Part 7 (1/2)

They said good-by to Pinocchio and, wishi+ng hiood luck, went on their way

CHAPTER 19

Pinocchio is robbed of his gold pieces and, in punishment, is sentenced to four months in prison

If the Marionette had been told to wait a day instead of twenty er to him He walked impatiently to and fro and finally turned his nose toward the Field of Wonders

And as he walked with hurried steps, his heart beat with an excited tic, tac, tic, tac, just as if it were a wall clock, and his busy brain kept thinking: ”What if, instead of a thousand, I should find two thousand? Or if, instead of two thousand, I should find five thousand--or one hundred thousand? I'll build myself a beautiful palace, with a thousand stables filled with a thousand wooden horses to play with, a cellar overfloith lemonade and ice cream soda, and a library of candies and fruits, cakes and cookies”

Thus a himself with fancies, he came to the field There he stopped to see if, by any chance, a vine filled with gold coins was in sight But he saw nothing! He took a few steps forward, and still nothing! He stepped into the field He went up to the place where he had dug the hole and buried the gold pieces Again nothing! Pinocchio becaether, he pulled a hand out of his pocket and gave his head a thorough scratching

As he did so, he heard a hearty burst of laughter close to his head He turned sharply, and there, just above hi his feathers

”What are you laughing at?” Pinocchio asked peevishly

”I a s”

The Marionette did not answer He walked to the brook, filled his shoe ater, and once old pieces

Another burst of laughter, even more impertinent than the first, was heard in the quiet field

”Well,” cried the Marionette, angrily this time, ”hing at those si they hear and who allow theht so easily in the traps set for them”

”Do you, perhaps, mean me?”

”I certainly do mean you, poor Pinocchio--you who are such a little silly as to believe that gold can be sown in a field just like beans or squash I, too, believed that once and today I am very sorry for it Today (but too late!) I have reached the conclusion that, in order to come by money honestly, one must work and kno to earn it with hand or brain”

”I don't knohat you are talking about,” said the Marionette, as beginning to tremble with fear

”Too bad! I'll explain myself better,” said the Parrot ”While you were away in the city the Fox and the Cat returned here in a great hurry They took the four gold pieces which you have buried and ran away as fast as the wind If you can catch them, you're a brave one!”

Pinocchio's mouth opened wide He would not believe the Parrot's words and began to dig away furiously at the earth He dug and he dug till the hole was as big as hione

In desperation, he ran to the city and went straight to the courthouse to report the robbery to the e Gorilla venerable with age A flohite beard covered his chest and he wore gold-rilasses had dropped out The reason for wearing these, he said, was that his eyes had been weakened by the work ofbefore hiave the naed for justice

The Judge listened to hireat patience A kind look shone in his eyes He became very much interested in the story; he felt moved; he ale put out his hand and rang a bell

At the sound, two large Mastiffs appeared, dressed in Carabineers' unifor to Pinocchio, said in a very soleold pieces Take him, therefore, and throw hi this sentence passed upon hihly stunned He tried to protest, but the two officers clapped their paws on his mouth and hustled hi, weary months And if it had not been for a very lucky chance, he probably would have had to stay there longer For, my dear children, youereat victory over his enemy, and in celebration thereof, he had ordered illuminations, fireworks, shows of all kinds, and, best of all, the opening of all prison doors

”If the others go, I go, too,” said Pinocchio to the Jailer

”Not you,” answered the Jailer ”You are one of those--”

”I beg your pardon,” interrupted Pinocchio, ”I, too, am a thief”

”In that case you also are free,” said the Jailer Taking off his cap, he bowed low and opened the door of the prison, and Pinocchio ran out and aith never a look backward

CHAPTER 20

Freed from prison, Pinocchio sets out to return to the Fairy; but on the way he ht in a trap

Fancy the happiness of Pinocchio on finding hi yes or no, he fled from the city and set out on the road that was to take him back to the house of the lovely Fairy

It had rained for many days, and the road was so muddy that, at times, Pinocchio sank down almost to his knees

But he kept on bravely

Tormented by the wish to see his father and his fairy sister with azure hair, he raced like a greyhound As he ran, he was splashed with mud even up to his cap

”How unhappy I have been,” he said to hi, for I am certainly very stubborn and stupid! I will always have my oay I won't listen to those who love me and who have more brains than I But from now on, I'll be different and I'll try to become a most obedient boy I have found out, beyond any doubt whatever, that disobedient boys are certainly far fro run, they always lose out I wonder if Father is waiting for , poor man, since I have seen him, and I do so want his love and his kisses And will the Fairy ever forgive ood to me and to whom I owe my life! Can there be a worse or more heartless boy than I am anywhere?”

As he spoke, he stopped suddenly, frozen with terror

What was the matter? An immense Serpent lay stretched across the road--a Serpent with a bright green skin, fiery eyes which glowed and burned, and a pointed tail that shtened was poor Pinocchio! He ran back wildly for half a mile, and at last settled hio on his way and leave the road clear for him

He waited an hour; two hours; three hours; but the Serpent was always there, and even from afar one could see the flash of his red eyes and the colu, pointed tail