Carlo Collodi

“ No sooner had Pinocchio got into bed 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 sovereigns, and as they swung in the wind they went zin, zin, zin, almost as if they would say: 'Let who will, come and take us.' But when Pinocchio was at the most interesting moment, that is, just as he was stretching out his hand to pick handfuls of those beautiful gold pieces and to put them in his pocket, he was suddenly wakened by three violent blows on the door of his room. ”

“ 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? ”

“ Let me tell you that every man, whether he is born rich or poor, is obliged to do something in this world—to occupy himself, to work. Woe to those who lead slothful lives. Sloth is a dreadful illness and must be cured at once, in childhood. If not, when we are old it can never be cured.'
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. ”

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

“ 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 Pinocchio, in falling into the Dog-fish's stomach, received such a blow that he remained unconscious for a quarter of an hour afterwards. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. Imagine 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. ”

“ Tormented by the desire of seeing his father and his little sister with blue hair 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! ”

“ Pinocchio, because he would not heed the good counsels of the Talking-cricket, falls amongst assassins.
'Really,' said the puppet to himself as he resumed his journey, 'how unfortunate we poor boys are. Everybody scolds us, everybody admonishes us, everybody gives us good advice. 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 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! ”

“ When he heard the sneeze, Harlequin, who up to that moment had been in the deepest affliction, and bowed down like a weeping willow, became quite cheerful, and leaning towards Pinocchio he whispered to him softly:
'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 sneezing. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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! Let me tell you that I am a puppet.'
'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? ”

“ Are you coming with us, or are you going to remain behind?'
'I remain behind,' answered Pinocchio. 'I 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.
'Come with us, and we shall have such fun,' shouted in chorus a hundred voices from the inside of the coach. ”

“ The little Marmot raised her right forepaw; 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.'
'That is a fever that I do not understand,' 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. . . ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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.
'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.
'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! ”

“ The donkeys galloped, the coach rattled, the boys inside slept, Candlewick snored like a dormouse, and the little man seated on the box sang between his teeth:
'During the night all sleep,
But I sleep never. . . .'
After they had gone another mile, Pinocchio 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. ”

“ It was the owner of the field coming on tiptoe to see if one of the polecats that ate his chickens during the night had been caught in his trap.
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! . . .'
'He who steals grapes is quite capable of stealing chickens. ”

“ 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:
'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! . . ”

“ At first Harlequin and Punchinello hesitated; but, appalled by a severe glance from their master, they obeyed. In a short time they returned to the kitchen carrying poor Pinocchio, who was wriggling like an eel taken out of water, and screaming desperately: 'Papa! papa! save me! I will not die, I will not die! ”

“ 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 distinguished audience—ladies, gentlemen, and children.'
Pinocchio obeyed and bent both his knees till they touched the ground, and remained kneeling until the director, cracking his whip, shouted to him:
'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. ”

“ By this time the day had dawned. Pinocchio 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 mouthful 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 without 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. ”

“ 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, and to strike his head with his fists, and to call poor Eugene by his name. Suddenly he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
He turned and saw two carabineers.
'What are you doing there lying on the ground?' they asked Pinocchio. ”

“ 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:
'Will you give me twopence for this new Spelling-book?'
'I 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 twopence,' called out a hawker of old clothes, who had been listening to the conversation. ”

“ Without moving her lips in the least, she said in a voice that seemed to come from the other world:
'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. ”

“ Try and do better in the future and you will be happy.'
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. ”