapes yours ? J
'No. . . .'

' Then who taught you to carry off other
people's property ? '

1 1 was so hungry. . . .'

4 Hunger, my boy, is not a good reason
for appropriating what does not belong to
us. . . .'

' That is true, that is true ! ' said Pin-
occhio, crying. ' I will never do it again.'

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 pole-
cats that ate his chickens during the night
had been caught in his trap.

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.

* Ah, little thief ! ' said the angry peasant,
'then it is you who carry off my chickens ?'

' No, it is not I ; indeed it is not ! '
cried Pinocchio, sobbing. * I only came
into the field to take two bunches of
grapes ! . . .'

1 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.'

ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO 105

Opening the trap he seized the puppet
by the collar, and carried him to his house
as if he had been a young lamb.

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 :

' It is late, and I want to go to bed ; we
will settle our accounts to-morrow. In the
meanwhile, as the dog who kept guard at
night died to-day, you shall take his place
at once. You shall be my watch-dog.5

And taking a great collar covered with
brass knobs he strapped it tightly round his
throat that he might not be able to draw his
head out of it. A heavy chain attached to
the collar was fastened to the wall.

' If it should rain to-night,' 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.'

After giving him this last injunction the
man went into the house, shut the door, and
put up the chain.

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 :

106 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' 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 been willing to learn and to work ;
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 ! '

Relieved by this little outburst, which came
straight from his heart, he went into the dog-
kennel and fell asleep.

XXII

Pinocchio discovers the robbers^ and as a
reward for his fidelity is set at liberty.

HE had been sleeping heavily for about two
hours when, towards midnight, he was roused
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 :

* Good evening, Melampo.'

' My name is not Melampo,' answered the
puppet.

' Oh ! then who are you ? '

' I am Pinocchio.'

' And what are you doing here ? '

' I am acting as watch-dog.'

io8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O

' Then where is Melampo ? Where is
the old dog who lived in this kennel ? '

* He died this morning.1

* 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.'

' I beg your pardon, I am not a dog.'

* Not a dog ? Then what are you ?'
1 1 am a puppet.'

* And you are acting as watch-dog ? '

* That is only too true — as a punishment.'
'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.'

' What are these conditions ? '

* 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 wake the
peasant.'

* Did Melampo act in this manner ? ' asked
Pinocchio.

* 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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 109

for your breakfast to-morrow. Have we
understood each other clearly ? J

' Only too clearly ! . . .' answered Pin-
occhio, and he shook his head threateningly
as much as to say : * You shall hear of this
shortly ! '

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.

It was Pinocchio who had shut it ; and
for greater security he put a large stone
against it to keep it closed.

He then began to bark, and he barked
exactly like a watch-dog : bow-wow, bow-
wow.

Hearing the barking the peasant jumped
out of bed, and taking his gun he came to
the window and asked :

' What is the matter ? '

1 There are robbers !' answered Pinocchio.

' Where are they ? '

1 In the poultry-yard.'

4 1 will come down directly.'

In fact, in less time than it takes to
say Amen, the peasant came down. He
rushed into the poultry-yard, caught the pole-
cats, and having put them into a sack, he
said to them in a tone of great satisfaction :

no ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH10

'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 neigh-
bouring village, who will skin and cook you
as hares with a sweet and sour sauce. It is
an honour that you don't deserve, but generous
people like me don't consider such trifles ! . . .'

He then approached Pinocchio and began
to caress him, and amongst other things he
asked him :

' How did you manage to discover the
four thieves ? To think that Melampo,
my faithful Melampo, never found out any-
thing! . . .'

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 :

' 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 ! . . .'

' When the thieves got into the yard were
you asleep or awake ? ' the peasant went on
to ask him.

1 1 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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO in

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 in the gains
of dishonest people ! '

' Well said, my boy ! ' cried the peasant,
slapping him on the shoulder. ' Such senti-
ments do you honour : and as a proof of
my gratitude I will at once set you at liberty,
and you may return home.'

And he removed the dog's collar.

XXIII

Pinocchio mourns the death of the beauti-
ful Child with the blue hair. He then
meets with a pigeon who flies with him to
the seashore^ and there he throws him-
self into the water to go to the assistance
of his father Geppetto.

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.
There he turned and looked down into the
plain beneath. He could see distinctly with
his naked eye the wood where he had been
so unfortunate as to meet with the Fox and
the Cat ; 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 no-
where visible.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 113

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
the little white house was no longer there.
He saw instead a marble stone, on which
were engraved these sad words :

HERE LIES
THE CHILD WITH THE BLUE HAIR

WHO DIED FROM SORROW

BECAUSE SHE WAS ABANDONED BY HER

LITTLE BROTHER PINOCCHIO.

I leave you to imagine the puppet's
feelings when he had with difficulty spelt
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 roused the echoes in the
surrounding hills.

And as he wept he said :

* Oh, little Fairy, why did you die ? Why
did not I 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
I

ii4 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO

want to remain with him always and never
to leave him again, never again ! . . . Oh,
little Fairy, tell me that it is not true that
you are dead ! . . . If you really love me ...
if you really love your little brother, come to
life again . . . come to life as you were
before ! . . . 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, that I should die also ! Yes, I want
to die . . . ih ! ih ! ih ! '

And in his despair he tried to tear his
hair ; but his hair, being made of wood, he
could not even have the satisfaction of
sticking his fingers into it.

Just then a large Pigeon flew over his
head, and stopping with distended wings
called down to him from a great height :

* Tell me, child, what are you doing there ?'

' Don't you see ? I am crying I ' said
Pinocchio, raising his head towards the voice
and rubbing his eyes with his jacket.

' Tell me,' continued the Pigeon, ' amongst
your companions, do you happen to know a
puppet who is called Pinocchio ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 115

* Pinocchio ? . . . Did you say Pin-
occhio ? ' repeated the puppet, jumping
quickly to his feet. * I am Pinocchio ! '

The Pigeon at this answer descended
rapidly to the ground. He was larger than
a turkey.

' Do you also know Geppetto ?' he asked.

* If 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 ? '

' I left him three days ago on the sea-
shore.'

1 What was he doing ? '

' 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.'

' How far is it from here to the shore ? '
asked Pinocchio breathlessly.

* More than six hundred miles.'

* Six hundred miles ! Oh, beautiful Pigeon,
what a fine thing it would be to have your
wings ! . . .'

* If you wish to go, I will carry you there.'
' How ? '

'Astride on my back. Do you weigh
much ? '

n6 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 1 weigh next to nothing. I am as light
as a feather.'

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 :

' Gallop, gallop, my little horse, for I am
anxious to arrive quickly ! . . .'

The Pigeon took flight, and in a few
minutes had soared so high that they
almost touched the clouds. Finding him-
self 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, that to save himself from the
danger of falling he wound his arms tightly
round the neck of his feathered steed.

They flew all day. Towards evening the
Pigeon said :

' I am very thirsty ! '

' And I am very hungry ! ' rejoined Pin-
occhio.

* Let us stop at that dovecot for a few
minutes ; and then we will continue our
journey that we may reach the seashore by
dawn to-morrow.'

They went into a deserted dovecot, where
they found nothing but a basin full of water
and a basket full of vetch.

The puppet had never in his life been
able to eat vetch : according to him it
made him sick and revolted him. That

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 117

evening, however, he ate to repletion,
and when he had nearly emptied the
basket he turned to the Pigeon and said
to him :

* I never could have believed that vetch
was so good ! '

1 Be assured, my boy,' replied the Pigeon,
1 that when hunger is real, and there is
nothing else to eat, even vetch becomes
delicious. Hunger knows neither caprice
nor greediness.'

Having quickly finished their little meal
they recommenced their journey and flew
away. The following morning they reached
the seashore.

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.

The shore was crowded with people who
were looking out to sea, shouting and
gesticulating.

1 What has happened ? ' asked Pinocchio
of an old woman.

* 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 to-day the
sea is tempestuous and the little boat is in
danger of sinking.'

' Where is the little boat ? '
' It is out there in a line with my finger,'
said the old woman, pointing to a little boat

n8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

which, seen at that distance, looked like a
nutshell with a very little man in it.

Pinocchio fixed his eyes on it, and after
looking attentively he gave a piercing
scream, crying :

' It is my papa ! it is my papa ! '

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 hand-
kerchief, and his cap.

And although he was so far off, Geppetto
appeared to recognise 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.

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.

* Poor man ! ' said the fishermen who were
assembled on the shore, and murmuring a
prayer they turned to go home.

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 :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 119

' I will save my papa ! '

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 ; the next he reappeared struggling
with a leg or an arm. At last they lost
sight of him, and he was seen no more.

' Poor boy ! ' said the fishermen who were
collected on the shore, and murmuring a
prayer they returned home.

XXIV

Pinocchio arrives at the island of the
1 Industrious Bees] and finds the Fairy
again.

PINOCCHIO,
hoping to be
in time to help
his father,
swam the
whole night.

And what
a horrible
night it was !
-"The rain came
down in tor-
rents, it hailed,

the thunder was frightful, and the flashes
of lightning made it as light as day.

Towards morning he saw a long strip of
land not far off. It was an island in the
midst of the sea.

He tried his utmost to reach the shore :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO i2r

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 violently
far on to the sands.

He fell with such force that as he struck
the ground his ribs and all his joints cracked,
but he comforted himself saying :

* This time also I have made a wonderful
escape ! '

Little by little the sky cleared, the sun
shone out in all his splendour, and the sea
became as quiet and smooth as oil.

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.

'If I only knew what this island was
called ! ' he said to himself. ' If I only knew
whether it was inhabited by civilised people
— I mean by people who have not got the
bad habit of hanging boys to the branches
of the trees. But who can I ask ? who, if
there is nobody ? . . .'

This idea of finding himself alone, alone,
all alone, in the midst of this great unin-

122 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

habited 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.

Not knowing its name the puppet called
to it in a loud voice to make himself heard :

' Eh, Sir fish, will you permit me a word
with you ? '

' 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.

' 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 ? '

' Certainly there are,' replied the Dolphin.
' Indeed you will find one at a short distance
from here.'

'And what road must I take to go
there ? '

' You must take that path to your left and
follow your nose. You cannot make a mis-
take.'

' 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 ? '

4 And who is your papa ? '

' He is the best papa in the world, whilst

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 123

it would be difficult to find a worse son than
I am.'

* During the terrible storm last night,'
answered the Dolphin, ' the little boat must
have gone to the bottom.'

' And my papa ? '

'He must have been swallowed by the
terrible Dog-fish who for some days past has
been spreading devastation and ruin in our
waters.'

'Is this Dog-fish very big?' asked Pinocchio,
who was already beginning to quake with fear.

* 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 enor-
mous and so deep that a railway train with
its smoking engine could pass easily down
his throat.'

' Mercy upon us ! ' exclaimed the terrified
puppet ; and putting on his clothes with the
greatest haste he said to the Dolphin :

' Good-bye, Sir fish : excuse the trouble I
have given you, and many thanks for your
politeness.'

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.

i24 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO

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.

' Ah ! ' said that lazy Pinocchio at once,
* I see that this village will never suit me !
I wasn't born to work ! '

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?

There were only two ways by which he
could obtain food — either by asking for a
little work, or by begging for a halfpenny
or for a mouthful of bread.

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 labour 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.

At that moment a man came down the

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 125

road, tired and panting for breath. He was
dragging alone, with fatigue and difficulty,
two carts full of charcoal.

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 :

' Would you have the charity to give me
a halfpenny, for I am dying of hunger ? '

' You shall have not only a halfpenny,'
said the man, ' but I will give you twopence,
provided that you help me to drag home
these two carts of charcoal.'

* I am surprised at you ! ' answered the
puppet in a tone of offence. ' Let me tell
you that I am not accustomed to do the
work of a donkey : I have never drawn a
cart ! . . .'

4 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 an indiges-
tion.'

A few minutes afterwards a mason passed
down the road carrying on his shoulders
a basket of lime.

* Would you have the charity, good man,
to give a halfpenny to a poor boy who is
yawning for want of food ? '

'Willingly,' answered the man. 'Come
with me and carry the lime, and instead
of a halfpenny I will give you five.'

126 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' But the lime is heavy,' objected Pin-
occhio, 'and I don't want to tire myself.'

1 If you don't want to tire yourself, then,
my boy, amuse yourself with yawning, and
much good may it do you.'

In less than half an hour twenty other
people went by ; and Pinocchio asked
charity of them all, but they all answered :

1 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.'

At last a nice little woman carrying two
cans of water came by.

' Will you let me drink a little water out
of your can ? ' asked Pinocchio, who was
burning with thirst.

* Drink, my boy, if you wish it ! ' said the
little woman, setting down the two cans.

Pinocchio drank like a fish, and as he
dried his mouth he mumbled :

' I have quenched my thirst. If I could
only appease my hunger ! . . .'

The good woman hearing these words
said at once :

' If you will help me to carry home these
two cans of water, I will give you a fine
piece of bread.'

Pinocchio looked at the can and answered
neither yes nor no.

'And besides the bread you shall have
a nice dish of cauliflower dressed with oil and
vinegar,' added the good woman.

AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 127

Pinocchio gave another look at the can,
and answered neither yes nor no.

* And after the cauliflower I will give you
a beautiful bonbon full of syrup.'

The temptation of this last dainty was so
great that Pinocchio could resist no longer,
and with an air of decision he said :

' I must have patience ! I will carry the
can to your house.'

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.

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.

Pinocchio did not eat, he devoured. His
stomach was like an apartment that had
been left empty and uninhabited for five
months.

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-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.

' What has surprised you so much ? '
asked the good woman, laughing.

128 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 It is . . .' answered the puppet, 4 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. . . .'

And throwing himself at her feet on the
floor, Pinocchio embraced the knees of the
mysterious little woman and began to cry
bitterly.

XXV

Pinocchio promises the Fairy to be good and
studious^ for he is quite sick of being a
puppet and wishes to become an exem-
plary boy.

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 :

' You little rogue ! how did you ever dis-
cover who I was ?'

4 It was my great affection for you that
told me.'

' 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.'

4 1 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 !

K

130 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

. . . But how did you manage to grow so
fast?'

' That is a secret.'

* Teach it to me, for I should also like to
grow. Don't you see ? I always remain no
bigger than a ninepin.'

' But you cannot grow,' replied the Fairy.

'Why?'

'Because puppets never grow. They
are born puppets, live puppets, and die
puppets.'

' Oh, I am sick of being a puppet ! ' cried
Pinocchio, giving himself a slap. ' It is
time that I became a man. . . .'

' And you will become one, if you know
how to deserve it. . . .'

' Not really ? And what can I do to
deserve it ? '

' A very easy thing : by learning to be a
good boy.'

'And you think I am not ?'

' You are quite the contrary. Good boys
are obedient, and you. . . .'

' And I never obey.'

' Good boys like to learn and to work, and
you. . . .'

' And I instead lead an idle vagabond life
the year through.'

' Good boys always speak the truth. . . .'

' And I always tell lies.'

' Good boys go willingly to school. . . .'

1 And school gives me pain all over my

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 131

body. But from to-day I will change my
life.'

' Do you promise me ? '

' 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 ? '

' I do not know.'

' Shall I ever have the happiness of seeing
him again and kissing him ? '

* I think so ; indeed I am sure of it.'

At this answer Pinocchio was so delighted
that he took the Fairy's hands and began to
kiss them with such fervour that he seemed
beside himself. Then raising his face and
looking at her lovingly he asked :

' Tell me, little mamma : then it was not
true that you were dead ? ;

* It seems not,' said the Fairy, smiling.

' If you only knew the sorrow I felt and
the tightening of my throat when I read,
"here lies . . ."'

' 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. . . .'

132 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Oh, how delightful ! ' shouted Pinocchio,
jumping for joy.

'You must obey me and do everything
that I bid you.'

' Willingly, willingly, willingly ! '

' To-morrow,' rejoined the Fairy, ' you will
begin to go to school.'

Pinocchio became at once a little less
joyful.

' Then you must choose an art, or a trade,
according to your own wishes.'

Pinocchio became very grave.

'What are you muttering between your
teeth ? ' asked the Fairy in an angry voice.

* I was saying,' moaned the puppet in a
low voice, ' that it seemed to me too late for
me to go to school now. . . .'

'No, sir. Keep it in mind, that it is
never too late to learn and to instruct
ourselves.'

' But I do not wish to follow either an art
or a trade.'

' Why ? '

* Because it tires me to work.'

' 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 wqrk. Woe to
those who lead slothful lives. Sloth is a
dreadful illness and must be cured at once, in

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 133

childhood. If not, when we are old it can
never be cured.'

Pinocchio was touched by these words,
and lifting his head quickly he said to the
Fairy :

' 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 ? '

' I did promise you, and it now depends
upon yourself.'

XXVI

Pinocchio accompanies his schoolfellows to
the sea-shore to see the terrible Dog-
fish.

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.

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 :

* Beware, boys : I am not come here to

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 135

be your buffoon. I respect others, and I
intend to be respected.'

' 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.

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.

' Oh, what hard feet ! ' roared the boy,
rubbing the bruise that the puppet had
given him.

' And what elbows ! . . . even harder
than his feet ! . . .' said another, who for
his rude tricks had received a blow in the
stomach.

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.

And even the master praised him, for
he found him attentive, studious, and in-
telligent— always the first to come to school,
and the last to leave when school was over.

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.

The master warned him every day, and

136 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

even the good Fairy never failed to tell
him, and to repeat constantly :

' Take care, Pinocchio ! Those bad school-
fellows of yours will end sooner or later by
making you lose all love of study, and
perhaps even they may bring upon you
some great misfortune.3

' There is no fear of that ! ' answered the
puppet, shrugging his shoulders and touch-
ing his forehead as much as to say : ' There
is so much sense here ! '

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 :

' Have you heard the great news ? '

'No.'

' In the sea near here a Dog-fish has
appeared as big as a mountain.'

1 Not really ? Can it be the same Dog-
fish that was there when my poor papa was
drowned ? '

1 We are going to the shore to see him.
Will you come with us ? '

* No ; I am going to school.'

* What matters school ? We can go to
school to-morrow. Whether we have a
lesson more or a lesson less, we shall
always remain the same donkeys.'

' But what will the master say ? '
' The master may say what he likes. He
is paid on purpose to grumble all day.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 137

' And my mamma ? . . .'

' Mammas know nothing/ answered those
bad little boys.

' 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.'

' 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.'

' How long does it take from here to the
shore ? ' asked the puppet.

' We can be there and back in an hour.'

' Then away ! ' shouted Pinocchio, ' and
he who runs fastest is the best ! '

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.

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 hang-
ing out of their mouths, he laughed heartily.
The unfortunate boy little knew what terrors
and horrible disasters he was going to meet
with ! . . .

XXVII

Great fight between Pinocchio and his
companions. One of them is wounded,
and Pinocchio is arrested by the gen-
darmes.

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.

' Where is the Dog-fish ? ' he asked, turn-
ing to his companions.

' He must have gone to have his breakfast,'
said one of them, laughing.

* Or he has thrown himself on to his bed
to have a little nap,' added another, laughing
still louder.

From their absurd answers and silly
laughter Pinocchio perceived that his com-
panions 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 :

' And now may I ask what fun you could

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 139

find in deceiving me with the story of the
Dog-fish ? '

' Oh, it was great fun ! ' answered the little
rascals in chorus.

* And in what did it consist ? '

' In making you miss school, and persuad-
ing 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 ? '

' And if I study hard what concern is it of
yours ? '

1 It concerns us excessively, because it
makes us appear in a bad light to the
master.'

< Why ? '

' 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 ! . . .'

{ Then what must I do to please you ? '

' You must follow our example and hate
school, lessons, and the master — our three
greatest enemies.'

' And if I wish to continue my studies ? '

' In that case we will have nothing more
to do with you, and at the first opportunity
we will make you pay for it.'

' Really,' said the puppet, shaking his head,
* you make me inclined to laugh.'

' Eh, Pinocchio ! ' shouted the biggest of
the boys, confronting him. * None of your

i4o ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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.'

1 Seven, like the seven deadly sins,' said
Pinocchio with a shout of laughter.

' Listen to him ! He has insulted us all !
He called us the seven deadly sins ! . . .'

' Pinocchio ! beg pardon . . . or it will be
the worse for you ! . . .'

' Cuckoo ! ' sang the puppet, putting his
forefinger to the end of his nose scoffingly.

' Pinocchio ! it will end badly ! . . .'

' Cuckoo ! '

'You will get as many blows as a
donkey ! . . .'

1 Cuckoo ! '

'You will return home with a broken
nose ! . . .'

' Cuckoo ! ;

'Ah, you shall have the cuckoo from
me ! ' said the most courageous of the boys.
'Take that to begin with, and keep it for
your supper to-night.'

And so saying he gave him a blow on the
head with his fist.

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.

Pinocchio, although he was one alone,
defended himself like a hero. He used

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 141

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 re-
minder.

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.

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 ! '

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 to the shore, called out in a hoarse voice
that sounded like a trumpet with a bad
cold:

' Have done with that, you young ruffians,
for you are nothing else ! These hand-to-

142 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

hand fights between boys seldom finish well.
Some disaster is sure to happen ! . . .'

Poor crab ! He might as well have
preached to the wind. Even that young
rascal Pinocchio, turning round, looked at
him mockingly and said rudely :

' Hold your tongue, you tiresome crab !
You had better suck some liquorice lozenges
to cure that cold in your throat. Or better
still, go to bed and try to get a reaction ! '

Just then the boys, who had no more books
of their own to throw, spied at a little
distance the satchel that belonged to Pin-
occhio, and took possession of it in less time
than it takes to tell.

Amongst the books there was one bound
in strong cardboard with the back and points,
of parchment It was a Treatise on Arith-
metic. I leave you to imagine if it was big
or not !

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 :

' 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.

AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 143

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 schoolfellow. Crying
bitterly in his despair he kept calling him
by name and saying to him :

' 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 com-
panions ! " But I am obstinate ... a wilful
fool ... I let them talk and then I always
take my own way ! and I have to suffer
for it. ... And so, ever since I have been
in the world, I have never had a happy
quarter of an hour. Oh dear ! what will
become of me, what will become of me,
what will become of me ? . . .'

And Pinocchio began to cry and sob,

144 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

and to strike his head with his fists, and to
call poor Eugene by his name. Suddenly
he heard the sound of approaching foot-
steps.

He turned and saw two carabineers.

* What are you doing there lying on the
ground ? ' they asked Pinocchio.

( I am helping my schoolfellow.

'Has he been hurt ? '

' So it seems.'

' Hurt indeed ! ' said one of the cara-
bineers, stooping down and examining
Eugene closely. c This boy has been
wounded in the temple. Who wounded
him ? '

' Not I,' stammered the puppet breath-
lessly.

* If it was not you, who then did it ?

* Not I,J repeated Pinocchio.

' And with what was he wounded ? '

'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 carabineer.

' And to whom does this book belong ? '

' To me.'

' That is enough : nothing more is wanted.
Get up and come with us at once.'

< But I . . .'

' Come along with us ! . . .'

' But I am innocent. . . .'

' Come along with us ! '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 145

Before they left, the carabineers called
some fishermen, who were passing at that
moment near the shore in their boat, and
said to them :

' We give this boy who has been wounded
in the head into your charge. Carry him
to your house and nurse him. To-morrow
we will come and see him.'

They then turned to Pinocchio, and
having placed him between them they said
to him in a commanding voice :

' Forward ! and walk quickly ! or it will
be the worse for you.'

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 have to
pass under the windows of the good Fairy's
house between the carabineers. He would
rather have died.

They had already reached the village
when a gust of wind blew Pinocchio's cap
off his head and carried it ten yards off.

' Will you permit me,' said the puppet to
the carabineers, ' to go and get my cap ? '
L

146 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Go, then ; but be quick about it.'
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 sea-
shore.

The carabineers, 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. But they could not satisfy
their curiosity, for Pinocchio and the dog
raised such clouds of dust that in a few
minutes nothing could be seen of either
of them.

XXVIII

Pinocchio is in danger of being fried in a
frying-pan like a fish.

THERE came a moment in this desperate
race — a terrible moment when Pinocchio
thought himself lost : for you must know
that Alidoro — for so the mastiff was called
— had run so swiftly that he had nearly
come up with him.

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.

Fortunately the shore was close and the
sea but a few steps off.

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.

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

i48 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

made great efforts to keep himself afloat
with his paws ; but the more he struggled
the farther he sank head downwards under
the water.

When he rose to the surface again his
eyes were rolling with terror, and he barked
out :

' I am drowning ! I am drowning ! '

* Drown ! ' shouted Pinocchio from a
distance, seeing himself safe from all
danger.

' Help me, dear Pinocchio ! . . . save me
from death ! . . .'

At that agonising cry the puppet, who
had in reality an excellent heart, was
moved with compassion, and turning to the
dog he said :

* But if I save your life, will you promise
to give me no further annoyance, and not
to run after me ? '

* I promise ! I promise ! Be quick, for
pity's sake, for if you delay another half-
minute I shall be dead.'

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.

The poor dog could not stand. He had
drunk, against his will, so much salt water
that he was like a balloon. The puppet,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 149

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 :

1 Good-bye, Alidoro ; a good journey to
you, and take my compliments to all at
home.'

' 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.'

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.

' 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.'

Having taken this resolution he ap-
proached 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

150 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

flapping and struggling like so many de-
spairing souls.

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.

When the fisherman had drawn his net
out of the sea, he exclaimed with great
satisfaction :

' Thank Heaven ! Again to-day I shall
have a splendid feast of fish ! '

' What a mercy that I am not a fish ! '
said Pinocchio to himself, regaining a little
courage.

The net full 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.

'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 t pulled out a handful of
mullet.

' These mullet are good ! ' he said, looking

ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO 151

at them and smelling them complacently.
And after he had smelt them he threw
them into a pan without water.

He repeated the same operation many
times ; and as he drew out the fish, his
mouth watered and he said, chuckling to
himself :

' What good whiting ! . . .'
* What exquisite sardines ! . . .'
' These soles are delicious ! . . .'
' And these crabs excellent ! . . .'
< What dear little anchovies ! . . .'
I need not tell you that the whiting, the
sardines, the soles, the crabs, and the an-
chovies were all thrown promiscuously into
the pan to keep company with the mullet.

The last to remain in the net was
Pinocchio.

No sooner had the fisherman taken him
out than he opened his big green eyes with
astonishment, and cried, half-frightened :

' What species of fish is this ? Fish of

this kind I never remember to have eaten ! '

And he looked at him again attentively,

and having examined him well all over,

he ended by saying :

' I know : he must be a craw-fish.'
Pinocchio, mortified at being mistaken for
a craw-fish, said in an angry voice :

( A craw-fish indeed ! do you take me for
a craw-fish ? what treatment 1 Let me tell
you that I am a puppet.'

152 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 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.'

' Eat me ? but will you understand that
I am not a fish ? Do you not hear that I
talk and reason as you do ? '

* 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.'

' And this attention ? . . .'

' 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 ? '

4 To tell the truth,' answered Pinocchio, * if
I am to choose, I should prefer to be set at
liberty and to return home.'

1 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 a consolation
to be fried in company.'

At this speech the unhappy Pinocchio
began to cry and scream and to implore for
mercy ; and he said, sobbing : ' How much

ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO 153

better it would have been if I had gone
to school ! . . . I would listen to my
companions and now I am paying for it !
Ih ! . . . Ih ! . . . Ih ! . . .'

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.

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.

The first to dance in the boiling oil were
the poor whiting ; 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.

But the poor boy implored with his
eyes ! The green fisherman, however, with-
out 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.

He then took him by the head, and. . . ,

XXIX

He returns to the Fairy's house. She
promises him that the following day he
shall cease to be a pitppet and shall
become a boy. Grand breakfast of coffee
and milk to celebrate this great event.

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 savoury odour of fried
fish.

1 Get out ! ' shouted the fisherman
threateningly, holding the floured puppet in
his hand.

But the poor dog, who was as hungry as a
wolf, whined and wagged his tail as much
as to say :

£ Give me a mouthful of fish and I will
leave you in peace.'

' Get out, I tell you ! ' repeated the fisher-
man, and he stretched out his leg to give
him a kick.

But the dog, who, when he was really

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 155

hungry, would not stand trifling, turned
upon him, growling and showing his terrible
tusks.

At that moment a little feeble voice was
heard in the cave saying entreatingly :

' Save me, Alidoro ! If you do not save me
I shall be fried ! . . .'

The dog recognised Pinocchio's voice, and
to his extreme surprise perceived that it
proceeded from the floured bundle that the
fisherman held in his hand.

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.

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.

Alidoro, when he had reached the path
that led to the village, stopped, and put his
friend Pinocchio gently on the ground.

' How much I have to thank you for ! '
said the puppet.

' 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.'

1 But how came you to come to the cave ? '

' I was lying on the shore more dead than

156 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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. . . .'

' 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 ! . . .'

Alidoro, laughing, extended his right paw
to the puppet, who shook it heartily in
token of great friendship, and they then
separated.

The dog took the road home ; and Pin-
occhio, left alone, went to a cottage not far
off, and said to a little old man who was
wanning himself in the sun :

* Tell me, good man, do you know any-
thing of a poor boy called Eugene who was
wounded in the head ? . . .'

' The boy was brought by some fishermen
to this cottage, and now . . .'

'And now he is dead ! . . .' interrupted
Pinocchio with great sorrow.

1 No, he is alive, and has returned to his
home.'

1 Not really ? not really ? ' cried the puppet,
dancing with delight. ' Then the wound was
not serious ? . . .'

* It might have been very serious and
even fatal,' answered the little old man, c for

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 157

they threw a thick book bound in cardboard
at his head.'

1 And who threw it at him ?'

' One of his schoolfellows, a certain
Pinocchio. . . .'

' And who is this Pinocchio ? ' asked the
puppet, pretending ignorance.

'They say that he is a bad boy, a
vagabond, a regular good-for-nothing. . . .'

' Calumnies ! all calumnies ! '

' Do you know this Pinocchio ? '

' By sight ! ' answered the puppet.

* And what is your opinion of him ? ' asked
the little man.

' He seems to me to be a very good boy,
anxious to learn, and obedient and affection-
ate to his father and family. . . .'

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 :

' Don't believe, good man, what I have
been telling you. I know Pinocchio very
well, and I can assure you that he is really a
very bad boy, disobedient and idle, who
instead of going to school runs off with his
companions to amuse himself.'

He had hardly finished speaking when
his nose became shorter and returned to the
same size that it was before.

1 And why are you all covered with white ? '
asked the old man suddenly.

158 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO

f 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.

' And what have you done with your
jacket, your trousers, and your cap ? '

' 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?'

' 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.'

Pinocchio did not wait to be told twice.
He t6bk 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.

But as he went he did not feel at all com-
fortable— so little so, indeed, that for a step
forwards he took another backwards, and he
said, talking to himself :

' 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 ? . . . I bet that she will
not forgive me ! 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 ! . . .'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 159

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, and hoping to be let
in.

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, but could not make up
his mind ; he came back a third time, still he
dared not ; the fourth time he laid hold of
the knocker and, trembling, gave a little
knock.

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 :

4 Who is there at this hour ? '

'Is the Fairy at home?' asked the
puppet.

'The Fairy is asleep and must not be
awakened ; but who are you ? '

< It is I ! '

' Who is I ? '

' Pinocchio.'

' And who is Pinocchio ? '

1 The puppet who lives in the Fairy's
house.'

* Ah, I understand ! ' said the Snail.

160 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Wait for me there. I will come down and
open the door directly.'

' Be quick, for pity's sake, for I am dying
of cold.'

1 My boy, I am a snail, and snails are
never in a hurry.'

An hour passed, and then two, and the
door was not opened. Pinocchio, who was
wet through, and trembling from cold and
fear, at last took courage and knocked again,
and this time he knocked louder.

At this second knock a window on the
lower story opened, and the same Snail
appeared at it.

* Beautiful little Snail,' cried Pinocchio
from the street, c 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.'

' My boy,' answered the calm, phlegmatic
little animal — ' my boy, I am a snail, and
snails are never in a hurry.'

And the window was shut again.

Shortly afterwards midnight struck ; then
one o'clock, then two o'clock, and the door
remained still closed.

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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 161

stream of water that ran down the middle
of the street.

1 Ah ! is that it ? ' shouted Pinocchio, blind
with rage. 'Since the knocker has dis-
appeared, I will kick instead with all my
might.'

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.

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.

The following morning at daybreak the
door was at last opened. That 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.

* What are you doing with your foot
stuck in the door ?' she asked the puppet,
laughing.

' It was an accident. Do try, beautiful
little Snail, if you cannot release me from
this torture.'

' My boy, that is the work of a carpenter,
and I have never been a carpenter.'

' Beg the Fairy from me ! . . .'
M

i6z ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

* The Fairy is asleep and must not be
wakened.'

1 But what do you suppose that I can do
all day nailed to this door ? '

' Amuse yourself by counting the ant's that
pass down the street.'

4 Bring me at least something to eat, for
I am quite exhausted.'

' At once,' said the Snail.

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.

' Here is the breakfast that the Fairy has
sent you,' said the Snail.

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 !

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.

When he came to himself he found that
he was lying on a sofa, and the Fairy was
beside him.

' I will pardon you once more,' the Fairy
said, ' but woe to you if you behave badly a
third time ! . . .'

Pinocchio promised, and swore that he

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 163

would study, and that for the future he would
always conduct himself well.

And he kept his word for the remainder
of the year. Indeed, at the examinations
before the holidays, he had the honour of
being the first in the school, and his
behaviour in general was so satisfactory and
praiseworthy that the Fairy was very much
pleased, and said to him :

'To-morrow your wish shall be gratified.'

' And that is ? '

' To-morrow you shall cease to be a
wooden puppet, and you shall become a boy.'

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 . . .

Unfortunately in the lives of puppets there
is always a l but ' that spoils everything.

XXX

PinocchiO) instead of becoming a boy^ starts
secretly with his friend Candlewick for
the ' Land of Boobies?

PINOCCHIO, as was natural, asked the Fairy's
permission to go round the town to make
the invitations ; and the Fairy said to him :

'Go if you like and invite your com-
panions for the breakfast to-morrow, but
remember to return home before dark.
Have you understood ? '

' I promise to be back in an hour,'
answered the puppet.

' Take care, Pinocchio ! Boys are always
very ready to promise ; but generally they
are little given to keep their word.'

* But I am not like other boys. When I
say a thing, I do it.'

' We shall see. If you are disobedient,
so much the worse for you.'

'Why?'

' Because boys who do not listen to the
advice of those who know more than they

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 165

do always meet with some misfortune or
other.'

' I have experienced that,' said Pinocchio.
' But I shall never make that mistake
again.'

* We shall see if that is true.'

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.

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 :

' We will come also, to do you a pleasure.'

Now I must tell you that amongst Pin-
occhio's friends and schoolfellows 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 night-
light.

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

166 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

in vain. Where could he search for him ?
He looked here, there, and everywhere, and
at last he saw him hiding in the porch of a
peasant's cottage.

* What are you doing there ? ' asked
Pinocchio, coming up to him.

' I am waiting for midnight, to start. . . .'

' Why, where are you going ? '

' Very far, very far, very far away.'

'And I have been three times to your
house to look for you.5

' What did you want with me ? '

' Do you not know the great event ?
Have you not heard of my good fortune ? '

< What is it?'

' To-morrow I cease to be a puppet, and
I become a boy like you, and like all the
other boys.'

' Much good may it do you.'

'To-morrow, therefore, I expect you to
breakfast at my house.'

'But when I tell you that I am going
away to-night.'

' At what o'clock ? '

' In a short time.'

* And where are you going ? '

' I am going to live in a country . . .
the most delightful country in the world :
a real land of Cocagne ! . . .'

' And how is it called ? '

* It is called the ' Land of Boobies.'
Why do you not come too ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 167

' I ? no, never ! '

' You are wrong, Pinocchio. Believe me,
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 Thursday there is never school ; and
every week consists of six Thursdays and
one Sunday. Only think, the autumn
holidays begin on the ist of January and
finish on the last day of December. That
is the country for me ! That is what all
civilised countries should be like ! . . .'

'But how are the days spent in the
"Land of Boobies "?'

' 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 ? '

' Hum ! . . .' said Pinocchio ; and he
shook his head slightly as much as to say,
' That is a life that I also would willingly
lead.'

' Well, will you go with me ? Yes or no ?
Resolve quickly.'

' 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.'

168 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O

* Where are you rushing off to in such a
hurry ? '

* Home. My good Fairy wishes me to
be back before dark.'

' Wait another two minutes.'

* It will make me too late.'
' Only two minutes.'

' And if the Fairy scolds me ? '

' Let her scold. When she has scolded
well she will hold her tongue,' said that
rascal Candlewick.

' And what are you going to do ? Are
you going alone or with companions ? '

' Alone ? We shall be more than a
hundred boys.'

' And do you make the journey on foot ? '

* A coach will pass by shortly which is to
take me to that happy country.'

' What would I not give for the coach to
pass by now ! . . .'
'Why?'
'That I might see you all start together.'

* Stay here alittle longer and you will see us.'
1 No, no, I must go home.'

' Wait another two minutes.'

' I have already delayed too long. The
Fairy will be anxious about me.'

' Poor Fairy ! Is she afraid that the bats
will eat you ? '

' But now,' continued Pinocchio, ' are you
really certain that there are no schools in
that country ? . . .'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 169

' Not even the shadow of one.'

1 And no masters either ? . . .'

' Not one.'

' And no one is ever made to study ? '

' Never, never, never ! '

' What a delightful country ! ' said Pin-
occhio, his mouth watering. ' What a de-
lightful country ! I have never been there,
but I can quite imagine it. . . .'

' Why will you not come also ? 3

' It is useless to tempt me. I promised
my good Fairy to become a sensible boy,
and I will not break my word.'

' Good-bye, then, and give my compli-
ments to all the boys of the gymnasiums,
and also to those of the lyceums, if you
meet them in the street.'

' Good - bye, Candlewick : a pleasant
journey to you, amuse yourself, and think
sometimes of your friends.'

Thus saying the puppet made two steps
to go, but then stopped, and turning to his
friend he inquired :

' But are you quite certain that in that
country all the weeks consist of six Thursdays
and one Sunday ? '

' Most certain.'

' But do you know for certain that the
holidays begin on the ist of January and
finish on the last day of December ? '

'Assuredly.'

' What a delightful country ! ' repeated

i7o ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

Pinocchio, looking enchanted. Then with
a resolute air he added in a great hurry :

'This time really good-bye, and a
pleasant journey to you.3

' Good-bye.'

' When do you start ? '

' Shortly.'

' What a pity ! If really it wanted only
an hour to the time of your start, I should
be almost tempted to wait.'

' And the Fairy ? '

1 It is already late. . . . If I return home
an hour sooner or an hour later it will be
all the same.'

* Poor Pinocchio ! And if the Fairy
scolds you ? '

* I must have patience ! I will let her
scold. When she has scolded well she will
hold her tongue.'

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.

' Here it is ! ' shouted Candlewick, jump-
ing to his feet.

* What is it ? ' asked Pinocchio in a
whisper.

* It is the coach coming to take me.
Now will you come, yes or no ? '

* But is it really true,' asked the puppet,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 171

' that in that country boys are never obliged
to study ? '

' Never, never, never ! '

« What a delightful country ! . . . What
a delightful country ! . . . What a delight-
ful country !

XXXI

After five months' residence in the land of
Cocagne^ Pinocchio, to his great astonish-
ment', grows a beautiful pair of donkey's
ears, and he becomes a little donkey ',
tail and all.

AT last the coach arrived ; and it arrived
without making the slightest noise, for its
wheels were bound round with tow and
rags.

It was drawn by twelve pairs of donkeys,
all the same size but of different colours.

Some were gray, some white, some
brindled like pepper and salt, and others
had large stripes of yellow and blue.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 173

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.

And the coachman ? . . .

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.

All the boys as soon as they saw him fell
in love with him, and vied with each other
in taking places in his coach to be conducted
to the true land of Cocagne, known on the
geographical map by the seducing name of
the ' Land of Boobies.'

The coach was in fact quite full of boys
between eight and twelve years old, heaped
one upon another like herrings in a barrel.
They were uncomfortable, packed close
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.

174 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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 :

' Tell me, my fine boy, would you also
like to go to that fortunate country ? '

' 1 certainly wish to go.3

' 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. . . .'

* No matter,' replied Candlewick; ' if there
is no place inside, I will manage to sit on
the springs.'

And giving a leap he seated himself
astride on the springs.

'And you, my love ! . . .' said the little
man, turning in a nattering manner to
Pinocchio, ' what do you intend to do ?
Are you coming with us, or are you going
to remain behind ? '

' I remain behind,' answered Pinocchio.
1 1 am going home. I intend to study and
to earn a good character at school, as all
well-conducted boys do.'

* Much good may it do you ! '

* Pinocchio ! ' called out Candlewick,
' listen to me : come with us and we shall
have such fun.'

' No, no, no ! '

' Come with us, and we shall have such
fun,' cried four other voices from the inside
of the coach.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 175

' Come with us, and we shall have such
fun,' shouted in chorus a hundred voices
from the inside of the coach.

' But if I come with you, what will my
good Fairy say ? ' said the puppet, who was
beginning to yield.

4 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.'

Pinocchio did not answer ; but he sighed :
he sighed again : he sighed for the third
time, and he said finally :

' Make a little room for me, for I am
coming too.'

' 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. . . .'

'And you ? . . .'

1 Oh, I will go on foot.'

' No, indeed, I could not allow that. I
would rather mount one of these donkeys,'
cried Pinocchio.

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.

You can imagine the impertinent and
immoderate laughter of all the boys who
witnessed this scene.

176 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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.

Pinocchio in the meantime had got 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, Pin-
occhio ! ' and they clapped their hands and
applauded him as if they would never finish.

But the donkey suddenly kicked up its
hind -legs, and backing violently threw the
poor puppet into the middle of the road
on to a heap of stones.

The roars of laughter recommenced :
but the little man, instead of laughing, felt
such affection for the restive ass that he
kissed him again, and as he did so he bit
half of his other ear clean off. He then
said to the puppet :

' Mount him now without fear. That
little donkey had got some whim into his
head ; but I whispered two little words
into his ears which have, I hope, made him
gentle and reasonable.'

Pinocchio mounted, and 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 intelligible
saying to him :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 177

* Poor fool ! you would follow your own
way, but you will repent it ! '

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, Candle-
wick snored like a dormouse, and the little
man seated on the box sang between his
teeth :

' During the night all sleep,
But I sleep never. . . .'

After they had gone another mile, Pin-
occhio heard the same little low voice saying
to him :

' 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 weep-
ing now . . . but then it will be too late ! . . .'

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.

Imagine his surprise when he found that
the donkey was . crying . . . and he was
crying like a boy !

' Eh ! Sir coachman,' cried Pinocchio to

178 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

the little man, 'here is an extraordinary
thing ! This donkey is crying.'

4 Let him cry ; he will laugh when he is a
bridegroom.'

* But have you by chance taught him to
talk ? '

( No ; but he spent three years in a com-
pany of learned dogs, and he learnt to mutter
a few words.'

1 Poor beast ! '

' 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.'

Pinocchio obeyed without another word.
In the morning about daybreak they arrived
safely in the * Land of Boobies.'

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. Boys dressed in
straw were eating lighted- tow ; some were
reciting, some singing, some leaping. Some
were amusing themselves with walking on

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 179

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 shout-
ing, some were calling out ; others clapped
their hands, or whistled, or clucked like a
hen who has just laid an egg. To sum it
all up, it was such a pandemonium, such a
bedlam, such an uproar, that not to be
deafened it would have been necessary to
stuff one's ears with cotton wool. In every
square, canvas theatres 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 arith-
metic : ' and similar other fine sentiments
all in bad spelling.

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?

In the midst of continual games and
every variety of amusement, the hours,
the days, and the weeks passed like
lightning.

i8o ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' Oh, what a delightful life ! ' said Pin-
occhio, whenever by chance he met Candle-
wick.

* 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 study-
ing ! . . . If you are at 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.'

* 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 ! . . ."'

' Poor master ! ' replied the other, shaking
his head. ' I know only too well that he dis-
liked me, and amused himself by calumni-
ating me ; but I am generous and I forgive
him ! '

1 Noble soul ! ' said Pinocchio, embracing
his friend affectionately, and kissing him
between the eyes.

This delightful life had gone on for five
months. The days had been entirely spent
in play and amusement, without a thought

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 181

of books or school, when one morning
Pinocchio awoke to a most disagreeable
surprise that put him into a very bad
humour.

XXXII

Pinocchio gets donkey's ears; and then he
becomes a real little donkey and begins to
bray.

WHAT was this surprise ?

I will tell you, my dear little readers.
The surprise was that Pinocchio when he
awoke scratched his head ; and in scratching
his head he discovered . . . Can you guess
in the least what he discovered ?

He discovered to his great astonishment
that his ears had grown more than a hand.

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.

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

AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 183

reflected what he certainly would never
have wished to see. He saw his head
embellished with a magnificent pair of
donkey's ears !

Only think of poor Pinocchio's sorrow,
shame, and despair !

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.

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 :

'What has happened to you, my dear
fellow-lodger ? '

' I am ill, my dear little Marmot, very
ill ... and of an illness that frightens me.
Do you understand counting a pulse ?'

'A little.'

' Then feel and see if by chance I have
got fever.'

The little Marmot raised her right fore-
paw ; and after having felt Pinocchio's
pulse she said to him, sighing :

' My friend, I am grieved to be obliged
to give you bad news ! . . .'

'What is it?'

'You have got a very bad fever ! . . .'

' What fever is it ? '

' It is donkey fever.'

184 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

'That is a fever that I do not under-
stand,' said the puppet, but he understood
it only too well.

' 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. . . .'

1 Then what shall I be ? '

1 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. '

' 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.

* My dear boy,' said the Marmot, by way
of consoling him, ' what can you do to
prevent it ? 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.'

1 But is it really so ? ' asked the puppet,
sobbing.

' It is indeed only too true ! And tears
are now useless. You should have thought
of it sooner ! '

' But it was not my fault : believe me,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 185

little Marmot, the fault was all Candle-
wick's ! . . .'

' And who is this Candlewick ? '

' One of my schoolfellows. I wanted to
return home : I wanted to be obedient. I
wished to study and to earn a good
character . . . but Candlewick said to me :
"Why should you bother yourself by study-
ing ? 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." '

'And why did you follow the advice of
that false friend ? of that bad companion ? '

' 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 should be no longer a puppet . . .
for I should 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 ! . . .'

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

186 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

his head he pulled it well down over the
point of his nose.

He then set out, and went everywhere
in search of Candlewick. He looked for
him in the streets, in the squares, in the
little theatres, in every possible place ; but
he could not find him. He inquired for
him of everybody he met, but no one had
seen him.

He then went to seek him at his house ;
and having reached the door he knocked.

* Who is there ? ' asked Candlewick from
within.

' It is I ! ' answered the puppet.

' Wait a moment and I will let you in.'

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.

At the sight of the cap Pinocchio felt
almost consoled, and thought to himself:

' Has my friend got the same illness that
I have ? Is he also suffering from donkey
fever ? . . .'

And pretending to have observed nothing
he asked him, smiling :

' How are you, my dear Candlewick ? '

f Very well ; as well as a mouse in a
Parmesan cheese.'

' Are you saying that seriously ? '

' Why should I tell you a lie ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 187

1 Excuse me ; but why, then, do you keep
that cotton cap on your head which covers
up your ears ? '

'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 ? '

' The doctor prescribed it because I have
grazed my foot.'

* Oh, poor Pinocchio ! . . .'

' Oh, poor Candlewick ! . . .'

After these words a long silence followed,
during which the two friends did nothing
but look mockingly at each other.

At last the puppet said in a soft melli-
fluous voice to his companion :

' Satisfy my curiosity, my dear Candle-
wick : have you ever suffered from disease
of the ears ? '

* Never ! . . . And you ? '

' Never ! Only since this morning one
of my ears aches.'

' Mine is also paining me.'

' You also ? . . . And which of your ears
hurts you ? '

' Both of them. And you ? '

* Both of them. Can we have got the
same illness ? '

' I fear so.'

* Will you do me a kindness, Candlewick ? '
' Willingly ! With all my heart.'

* Will you let me see your ears ? '

i88 ADVENTURES CF PINOCCHIO

1 Why not ? But first, my dear Pinocchio,
I should like to see yours.'

' No : you must be the first.'

' No, dear ! First you and then I ! '

' Well,' said the puppet, ' let us come to
an agreement like good friends.'

' Let us hear it.'

* We will both take off our caps at the
same moment. Do you agree ? '

« I agree.'

' Then attention ! '

And Pinocchio began to count in a loud
voice :

1 One ! Two ! Three ! '

At the word three ! the two boys took off
their caps and threw them into the air.

And then a scene followed that would
seem incredible if it was not true. That is,
that when Pinocchio and Candlewick dis-
covered 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.

And they laughed, and laughed, and
laughed, until they had to hold them-
selves together. But in the midst of their
merriment Candlewick suddenly stopped,
staggered, and changing colour said to his
friend :

4 Help, help, Pinocchio ! '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 189

4 What is the matter with you ? '

'Alas, I cannot any longer stand upright.'

' No more can I,' exclaimed Pinocchio,
tottering and beginning to cry.

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.

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.

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 : <j-a, j-a, j-a.'

Whilst this was going on some one
knocked at the door, and a voice on the
outside said :

* 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 ! '

XXXIII

Pinocchio, having become a genuine little
donkey, is taken to be sold, and is bought
by the director of a company of buffoons
to be taught to dance, and to jump
through hoops : but one evening he lames
himself, and then he is bought by a man
who purposes to make a drum of his
skin.

FINDING that the door remained shut the
little man burst it open with a violent kick,
and coming into the room he said to Pin-
occhio and Candlewick with his usual little
laugh :

' Well done, boys ! You brayed well, and
I recognised you by your voices. That is
why I am here.'

At these words the two little donkeys
were quite stupefied, and stood with their

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 191

heads down, their ears lowered, and their
tails between their legs.

At first the little man stroked and caressed
them ; then taking out a currycomb he curry-
combed 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.

And indeed buyers were not wanting.
Candlewick was bought by a peasant whose
donkey had died the previous day. Pin-
occhio 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.

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 pro-
mises and flattery, all the idle boys who had
taken an aversion 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

192 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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.

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.

When he was put into his stall his master
filled the manger with straw ; but Pinocchio
having tried a mouthful spat it out again.

Then his master, grumbling, filled the
manger with hay ; but neither did the hay
please him.

' 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 ! . . .'

And by way of correcting him he struck
his legs with his whip.

Pinocchio began to cry and to bray with
pain, and he said, braying :

* J-a, j-a, I cannot digest straw ! . . .'

' Then eat hay ! ' said his master, who
understood perfectly the asinine dialect.

'J-a, j-a, hay gives me a pain in my
stomach.'

'Do you mean to pretend that a little
donkey like you must be kept on breasts of
chickens, and capons in jelly ? ' asked his

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 193

master, getting more and more angry, and
whipping him again.

At this second whipping Pinocchio pru-
dently held his tongue and said nothing
more.

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.

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.

* 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 ! . . .'

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.

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 savoury
dish of macaroni or rice.

' But I must have patience ! ' he repeated
as he went on chewing. ' May my example
serve at least as a warning to all dis-
o

194 ADVENTURES OF P1NOCCHIO

obedient boys who do not want to study.
Patience ! . . . patience ! . . .'

* 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.3

Poor Pinocchio, either by love or by force,
had to learn all these fine things. But
it took him three months before he had
learnt them, and he got many a whipping
that nearly took off his skin.

At last a day came when his master was
able to announce that he would give a
really extraordinary representation. The
many-coloured placards stuck on the street
corners were thus worded :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 195

GREAT FULL DRESS REPRE-
SENTATION.

TO-NIGHT

WILL TAKE PLACE THE USUAL FEATS

AND SURPRISING PERFORMANCES

EXECUTED BY ALL THE ARTISTES

AND BY ALL THE HORSES OF THE COMPANY,

AND MOREOVER

THE FAMOUS

LITTLE DONKEY PINOCCHIO,

CALLED

THE STAR OF THE DANCE,

WILL MAKE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE.

THE THEATRE WILL BE BRILLIANTLY ILLUMINATED.

On that evening, as you may imagine, an
hour before the play was to begin the theatre
was crammed.

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.

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.

When the first part of the performance
was over, the director of the company,

196 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

dressed in a black coat, white shorts, 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 :

4 Respectable public, ladies and gentle-
men ! The humble undersigned being a
passer-by in this illustrious city, I have
wished to procure for myself the honour,
not to say the pleasure, of presenting to
his intelligent and distinguished audience
a celebrated little donkey, who has already
had the honour of dancing in the presence
of His Majesty the Emperor of all the
principal Courts of Europe.

* And thanking you, I beg of you to help
us with your inspiring presence and to be
indulgent to us.'

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 coloured
ribbon. He had a girth of gold and silver
round his body, and his tail was plaited
with amaranth and blue velvet ribbons.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 197

He was, in fact, a little donkey to fall in love
with !

The director in presenting him to the
public added these few words :

' My respectable auditors ! I am not
here to tell you falsehoods of the great
difficulties that I have overcome in under-
standing 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 roll-
ing 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 in
Paris has itself recognised as the regenerat-
ing 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 to-morrow evening ; but in the
apotheosis that the weather should threaten

198 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

rain, the performance will be postponed till
to-morrow morning at 1 1 antemeridian of
postmeridian.'

Here the director made another profound
bow ; and then turning to Pinocchio he
said :

* Courage, Pinocchio ! before you begin
your feats make your bow to this dis-
tinguished audience — ladies, gentlemen, and
children.'

Pinocchio obeyed and bent both his
knees till they touched the ground, and
remained kneeling until the director, crack-
ing his whip, shouted to him :

1 At a foot's pace ! '

Then the little donkey raised himself on
his four legs and began to walk round the
theatre, keeping at a foot's pace.

After a little the director cried :

* Trot ! ' and Pinocchio, obeying the order,
changed to a trot.

* Gallop ! ' and Pinocchio broke into a
gallop.

' Full gallop ! ' and Pinocchio went full
gallop. But whilst he was going full speed
like a racehorse the director, raising his
arm in the air, fired off a pistol.

At the shot the little donkey, pretending
to be wounded, fell his whole length in the
circus, as if he was really dying.

As he got up from the ground amidst an
outburst of applause, shouts, and clapping

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 199

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.

* That is my portrait ! . . . that lady is
the Fairy ! ' said Pinocchio to himself, re-
cognising her immediately ; and overcome
with delight he tried to cry :

'Oh, my little Fairy! Oh, my little
Fairy ! '

But instead of these words a bray came
from his throat, so sonorous and so pro-
longed that all the spectators laughed, and
more especially all the children who were
in the theatre.

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.

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.

But what was his despair when, looking up
a second time, he saw that the box was empty
and that the Fairy had disappeared ! . . .

He thought he was going to die : his
eyes filled with tears and he began to weep.
Nobody, however, noticed it, and least of

200 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

all the director who, cracking his whip,
shouted :

1 Courage, Pinocchio ! Now let the
audience see how gracefully you can jump
through the hoops.'

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.

When he got up he was lame, and it
was only with great difficulty that he
managed to return to the stable.

' Bring out Pinocchio ! We want the
little donkey ! Bring out the little donkey ! '
shouted all the boys in the theatre, touched
and sorry for the sad accident.

But the little donkey was seen no more
that evening.

The following morning the veterinary,
that is the doctor of animals, paid him a
visit, and declared that he would remain
lame for life.

The director then said to the stable-boy :

* 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.'

When they reached the market a

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 201

purchaser was found at once. He asked
the stable-boy :

' How much do you want for that lame
donkey ? '

' Twenty francs.3

{ I will give you twenty pence. 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.'

I leave it to my readers to imagine poor
Pinocchio's feelings when he heard that he .
was destined to become a drum !

As soon as the purchaser had paid his
twenty pence he conducted the little donkey
to the sea -shore. 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.

Pinocchio, weighed 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.

XXXIV

Pinocchio having been thrown into the
sea is eaten by the fish and becomes
a puppet as he was before. Whilst he
is swimming away to save his life he is
swallowed by the terrible Dog-fish.

AFTER Pinocchio had been fifty minutes
under the water his purchaser said aloud
to himself:

* My poor little lame donkey must by
this time be quite drowned. I will there-
fore pull him out of the water, and I will
make a fine drum of his skin.'

And he began to haul in the rope that
he had tied to the donkey's leg ; and he

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 203

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.

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.

Having somewhat recovered from his first
stupefaction, he asked in a quavering voice :

' And the little donkey that I threw into
the sea ? What has become of him ? '

* I am the little donkey ! ' said Pinocchio,
laughing.

' You ? '
'I.'

* Ah, you young scamp ! Do you dare
to make game of me ? '

* To make game of you ? Quite the con-
trary, my dear master ; I am speaking
seriously.'

* 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 ? '

4 It must have been the effect of sea- water.
The sea makes extraordinary changes.'

* Beware, puppet, beware ! . . . Don't ima-
gine that you can amuse yourself at my ex-
pense. Woe to you, if I lose patience ! . . .'

204 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Well, master, do you wish to know the
true story ? If you will set my leg free I
will tell it you.'

The good man, who was curious to hear
the true story, immediately untied the knot
that kept him bound ; and Pinocchio, finding
himself as free as a bird in the air, commenced
as follows :

' You must know that I was once a puppet
as I am now, and I was on the point of be-
coming a boy like the many that there are
in the world. But instead, induced by my
dislike to study and the advice of bad com-
panions, I ran away from home . . . and
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 the
blessed St. Anthony would not inflict even
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 ! . . .'

* Only too true ! And I paid twenty
pence for you. And now who will give me
back my poor pennies ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 205

' And why did you buy me ? You bought
me to make a drum of my skin ! . . . a
drum ! . . .'

* Only too true ! And now where shall I
find another skin ? . . .'

* Don't despair, master. There are such
a number of little donkeys in the world ! '

'Tell me, you impertinent rascal, does your
story end here ? '

' 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 honour, and I shall
always be grateful to you for it. But never-
theless, dear master, this time you made
your calculations without considering the
Fairy! . . .'

' And who is this Fairy ? '

* 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,

206 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O

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 . . . and amongst them there
was a little fish so polite that he even
condescended to eat my tail.'

1 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 ! '

' I agree with you,' said the puppet, laugh-
ing ' 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.'

' I laugh at your story,' cried the man in
a rage. ' I know only that I spent twenty
pence to buy you, and I will have my money
back. Shall I tell you what I will do ? I

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 207

will take you back to the market and I will
sell you by weight as seasoned wood for
lighting fires.'

' Sell me if you like ; I am content,' said
Pinocchio.

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 :

' Good-bye, master ; if you should be in
want of a skin to make a drum, remember
me.'

And he laughed and went on swimming ;
and after a while he turned again and shouted
louder :

'Good-bye, master; if you should be in
want of a little well-seasoned wood for light-
ing the fire, remember me.'

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 leapt and capered like a dolphin enjoying
himself.

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.

But the most singular thing was this.

ao8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

The little goat's hair, instead of being white
or black, or a mixture of two colours as
is usual with other goats, was blue, and of a
very vivid blue, greatly resembling the hair
of the beautiful Child.

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 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.

And do you know what this sea-monster
was ?

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
1 Attila of fish and fishermen.'

Only 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.

' Be quick, Pinocchio, for pity's sake,'
cried the beautiful little goat, bleating.

And Pinocchio swam desperately with his
arms, his chest, his legs, and his feet.

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 209

' Quick, Pinocchio, the monster is close
upon you ! . . .'

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 ! . . ..

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 Pin-
occhio, in falling into the Dog-fish's stomach,
received such a blow that he remained un-
conscious for a quarter of an hour afterwards.

When he came to himself again after the
shock he could not in the least imagine in
what world he was. All round 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 ink-
stand 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.

r

210 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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 :

' Help ! help ! Oh, how unfortunate I
am ! Will nobody come to save me ?'

' Who do you think could save you, un-
happy wretch? . . .' said a voice in the
dark that sounded like a guitar out of
tune.

' Who is speaking ? ' asked Pinocchio,
frozen with terror.

* 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 ? '

1 1 have nothing in common with fish.
I am a puppet.'

' Then if you are not a fish, why did you
let yourself be swallowed by the monster ? '

* I didn't let myself be swallowed : it was
the monster swallowed me ! And now what
are we to do here in the dark ? '

* Resign ourselves and wait until the
Dog-fish has digested us both.'

' But I do not want to be digested ! '
howled Pinocchio, beginning to cry again.

' 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.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO an

1 That is all nonsense ! ' cried Pinocchio.

' It is my opinion,' replied the Tunny ;
1 and opinions, so say the political Tunnies,
ought to be respected.'

'To sum it all up ... I want to get
away from here ... I want to escape.'

c Escape if you are able ! . . .'

* Is this Dog-fish who has swallowed us
very big ? ' asked the puppet.

' Big ! Why, only imagine, his body is
two miles long without counting his tail.'

Whilst they were holding this conversa-
tion in the dark Pinocchio thought that he
saw a light a long way off.

' What is that little light I see in the
distance ? ' he asked.

' It is most likely some companion in
misfortune who is waiting like us to be
digested.'

* 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 ?'

' I hope it may be so with all my heart,
dear puppet.'

1 Good-bye, Tunny.'

' Good-bye, puppet, and good fortune
attend you.'

4 Where shall we meet again ? . . .'

1 Who can say ? ... It is better not
even to think of it ! '

XXXV

Pinocchio finds in the body of the Dog-
fish . . . whom does he find? Read
this chapter and you will know.

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.

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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 213

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.

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 round the little old
man's neck, and began to shout :

' Oh, my dear papa ! I have found you
at last ! I will never leave you more, never
more, never more ! '

' Then my eyes tell me true ? ' said the
little old man, rubbing his eyes ; ' then you
are really my dear Pinocchio ? '

* Yes, yes, I am Pinocchio, really Pin-
occhio ! 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

2i4 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

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 Crawfish,
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 had seen 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

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 215

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 cry-
ing, 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 had also 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 recognised you at
once, even at that distance, for my heart
told me, and I made signs to you to return
to land. . . .'

1 1 also recognised you,' said Geppetto,
1 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 Bologna
tart.'

216 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

'And how long have you been shut up
here ? ' asked Pinocchio.

* Since that day — it must be nearly two
years ago : two years, my dear Pinocchio,
that have seemed to me like two centuries ! '

* 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 ? '

' 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. . . .'

'How?3

* He swallowed it in one mouthful, and
the only thing that he spat out was the main-
mast, 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. . . .'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 217

1 And after that ? '

'After that, dear boy, we shall both
remain in the dark.'

' Then, dear little papa,' said Pinocchio,
* there is no time to lose. We must think
of escaping. . . .'

* Of escaping ? . . . and how ? '

* We must escape through the mouth of
the Dog-fish, throw ourselves into the sea
and swim away.'

* You talk well : but, dear Pinocchio, I
don't know how to swim.'

* What does that matter ? . . . I am a
good swimmer, and you can get on my
shoulders and I will carry you safely to
shore.'

' 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 metre high, could have
the strength to swim with me on his
shoulders ? '

' Try it and you will see ! '

Without another word Pinocchio took the
candle in his hand, and going in front to
light the way he said to his father :

' Follow me, and don't be afraid.'

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

2i8 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

a good look round and to choose the best
moment for escaping.

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.

' This is the moment to escape,' he whis-
pered, turning to his father ; * the Dogfish 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.'

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.

Before taking the final leap the puppet
said to his father :

' Get on my shoulders and put your arms
tight round my neck. I will take care of
the rest.'

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.

XXXVI

Pinocchio at last ceases to be a puppet and
becomes a boy.

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 got an attack of
ague fever.

Was he trembling from cold or from
fear ? . . . Perhaps a little from both the
one and the other. But Pinocchio, thinking
that it was from fear, said to comfort him :

* Courage, papa ! In a few minutes we
shall be safely on shore.'

220 ADVENTURES OF PIXOCCHIO

( 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.'

'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.'

Poor Pinocchio was making a pretence
of being in good spirits, but in reality . . .
in reality he was beginning to feel dis-
couraged : his strength was failing, he was
gasping and panting for breath ... he
could do no more, and the shore was still
far off.

He swam until he had no breath left ;
then he turned his head to Geppetto and
said in broken words :

' Papa . . . help me ... I am dying ! . . .'

The father and son were on the point of
drowning when they heard a voice like a
guitar out of tune saying :

* Who is it that is dying ? '

* It is I, and my poor father ! . . .'

' I know that voice ! You are Pinocchio ! '

* Precisely : and you ? '

1 1 am the Tunny, your prison companion
in the body of the Dog-fish.'

' And how did you manage to escape ? '

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 221

* I followed your example. You showed
me the road, and I escaped after you.'

' Tunny, you have arrived at the right
moment ! I implore you to help us, or we
are lost.'

' Willingly and with all my heart. You
must both of you take hold of my tail and
leave me to guide you. I will take you on
shore in four minutes.'

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.

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 :

' 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 ! . . .'

The Tunny put his head out of the water
and Pinocchio, kneeling on the ground, kissed
him tenderly on the mouth. At this spon-
taneous proof of warm affection the poor
Tunny, who was not accustomed to it, felt
extremely touched, and ashamed to let him-
self be seen crying like a child he plunged
under the water and disappeared.

222 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

By this time the day had dawned. Pin-
occhio then offering his arm to Geppetto,
who had scarcely breath to stand, said to
him :

' 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.'

' And where shall we go ? ' asked Geppetto.

* In search of some house or cottage,
where they will give us for charity a mouth-
ful of bread, and a little straw to serve as a
bed.'

They had not gone a hundred yards when
they saw by the roadside two villainous-
looking individuals begging.

They were the Cat and the Fox, but they
were scarcely recognisable. Fancy ! the Cat
had so long feigned blindness that she had
become blind in reality ; and the Fox, old,
mangy, and with one side paralysed, 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 travelling pedlar,
who bought it to drive away flies.

* Oh, Pinocchio ! ' cried the Fox, ' give a
little in charity to two poor infirm people.'

* Infirm people,' repeated the Cat.

' Begone, impostors !' answered the puppet.
'You took me in once, but you will never
catch me again.'

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 223

' Believe me, Pinocchio, we are now poor
and unfortunate indeed ! '

* If you are poor, you deserve it. Re-
collect the proverb : " Stolen money never
fructifies." Begone, impostors 1 '

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.

' That hut must be inhabited by some one,'
said Pinocchio. ' Let us go and knock at the
door.'

They went and knocked.

1 Who is there ? ' said a little voice from
within.

' We are a poor father and son without
bread and without a roof,' answered the
puppet.

'Turn the key and the door will open,'
said the same little voice.

Pinocchio turned the key and the door
opened. They went in and looked here,
there, and everywhere, but could see no one.

' Oh ! where is the master of the house ? '
said Pinocchio, much surprised.

* Here I am up here ! '

The father and son looked immediately
up to the ceiling, and there on a beam they
saw the Talking-cricket.

' Oh, my dear little Cricket ! ' said Pinocchio,
bowing politely to him.

224 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

' 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 ? . . .'

4 You are right, Cricket ! Drive me away
also . . . throw the handle of a hammer at
me ; but have pity on my poor papa. . . .'

' I will have pity on both father and son,
but I wished to remind you of the ill treat-
ment 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.'

' 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. '

1 This hut was given to me yesterday by a
goat whose wool was of a beautiful blue
colour.3

* And where has the goat gone ? ' asked
Pinocchio with lively curiosity.

' I do not know.5

' And when will it come back ? . . .

' 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 ... by this time
the Dog-fish must have devoured him !..."'

'Did it really say that? . . . Then it
was she ! ... it was she ! ... it was my

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 225

dear little Fairy . . .' exclaimed Pinocchio,
crying and sobbing.

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 :

' Tell me, little Cricket, where can I find
a tumbler of milk for my poor papa ? '

'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.'

Pinocchio ran all the way to Giangio's
house ; and the gardener asked him :

' How much milk do you want ? '

' I want a tumblerful.3

'A tumbler of milk costs a halfpenny.
Begin by giving me the halfpenny.'

* I have not even a farthing,' replied
Pinocchio, grieved and mortified.

'That is bad, puppet,' answered the
gardener. ' If you have not even a farthing,
I have not even a drop of milk.'

' I must have patience ! ' said Pinocchio,
and he turned to go.

' Wait a little,' said Giangio. ' We can
come to an arrangement together. Will you
undertake to turn the pumping machine ? '

' What is the pumping machine ? '

* It is a wooden pole which serves to
draw up the water from the cistern to water
the vegetables.'

Q

226 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 You can try me. . . .'

* Well, then, if you will draw a hundred
buckets of water, I will give you in compen-
sation a tumbler of milk.'

c It is a bargain.'

Giangio then led Pinocchio to the kitchen
garden and taught him how to turn the pump-
ing 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.

' Up till now,' said the gardener, ' the
labour of turning the pumping machine was
performed by my little donkey; but the
poor animal is dying.'

* Will you take me to see him ? ' said
Pinocchio.

< Willingly.'

When Pinocchio went into the stable he
saw a beautiful little donkey stretched on
the straw, worn out from hunger and over-
work. After looking at him earnestly he
said to himself, much troubled :

* I am sure I know this little donkey !
His face is not new to me.'

And bending over him he asked him in
asinine language :

* Who are you ? '

At this question the little donkey opened
his dying eyes, and answered in broken
words in the same language :

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 227

* I am . . . Can . . . die . . . wick . . .'
And having again closed his eyes he

expired.

' 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.

' 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 ? '

* I must tell you ... he was my friend ! '
' Your friend ? '

* One of my schoolfellows ! . . .'

' How ? ' shouted Giangio, laughing loudly.
* How ? had you donkeys for schoolfellows ?
... I can imagine what wonderful studies
you must have made ! . . .'

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.

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 learnt 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

228 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

elegant little wheel-chair, in which he could
take his father out on fine days to breathe
a mouthful of fresh air.

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 forty pence to
buy himself a new coat.

One morning he said to his father :

* I am going to the neighbouring 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.'

And leaving the house he began to run
merrily and happily along. All at once he
heard himself called by name, and turning
round he saw a big Snail crawling out from
the hedge.

* Do you not know me ? ' asked the Snail.

* It seems to me . . . and yet I am not
sure. . . .'

* 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 ? '

1 1 remember it all,' shouted Pinocchio.

* Tell me quickly, my beautiful little Snail,
where have you left my good Fairy ? What

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCH1O 229

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 ? '

To all these rapid breathless questions
the Snail replied in her usual phlegmatic
manner :

' My dear Pinocchio, the poor Fairy is
lying in bed at the hospital ! . . .'

« At the hospital ? . . .'

' 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.'

' 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 forty pence . . . here they are : I was
going to buy a new coat. Take them, Snail,
and carry them at once to my good Fairy.'

' And your new coat ? . . .'

1 What matters my new coat ? I would
sell even these rags that I have got 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 to-day
I will work five hours more that I may
also maintain my good mamma. Good-bye,
Snail, I shall expect you in two days.'

230 ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

The Snail, contrary to her usual habits,
began to run like a lizard in a hot August
sun.

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.

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 :

1 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 behaviour. Try and do better
in the future and you will be happy.3

At this moment his dream ended, and
Pinocchio opened his eyes and awoke.

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,

ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 231

a new cap, and a pair of new leather boots
that fitted him beautifully.

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 forty pence to her dear
Pinocchio, and thanks him for his good
heart.5 He opened the purse, and instead
of forty copper pennies he saw forty
shining gold pieces fresh from the mint.

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.

In the midst of all these wonders succeed-
ing each other Pinocchio felt quite be-
wildered, and he could not tell if he was
really awake or if he was dreaming with
his eyes open.

* Where can my papa be ? ' he exclaimed
suddenly, and going into the next room he
found old Geppetto quite well, lively, and
in good humour, just as he had been
formerly. He had already resumed his
trade of wood-carving, and he was design-
ing a rich and beautiful frame of leaves,
flowers, and the heads of animals.

232 AD VENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

1 Satisfy my curiosity, dear papa,' said
Pinocchio, throwing his arms round his
neck and covering him with kisses ; ' how
can this sudden change be accounted for ? '

1 This sudden change in our home is all
your doing,' answered Geppetto.

' How my doing ? '

1 Because when boys who have behaved
badly turn over a new leaf and become
good, they have the power of bringing
content and happiness to their families.'

'And where has the old wooden Pin-
occhio hidden himself ? '

' 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.

Pinocchio turned and looked at it ; and
after he had looked at it for a short time,
he said to himself with great complacency :

'How ridiculous I was when I was a
puppet ! and how glad I am that I have
become a well-behaved little boy ! . . .'

Printed by R. & R. CLARK, Edinburgh