Pinocchio: The Tale of a Puppet

by Carlo Collodi

  At this sight Pinocchio was filled with such great and unexpected joythat he became almost delirious. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry,he wanted to say a thousand things, and instead he could only stammerout a few confused and broken words. At last he succeeded in uttering acry of joy, and, opening his arms, he threw them around the little oldman's neck, and began to shout:

  "Oh, my dear papa! I have found you at last! I will never leave youmore, 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 Pinocchio! And you have quite forgivenme, have you not? Oh, my dear papa, how good you are! And to think thatI, on the contrary--Oh! but if you only knew what misfortunes have beenpoured on my head, and all that has befallen me! Only imagine, the daythat you, poor, dear papa, sold your coat to buy me a spelling-book,that I might go to school, I escaped to see the puppet show, and theshowman wanted to put me on the fire, that I might roast his mutton, andhe was the same that afterwards gave me five gold pieces to take them toyou, but I met the Fox and the Cat, who took me to the inn of The RedCraw-Fish, where they ate like wolves, and I left by myself in themiddle of the night, and I encountered assassins who ran after me, and Iran away, and they followed, and I ran, and they always followed me, andI ran, until they hung me to a branch of a Big Oak, and the beautifulChild with blue hair sent a little carriage to fetch me, and the doctorswhen they saw me said immediately, 'If he is not dead, it is a proofthat he is still alive'--and then by chance I told a lie, and my nosebegan 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 goldpieces, 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 whichreason the judge when he heard that I had been robbed had me immediatelyput in prison to content the robbers, and then when I was coming away Isaw 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 neckthat I might guard the poultry-yard, and acknowledging my innocence letme go, and the Serpent with the smoking tail began to laugh and broke ablood-vessel in his chest, and so I returned to the house of thebeautiful Child, who was dead, and the Pigeon, seeing that I was crying,said to me, 'I have seen your father who was building a little boat togo in search of you,' and I said to him, 'Oh! if I also had wings,' andhe said to me, 'Do you want to go to your father?' and I said, 'Withoutdoubt! but who will take me to him?' and he said to me, 'I will takeyou,' and I said to him, 'How?' and he said to me, 'Get on my back,' andso we flew all night, and then in the morning all the fishermen who werelooking out to sea said to me, 'There is a poor man in a boat who is onthe point of being drowned,' and I recognized you at once, even at thatdistance, for my heart told me, and I made signs to you to return toland."

  "I also recognized you," said Geppetto, "and I would willingly havereturned to the shore, but what was I to do! The sea was tremendous anda great wave upset my boat. Then a horrible Dog-Fish, who was near, assoon as he saw me in the water, came towards me, and, putting out histongue, took hold of me and swallowed me as if I had been a little appletart."

  "And how long have you been shut up here?" asked Pinocchio.

  They Thought It Would Be More Comfortable to Get on theTunny's Back]

  "Since that day--it must be nearly two years ago; two years, my dearPinocchio, that have seemed like two centuries!"

  "And how have you managed to live? And where did you get the candle? Andthe matches to light it? Who gave them to you?"

  "Stop, and I will tell you everything. You must know, then, that in thesame storm in which my boat was upset a merchant vessel foundered. Thesailors were all saved, but the vessel went to the bottom, and theDog-Fish, who had that day an excellent appetite, after he had swallowedme, swallowed also the vessel."

  "How?"

  "He swallowed it in one mouthful, and the only thing that he spat outwas the mainmast, that had stuck between his teeth like a fish-bone.Fortunately for me, the vessel was laden with preserved meat in tins,biscuit, bottles of wine, dried raisins, cheese, coffee, sugar, candles,and boxes of wax matches. With this providential supply I have been ableto 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 seeburning is the last that remains."

  "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. Wemust think of escaping."

  "Of escaping? How?"

  "We must escape through the mouth of the Dog-Fish, throw ourselves intothe 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 myshoulders and I will carry you safely to shore."

  "All illusions, my boy!" replied Geppetto, shaking his head, with amelancholy smile. "Do you suppose it possible that a puppet like you,scarcely a yard high, could have the strength to swim with me on hisshoulders!"

  "Try it and you will see!"

  Without another word Pinocchio took the candle in his hand, and, goingin 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 ofthe Dog-Fish. But when they had arrived at the point where the monster'sbig throat began, they thought it better to stop to give a good lookaround and to choose the best moment for escaping.

  Now, I must tell you that the Dog-Fish, being very old, and sufferingfrom asthma and palpitation of the heart, was obliged to sleep with hismouth open. Pinocchio, therefore, having approached the entrance to histhroat, and, looking up, could see beyond the enormous gaping mouth alarge piece of starry sky and beautiful moonlight.

  "This is the moment to escape," he whispered, turning to his father;"the Dog-Fish is sleeping like a dormouse, the sea is calm, and it is aslight as day. Follow me, dear papa, and in a short time we shall be insafety."

  They immediately climbed up the throat of the sea-monster, and, havingreached 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 tightly around my neck. I willtake 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 andbegan 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 wouldhave failed to wake him.

  CHAPTER XXXVI

  PINOCCHIO AT LAST CEASES TO BE A PUPPET AND BECOMES A BOY

  Whilst Pinocchio was swimming quickly towards the shore he discoveredthat his father, who was on his shoulders with his legs in the water,was trembling as violently as if the poor man had an attack of aguefever.

  Was he trembling from cold or from fear. Perhaps a little from both theone and the other. But Pinocchio, thinking it was from fear, said, tocomfort him:

  "Courage, papa! In a few minutes we shall be safely on shore."

  "But where is this blessed shore?" asked the little old man, becomingstill more frightened, and screwing up his eyes as tailors do when theywish to thread a needle. "I have been looking in every direction and Isee nothing but the sky and the sea."

  "But I see the shore as well," said the puppet. "You must know that I amlike a cat: I see better by night than by day."

  Poor Pinocchio was making a pretense of being in good spirits, but inreality he was beginning to feel discouraged; his strength was failing,he was gasping and panting for breath. He could do no more, and theshore was still far off.

  He swam until he had no breath left; then he turned his head to Geppettoand said in broken words?

  "Papa, help me, I am
dying!"

  The father and son were on the point of drowning when they heard a voicelike 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?"

  "I am the Tunny, your prison companion in the body of the Dog-Fish."

  "And how did you manage to escape?"

  "I followed your example. You showed me the road, and I escaped afteryou."

  "Tunny, you have arrived at the right moment! I implore you to help usor we are lost."

  "Willingly and with all my heart. You must, both of you, take hold of mytail and leave it to me to guide you. I will take you on shore in fourminutes."

  Geppetto and Pinocchio, as I need not tell you, accepted the offer atonce; but, instead of holding on by his tail, they thought it would bemore comfortable to get on the Tunny's back.

  Having reached the shore, Pinocchio sprang first on land that he mighthelp his father to do the same. He then turned to the Tunny and said tohim in a voice full of emotion:

  "My friend, you have saved my papa's life. I can find no words withwhich to thank you properly. Permit me at least to give you a kiss as asign of my eternal gratitude!"

  The Tunny put his head out of the water and Pinocchio, kneeling on theground, kissed him tenderly on the mouth. At this spontaneous proof ofwarm affection, the poor Tunny, who was not accustomed to it, feltextremely touched, and, ashamed to let himself be seen crying like achild, he plunged under the water and disappeared.

  By this time the day had dawned. Pinocchio, then offering his arm toGeppetto, 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 charitya 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 twovillainous-looking individuals begging.

  They were the Cat and the Fox, but they were scarcely recognizable.Fancy! the Cat had so long feigned blindness that she had become blindin reality; and the Fox, old, mangy, and with one side paralyzed, hadnot even his tail left. That sneaking thief, having fallen into the mostsqualid misery, one fine day had found himself obliged to sell hisbeautiful tail to a traveling peddler, who bought it to drive awayflies.

  "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 youwill never catch me again."

  "Believe me, Pinocchio, we are now poor and unfortunate indeed!"

  "If you are poor, you deserve it. Recollect the proverb: 'Stolen moneynever fructifies.' Begone, impostors!"

  And, thus saying, Pinocchio and Geppetto went their way in peace. Whenthey had gone another hundred yards they saw, at the end of a path inthe middle of the fields, a nice little straw hut with a roof of tilesand bricks.

  "That hut must be inhabited by some one," said Pinocchio. "Let us go andknock at the door."

  They went and knocked.

  "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 lookedhere, 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 abeam they saw the Talking-Cricket.

  "Oh, my dear little Cricket!" said Pinocchio, bowing politely to him.

  "Ah! now you call me 'Your dear little Cricket.' But do you remember thetime when you threw the handle of a hammer at me, to drive me from yourhouse?"

  "You are right, Cricket! Drive me away also! Throw the handle of ahammer at me, but have pity on my poor papa."

  "I will have pity on both father and son, but I wished to remind you ofthe ill treatment I received from you, to teach you that in this world,when it is possible, we should show courtesy to everybody, if we wish itto be extended to us in our hour of need."

  "You are right. Cricket, you are right, and I will bear in mind thelesson you have given me. But tell me how you managed to buy thisbeautiful hut."

  "This hut was given to me yesterday by a goat whose wool was of abeautiful blue color."

  "And where has the goat gone?" asked Pinocchio, with lively curiosity.

  "I do not know."

  "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,for by this time the Dog-Fish must have devoured him!'"

  "Did it really say that? Then it was she! It was my dear little Fairy,"exclaimed Pinocchio, crying and sobbing.

  When he had cried for some time he dried his eyes and prepared acomfortable bed of straw for Geppetto to lie down upon. Then he askedthe Cricket:

  "Tell me, little Cricket, where can I find a tumbler of milk for my poorpapa?"

  "Three fields off from here there lives a gardener called Giangio, whokeeps 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 askedhim:

  "How much milk do you want?"

  "I want a tumblerful."

  "A tumbler of milk costs five cents. Begin by giving me the five cents."

  "I have not even one cent," replied Pinocchio, grieved and mortified.

  "That is bad, puppet," answered the gardener. "If you have not even onecent, 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 cisternto water the vegetables."

  "You can try me."

  "Well, then, if you will draw a hundred buckets of water, I will giveyou in compensation a tumbler of milk."

  "It is a bargain."

  Giangio then led Pinocchio to the kitchen garden and taught him how toturn the pumping machine. Pinocchio immediately began to work; butbefore he had drawn up the hundred buckets of water the perspiration waspouring from his head to his feet. Never before had he undergone suchfatigue.

  "Up till now," said the gardener, "the labor of turning the pumpingmachine was performed by my little donkey, but the poor animal isdying."

  "Will you take me to see him?" said Pinocchio.

  "Willingly."

  When Pinocchio went into the stable he saw a beautiful little donkeystretched on the straw, worn out from hunger and overwork. After lookingat 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 answeredin broken words in the same language:

  "I am--Can--dle--wick."

  And, having again closed his eyes, he expired.

  "Oh, poor Candlewick!" said Pinocchio in a low voice; and, taking ahandful 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 school-fellows!"

  "How?" shouted Giangio, laughing loudly. "How? had you donkeys forscho
ol-fellows? I can imagine what wonderful studies you must havemade!"

  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 atdaybreak every morning to go and turn the pumping machine, to earn thetumbler of milk that was of such benefit to his father in his bad stateof health. Nor was he satisfied with this; for, during the time that hehad over, he learned to make hampers and baskets of rushes, and with themoney he obtained by selling them he was able with great economy toprovide for all the daily expenses. Amongst other things he constructedan elegant little wheel-chair, in which he could take his father out onfine days to breathe a mouthful of fresh air.

  By his industry, ingenuity and his anxiety to work and to overcomedifficulties, he not only succeeded in maintaining his father, whocontinued infirm, in comfort, but he also contrived to put aside fivedollars to buy himself a new coat.

  One morning he said to his father:

  "I am going to the neighboring market to buy myself a jacket, a cap, anda pair of shoes. When I return," he added, laughing, "I shall be so welldressed that you will take me for a fine gentleman."

  And, leaving the house, he began to run merrily and happily along. Allat once he heard himself called by name and, turning around, he saw abig Snail crawling out from the hedge.