Chapter 36
Pinocchio finally ceases to bea Marionette and becomes a boy"My dear Father, we are saved!" cried the Marionette.
"All we have to do now is to get to the shore, and that is easy."Without another word, he swam swiftly away in aneffort to reach land as soon as possible. All at once henoticed that Geppetto was shivering and shaking as if witha high fever.
Was he shivering from fear or from cold? Who knows?
Perhaps a little of both. But Pinocchio, thinking his fatherwas frightened, tried to comfort him by saying:
"Courage, Father! In a few moments we shall be safe on land.""But where is that blessed shore?" asked the little old man,more and more worried as he tried to pierce the faraway shadows.
"Here I am searching on all sides and I see nothing but sea and sky.""I see the shore," said the Marionette. "Remember, Father,that I am like a cat. I see better at night than by day."Poor Pinocchio pretended to be peaceful and contented,but he was far from that. He was beginning to feeldiscouraged, his strength was leaving him, and his breathingwas becoming more and more labored. He felt he couldnot go on much longer, and the shore was still far away.
He swam a few more strokes. Then he turned to Geppettoand cried out weakly:
"Help me, Father! Help, for I am dying!"Father and son were really about to drown when theyheard a voice like a guitar out of tune call from the sea:
"What is the trouble?""It is I and my poor father.""I know the voice. You are Pinocchio.""Exactly. And you?""I am the Tunny, your companion in the Shark's stomach.""And how did you escape?""I imitated your example. You are the one who showedme the way and after you went, I followed.""Tunny, you arrived at the right moment! I implore you,for the love you bear your children, the little Tunnies,to help us, or we are lost!""With great pleasure indeed. Hang onto my tail, bothof you, and let me lead you. In a twinkling you will besafe on land."Geppetto and Pinocchio, as you can easily imagine, did notrefuse the invitation; indeed, instead of hanging ontothe tail, they thought it better to climb on the Tunny's back.
"Are we too heavy?" asked Pinocchio.
"Heavy? Not in the least. You are as light as sea-shells,"answered the Tunny, who was as large as a two-year-old horse.
As soon as they reached the shore, Pinocchio was thefirst to jump to the ground to help his old father.
Then he turned to the fish and said to him:
"Dear friend, you have saved my father, and I have notenough words with which to thank you! Allow me toembrace you as a sign of my eternal gratitude."The Tunny stuck his nose out of the water and Pinocchioknelt on the sand and kissed him most affectionatelyon his cheek. At this warm greeting, the poor Tunny,who was not used to such tenderness, wept like a child.
He felt so embarrassed and ashamed that he turned quickly,plunged into the sea, and disappeared.
In the meantime day had dawned.
Pinocchio offered his arm to Geppetto, who was soweak he could hardly stand, and said to him:
"Lean on my arm, dear Father, and let us go. We willwalk very, very slowly, and if we feel tired we can restby the wayside.""And where are we going?" asked Geppetto.
"To look for a house or a hut, where they will be kind enoughto give us a bite of bread and a bit of straw to sleep on."They had not taken a hundred steps when they saw tworough-looking individuals sitting on a stone begging for alms.
It was the Fox and the Cat, but one could hardly recognizethem, they looked so miserable. The Cat, after pretendingto be blind for so many years had really lost the sightof both eyes. And the Fox, old, thin, and almost hairless,had even lost his tail. That sly thief had fallen intodeepest poverty, and one day he had been forced to sell hisbeautiful tail for a bite to eat.
"Oh, Pinocchio," he cried in a tearful voice. "Give ussome alms, we beg of you! We are old, tired, and sick.""Sick!" repeated the Cat.
"Addio, false friends!" answered the Marionette.
"You cheated me once, but you will never catch me again.""Believe us! Today we are truly poor and starving.""Starving!" repeated the Cat.
"If you are poor; you deserve it! Remember the oldproverb which says: `Stolen money never bears fruit.'
Addio, false friends.""Have mercy on us!""On us.""Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb which says:
`Bad wheat always makes poor bread!'""Do not abandon us.""Abandon us," repeated the Cat.
"Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb:
`Whoever steals his neighbor's shirt, usually dies withouthis own.'"Waving good-by to them, Pinocchio and Geppettocalmly went on their way. After a few more steps,they saw, at the end of a long road near a clump of trees,a tiny cottage built of straw.
"Someone must live in that little hut," said Pinocchio.
"Let us see for ourselves."They went and knocked at the door.
"Who is it?" said a little voice from within.
"A poor father and a poorer son, without food and withno roof to cover them," answered the Marionette.
"Turn the key and the door will open," said the samelittle voice.
Pinocchio turned the key and the door opened. As soonas they went in, they looked here and there and everywherebut saw no one.
"Oh--ho, where is the owner of the hut?" cried Pinocchio,very much surprised.
"Here I am, up here!"Father and son looked up to the ceiling, and there on abeam sat the Talking Cricket.
"Oh, my dear Cricket," said Pinocchio, bowing politely.
"Oh, now you call me your dear Cricket, but do youremember when you threw your hammer at me to kill me?""You are right, dear Cricket. Throw a hammer at me now.
I deserve it! But spare my poor old father.""I am going to spare both the father and the son. I haveonly wanted to remind you of the trick you long agoplayed upon me, to teach you that in this world of ourswe must be kind and courteous to others, if we want tofind kindness and courtesy in our own days of trouble.""You are right, little Cricket, you are more than right,and I shall remember the lesson you have taught me. Butwill you tell how you succeeded in buying this prettylittle cottage?""This cottage was given to me yesterday by a little Goatwith blue hair.""And where did the Goat go?" asked Pinocchio.
"I don't know.""And when will she come back?""She will never come back. Yesterday she went awaybleating sadly, and it seemed to me she said: `Poor Pinocchio,I shall never see him again. . .the Shark must haveeaten him by this time.'""Were those her real words? Then it was she--it was--my dear little Fairy," cried out Pinocchio, sobbing bitterly.
After he had cried a long time, he wiped his eyes andthen he made a bed of straw for old Geppetto. He laid himon it and said to the Talking Cricket:
"Tell me, little Cricket, where shall I find a glass of milkfor my poor Father?""Three fields away from here lives Farmer John. He hassome cows. Go there and he will give you what you want."Pinocchio ran all the way to Farmer John's house. TheFarmer said to him:
"How much milk do you want?""I want a full glass.""A full glass costs a penny. First give me the penny.""I have no penny," answered Pinocchio, sad and ashamed.
"Very bad, my Marionette," answered the Farmer,"very bad. If you have no penny, I have no milk.""Too bad," said Pinocchio and started to go.
"Wait a moment," said Farmer John. "Perhaps we can come to terms.
Do you know how to draw water from a well?""I can try.""Then go to that well you see yonder and draw onehundred bucketfuls of water.""Very well.""After you have finished, I shall give you a glass ofwarm sweet milk.""I am satisfied."Farmer John took the Marionette to the well and showedhim how to draw the water. Pinocchio set to work as wellas he knew how, but long before he had pulled up the onehundred buckets, he was tired out and dripping withperspiration. He had never worked so hard in his life.
"Until today," said the Farmer, "my donkey has drawnthe water for me, but now that poor animal is dying.""Will you take me to see him?" said Pinocchio.
"Gladly."As soon as Pinocchio went into the stable, he spied alittle Donkey lying on a bed of straw in the corner of thestable. He was worn out from hunger and too much work.
After looking at him a long time, he said to himself:
"I know that Donkey! I have seen him before."And bending low over him, he asked: "Who are you?"At this question, the Donkey opened weary, dying eyesand answered in the same tongue: "I am Lamp-Wick."Then he closed his eyes and died.
"Oh, my poor Lamp-Wick," said Pinocchio in a faint voice,as he wiped his eyes with some straw he had picked up from the ground.
"Do you feel so sorry for a little donkey that has cost you nothing?"said the Farmer. "What should I do--I, who have paid my good money for him?""But, you see, he was my friend.""Your friend?""A classmate of mine.""What," shouted Farmer John, bursting out laughing.
"What! You had donkeys in your school? How you musthave studied!"The Marionette, ashamed and hurt by those words, did not answer,but taking his glass of milk returned to his father.
From that day on, for more than five months, Pinocchiogot up every morning just as dawn was breaking and wentto the farm to draw water. And every day he was givena glass of warm milk for his poor old father, who grewstronger and better day by day. But he was not satisfiedwith this. He learned to make baskets of reeds and soldthem. With the money he received, he and his father wereable to keep from starving.
Among other things, he built a rolling chair, strong andcomfortable, to take his old father out for an airing onbright, sunny days.
In the evening the Marionette studied by lamplight.
With some of the money he had earned, he bought himselfa secondhand volume that had a few pages missing, andwith that he learned to read in a very short time. As far aswriting was concerned, he used a long stick at one end ofwhich he had whittled a long, fine point. Ink he had none,so he used the juice of blackberries or cherries.
Little by little his diligence was rewarded. Hesucceeded, not only in his studies, but also in his work, and aday came when he put enough money together to keep hisold father comfortable and happy. Besides this, he wasable to save the great amount of fifty pennies. With it hewanted to buy himself a new suit.
One day he said to his father:
"I am going to the market place to buy myself a coat, acap, and a pair of shoes. When I come back I'll be sodressed up, you will think I am a rich man."He ran out of the house and up the road to the village,laughing and singing. Suddenly he heard his name called,and looking around to see whence the voice came, henoticed a large snail crawling out of some bushes.
"Don't you recognize me?" said the Snail.
"Yes and no.""Do you remember the Snail that lived with the Fairywith Azure Hair? Do you not remember how she openedthe door for you one night and gave you something to eat?""I remember everything," cried Pinocchio. "Answerme quickly, pretty Snail, where have you left my Fairy?
What is she doing? Has she forgiven me? Does sheremember me? Does she still love me? Is she very far awayfrom here? May I see her?"At all these questions, tumbling out one after another,the Snail answered, calm as ever:
"My dear Pinocchio, the Fairy is lying ill in a hospital.""In a hospital?""Yes, indeed. She has been stricken with trouble and illness,and she hasn't a penny left with which to buy a bite of bread.""Really? Oh, how sorry I am! My poor, dear little Fairy!
If I had a million I should run to her with it! But Ihave only fifty pennies. Here they are. I was just going tobuy some clothes. Here, take them, little Snail, and givethem to my good Fairy.""What about the new clothes?""What does that matter? I should like to sell these ragsI have on to help her more. Go, and hurry. Come backhere within a couple of days and I hope to have moremoney for you! Until today I have worked for my father.
Now I shall have to work for my mother also. Good-by,and I hope to see you soon."The Snail, much against her usual habit, began to runlike a lizard under a summer sun.
When Pinocchio returned home, his father asked him:
"And where is the new suit?""I couldn't find one to fit me. I shall have to look againsome other day."That night, Pinocchio, instead of going to bed at teno'clock waited until midnight, and instead of makingeight baskets, he made sixteen.
After that he went to bed and fell asleep. As he slept,he dreamed of his Fairy, beautiful, smiling, and happy,who kissed him and said to him, "Bravo, Pinocchio! Inreward for your kind heart, I forgive you for all yourold mischief. Boys who love and take good care of theirparents when they are old and sick, deserve praise eventhough they may not be held up as models of obedienceand good behavior. Keep on doing so well, and you will be happy."At that very moment, Pinocchio awoke and opened wide his eyes.
What was his surprise and his joy when, on lookinghimself over, he saw that he was no longer a Marionette,but that he had become a real live boy! He looked allabout him and instead of the usual walls of straw,he found himself in a beautifully furnished little room,the prettiest he had ever seen. In a twinkling, he jumpeddown from his bed to look on the chair standing near.
There, he found a new suit, a new hat, and a pair of shoes.
As soon as he was dressed, he put his hands in hispockets and pulled out a little leather purse on which werewritten the following words:
The Fairy with Azure Hair returnsfifty pennies to her dear Pinocchiowith many thanks for his kind heart.
The Marionette opened the purse to find the money,and behold--there were fifty gold coins!
Pinocchio ran to the mirror. He hardly recognized himself.
The bright face of a tall boy looked at him with wide-awake blue eyes,dark brown hair and happy, smiling lips.
Surrounded by so much splendor, the Marionette hardlyknew what he was doing. He rubbed his eyes two or three times,wondering if he were still asleep or awake and decided he must be awake.
"And where is Father?" he cried suddenly. He raninto the next room, and there stood Geppetto, grown yearsyounger overnight, spick and span in his new clothes andgay as a lark in the morning. He was once more MastroGeppetto, the wood carver, hard at work on a lovelypicture frame, decorating it with flowers and leaves, andheads of animals.
"Father, Father, what has happened? Tell me if you can,"cried Pinocchio, as he ran and jumped on his Father's neck.
"This sudden change in our house is all your doing,my dear Pinocchio," answered Geppetto.
"What have I to do with it?""Just this. When bad boys become good and kind,they have the power of making their homes gay and newwith happiness.""I wonder where the old Pinocchio of wood has hidden himself?""There he is," answered Geppetto. And he pointedto a large Marionette leaning against a chair, head turnedto one side, arms hanging limp, and legs twisted under him.
After a long, long look, Pinocchio said to himself withgreat content:
"How ridiculous I was as a Marionette! And howhappy I am, now that I have become a real boy!"
皮诺乔正要游向海岸的时候，突然觉得爸爸骑在他肩头上，半只脚浸在水里，一个劲地在哆嗦。这可怜的人像发疟疾似的。
他是冷得发抖，还是吓得发抖呢？谁知道啊，……也许两者都有一点。可皮诺乔认为他是吓得发抖，安慰他说：
“勇敢点，爸爸！过几分钟就到陆地，咱们就得救了。”
“可这老天降福的海岸在哪儿啊！”小老头问道。他越来越担心，尖起了眼睛，就像裁缝穿针时的样子。“瞧，我四面八方都看了，就只看见天连水，水连天。”
“可我还看见岸，”木偶说，“跟您说，我像猫，晚上看得比白天还清楚。”
可怜的皮诺乔只不过装出一副喜气洋洋的样子，可事实上呢……事实上他已经开始泄气了。他的力气不够，呼吸越来越困难，越来越急促……一句话，他再也不行了，可海岸还远着呢。
他只要有一口气就拼命地游。可最后他向杰佩托转过脸来，断断续续地说：
“我的爸爸，救救我……我快死了！”
他们爷儿俩眼看就要给淹死了，可这时候他们听见一个像走了调的六弦琴似的声音说：
“谁快死啦？”
“是我和我可怜的爸爸！”
“这嗓子我很熟！你是皮诺乔吧！……”
“一点不错。你是谁，”
“我是金熗鱼，鲨鱼肚子里的患难朋友。”
“你怎么逃出来的？”
“我学你的样子逃出来了。是你给我开了窍，我也跟着逃出来了。”
“我的金熗鱼，你来得正好！我求求你，你像爱你那些小金熗鱼那样救救我们吧，要不我们就完蛋了。”
“我很愿意，衷心愿意。你们俩快抓住我的尾巴，让我带你们走。只要四分钟我就可以把你们送到岸上。”
诸位可以想象得到，杰佩托和皮诺乔马上接受邀请，而不是抓住金熗鱼的尾巴，而是骑在它背上，觉得这样更舒服些。
“我们太重吗？”皮诺乔问。
“重！一点不重。我只觉得身上不过有两个贝壳，”金熗鱼回答说。它身强力壮，像匹两岁的马似的。
到了岸边，皮诺乔第一个跳上岸，帮他爸爸也上了岸。然后他向金熗鱼转过身来，用感激的声音对它说：
“我的朋友，你救了我的爸爸！我都不知该说什么话来好好谢你！至少得让我亲亲你，表示我对你永世不忘的谢意！……”
金熗鱼全把嘴露出水面，皮诺乔跪在地上，无比亲热地亲了一下它的嘴。可怜的金熗鱼，它有生以来还没有人这样真心真意地热爱过它，它激动极了，又不好意思让人看见它像小娃娃似地哇哇哭，就把头重新钻到水底下，不见了。
这时天已经亮起来。
杰佩托都快站不住了，皮诺乔向他伸出手来对他说：
“靠在我的胳膊上吧，亲爱的爸爸，咱们走。咱们慢慢地，慢慢地走，慢得像蚂蚁似的。走累了就在路边歇一会。”
“咱们上哪儿去呢？”
“咱们去找一间房子或者一间茅屋，到了那里，人们会做好事，给咱们口面包吃，给咱们点干草睡一觉的。”
还没走上一百步，他们就看见两个丑八怪，正在路边乞讨。
这就是那只猫和那只狐狸，不过这一回，它们样子变得认不出来了。诸位只要想象一下，那只猫以前拼命装瞎眼，这会儿真瞎了。狐狸很老很老，毛几乎都脱掉，变成了瘫皮，连尾巴也没有了，说起来是这么回事：这个恶贼到了穷途僚倒的地步，有一天不得不把它漂亮的尾巴卖给了流动商贩，流动商贩把它买去做拂尘。
“噢，皮诺乔，”狐狸哭也似地叫道，“做做好事，施舍点给咱们两个可怜的残废者吧。”
“残废者吧！”猫跟着又说了一遍。
“再见吧，假善人！”木偶回答说，“我上过一次当，如今再不上当了。”
“相信我们吧，皮诺乔，我们如今又穷又倒霉，都是真的！”
“都是真的！”猫跟着又说了一遍。
“穷也是活该，你们记住这句老话吧：‘抢来的钱财不会致富’。再见了，假善人！”
“可怜可怜我们吧！……”
“可怜我们吧！……”
“再见，假好人！记住这句老话吧：‘不义之财带不来幸福。’”
“不要抛弃我们！……”
“……弃我们！”猫跟着又说了一遍。
“再见，假善人！记住这句老话吧：‘偷邻居上衣的人，死时连自己的衬衫也没有。’”
皮诺乔这么说着，就同杰佩托安静地继续赶他们的路。他们又走了百来步，看见田野当中的小道尽头有座漂亮的小屋，用干草搭的，顶上盖着瓦。
“这小屋准住着人，”皮诺乔说，“咱们上那儿去敲门。”
他们就走过去敲敲门。
“谁呀？”里面有人说。
“是一个可怜的爸爸和一个可怜的儿子，没吃没住的，”木偶回答说。
“把钥匙转—转，门就开了，”还是那声音说。
皮诺乔转了转钥匙，门开了。他们进屋，这里看看，那里瞧瞧，一个人也没见。
“噢，房子的主人在哪儿啊？”皮诺乔惊奇地说。
“我在这上面！”
爷儿俩马上抬头看天花板，看见会说话的蟋蟀在一根梁上。
“噢！我的亲爱的小蟋蟀！”皮诺乔很有礼貌地向它行礼说。
“你这会儿叫我你的‘亲爱的小蟋蟀’了，对不对，可你记得那时候，为了把我赶出你家，你用一个木槌扔我吗……”
“你说的对，小蟋蟀！你也赶我吧……也用木槌扔我吧！不过可怜可怜我这可怜的爸爸……”
“我可怜爸爸，也可怜儿子。我向你提醒我受到过的虐待，为的是告诉你，在这个世界上，只要可能，就要待人有礼貌，那么在必要的时候，人家也会回报我们，待我们有礼貌。”
“你说的对，小蟋蟀，你回报得对。我要记住你给我的教训，可你告诉我，你怎么买来这座漂亮的小房子？”
“这小房子是一只可爱的山羊昨天送给我的。这山羊长着一身漂亮极了的天蓝色羊毛。”
“这山羊上哪儿去了，”皮诺乔急着想知道，赶紧问道，
“我不知道它上哪儿去了。”
“它多咱回来……”
“永远不回来了，昨天它伤心地离开，咩咩地叫，像是说：
“可怜的皮诺乔……我再也看不到他了……鲨鱼这会儿准把他给吃掉了！……”
“它真这么说，……那就是她！……就是她！……就是我亲爱的小仙女！……”皮诺乔嚎啕大哭着叫道。
等到他哭够，就擦干眼泪，用干草铺好了床，让老杰佩托躺到上面。接着他问会说话的蟋蟀：
“告诉我，小蟋蟀，哪儿我能给我可怜的爸爸弄到一杯牛奶呢？”
“离开这儿三块田的地方，有个种菜的叫姜焦。他有好几头奶牛。你上他那儿，就能讨到你要的牛奶了。”
皮诺乔听了，就上种菜的姜焦那儿去。种菜的问他：
“你要多少牛奶？”
“我要满满一杯。”
“一杯牛奶一个子儿。先给我钱。”
“可我一个子儿也没有，”皮诺乔回答说，觉得又难为情又难过。
“不行啊，我的木偶，”种菜的回答说，“你一个子儿没有，我就一滴牛奶也不给。”
“没办法！”皮诺乔说着就要走。
“等一等，”姜焦说，“咱们还可以商量商量。你愿意摇辘轳吗？”
“什么叫辘轳？”
“这是一个木头装置，它把水从井里提上来浇菜。”
“我来试试看……”
“那么，你抽上来一百桶水，我就给你一杯牛奶。”
“好。”
姜焦把木偶领到莱园，教他怎么摇辘轳，皮诺乔马上动手干活。可他还没把一百桶水提上来，已经从头到脚都是汗了。他有生以来还没这么劳累过。
“摇辘轳这个重活，”种菜的说，“一向是我的驴子做的。可今天这头可怜牲口要死了。”
“您带我去看看它行吗？”
“行。”
皮诺乔一走进驴棚，就看见一头驴子直挺挺躺在干草上，又饿又累，已经一点力气也没有了。皮诺乔仔仔细细地看着它，心慌意乱地想道：
“可我认识这头驴子！它的脸我很熟悉！”
他向驴子弯下腰去，用驴子话问它说：
“你是谁？”
驴子听了这声问话，睁开垂死的眼睛，用同样的驴子话低声回答：
“我是小……灯……芯……”
它说着重新闭上眼睛，死了。
“噢，可怜的小灯芯！”皮诺乔低声说。接着他拿起一把干草，擦掉它脸上流下来的一滴眼泪。
“这头驴子你分文不花，却这么可惜它？”种菜的说，“我买它花了不少钱，那又该怎么祥呢？”
“我告诉您……他是我的一个朋友！……”
“你的朋友？”
“他是我的一个同学！……”
“怎么？！”姜焦哈哈大笑说，“怎么？！你有驴子做同学！书读得有多好，那就可想而知了！……”
木偶听这话，很不好意思，没有回答。他接过一杯还有点热的牛奶，回小房子那儿去了。
从这天起，整整五个月工夫，他每天天没亮就起来，跑去摇辘轳，换来一杯牛奶。牛奶使他爸爸虚弱的身体好起来了。可他对这还不满意，因此他又学会了编草篮编草筐，把挣来的钱花得很俭省。除此以外，他还亲自做了一辆漂亮的坐椅车，天气好就推他爸爸出去散步，让他爸爸吸吸新鲜空气。
晚上他读书写字。他花了几个子儿，在邻村买了一本大书，封面和目录都没有了，他就读这一本书，他写字用临时削的干树枝代替笔。因为没有墨水，就用干树枝蘸一小瓶桑子汁和樱桃汁。
他这样有志于学习、干活和上进，不但使他体弱的父亲十分高兴，而且给自己攒起了四十个子儿买新上衣。
一天早晨，他对他父亲说：
“我要上附近市场，给自己买一件小外衣，一顶小帽子和一双鞋。等我回家，”他笑着往下说，“我要穿得那么漂亮，您准得把我当作一位体面的先生呢。”
他出门就兴高采烈地跑起来。忽然他听见有人叫他的名字。他回身一看，是只漂亮的蜗牛打矮树丛里爬出来。
“你不认识我了吗？”蜗牛说。
“又像认识又像不认识……”
“住在天蓝色头发仙女家的那只蜗牛，你不记得了吗？那一回我下来给你照亮，你把一只脚插在门上了，你不记得了吗？”
“我都记得我都记得，”皮诺乔叫道，“你快回答我，美丽的蜗牛，你把我的那好心的仙女留在哪儿了？她在做什么？她原谅我了吗？她还记得我吗？她还爱我吗？她离这儿远吗？我可以去看她吗？”
皮诺乔像开连珠炮似的，一口气说出了这一连串问话。可蜗牛还是老样子，慢吞吞地回答说：
“我的皮诺乔！可怜的仙女躺在医院里了！……”
“躺在医院里？！……”
“太不幸了！她遭了那么多扫击，生了重病，而且穷得连一口面包也买不起。”
“真的，……噢！我听了你的消息，多么难受啊！噢！可怜的好仙女！可怜的好仙女！……如果我有一百万块钱，我就跑去给她了……可我只有四十个子儿……都在这儿了。我们正好要去给自己买一件新衣服。把它们拿去吧，蜗牛，马上把它们拿去给我好心的仙女。”
“那你的新衣服呢？……”
“新衣服有什么要紧？为了能够帮助她，我还要卖掉我身上的破衣服呢！……去吧，蜗牛，快一点。过两天你再到这儿来，我希望能够再给你几个子儿。到现在为止，我干活为了养活我的爸爸。从今以后，我每天要多干五个钟头活，为了也能养活我的好妈妈，再见，蜗牛，过两天我在这儿等你。”
蜗牛一反它的老脾气，跑得飞快，像八月大太阳底下的一条大蜥蜴。
皮诺乔回到家，他爸爸问道：
“你的新衣服呢？”
“我找不到一件合身的。没法子！……下回再买吧。”
这天晚上皮诺乔不是十点上床，而是半夜敲了十二点才上床。他不是编八个篮子，而是编了十六个篮子。
他一上床就睡着，他睡着了好像梦见仙女。她是那么漂亮，微微笑着，吻了吻他，对他说：
“好样儿，皮诺乔！为了报答你的好心，我原谅了你到今天为止所做的一切淘气事。孩子充满爱心帮助遭到不幸的生病父母，都应当受到称赞，得到疼爱，哪怕他们不能成为听话和品行优良的模范孩子，以后一直这样小心谨慎地做人吧，你会幸福的。”
梦做到这里完了，皮诺乔醒来，睁大了眼睛。
现在各位想象一下，他这时候是多么地惊奇，因为他醒来一看，他已经不是一个木偶，却变成一个孩子，跟所有的孩子一模一样！他向四周一看，看到的已经不是原来那座小房子的干草墙壁，而是一个漂亮的小房间，装饰摆设得十分优雅。他连忙跳下床，看见已经放着一套漂亮的新衣服、一顶新帽子和一双皮靴子，对他再合适也没有了。
他一穿上衣服，手自然而然地插进口袋，却掏出了一个小小的象牙钱包。钱包上写着这么一句话：“天蓝色头发的仙女还给她亲爱的皮诺乔四十个铜币，并多谢他的好心。”他打开钱包一看，里面可不是四十个铜币，而是四十个金币，崭新的四十个金币，一闪一闪地发着亮光。
皮诺乔去照镜子，他觉得这是另外一个人。他再看不见原来的木偶，却看见一个聪明伶俐的漂亮孩子，栗色头发，蓝色眼睛，脸快活得像过降灵节。
奇怪的事接二连三，皮诺乔已经给搞胡涂了，它们到底真的呢？还是他睁着眼睛在做梦。
“我的爸爸呢？”他忽然叫起来。他走进旁边一间房间，看见老杰佩托身体健康，精神抖擞，兴高采烈，跟早先一样，他又干起了他的雕刻老行当，正在精细地设计一个极其漂亮的画框，上面都是叶子、花朵和各种动物的头，
“太奇怪了，爸爸，告诉我吧！我一切突然变化，您说是怎么回事呢？”皮诺乔扑过去抱住他的脖子，亲着他问，
“咱家这种突然变化，全都亏了你，”杰佩托说。
“为什么亏了我？……”
“因为孩子从坏变好，还有一种力量可以使他们的家换一个样子，变得快快活活的。”
“原来的木偶皮诺乔他藏在哪儿呢？”
“在那儿，”杰佩托回答说，给他指指一个大木偶。这木偶存在一把椅子上，头歪到一边，两条胳膊搭拉下来，两条腿屈着，交叉在一起，叫人看了，觉得它能站起来倒是个奇迹。
皮诺乔转过脸去看它，看了好半天，极其心满意足地从心里说：
“当我是个木偶的时候，我是多么滑稽可笑啊！如今我变成了个真正的孩子，我又是多么高兴啊！……”
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