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第14章

the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第14章

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He kicked so hard that his foot went straight through the
door and his leg followed almost to the knee。  No matter
how he pulled and tugged; he could not pull it out。  There
he stayed as if nailed to the door。

Poor Pinocchio!  The rest of the night he had to spend
with one foot through the door and the other one in the air。

As dawn was breaking; the door finally opened。  That brave
little animal; the Snail; had taken exactly nine hours to go
from the fourth floor to the street。  How she must have raced!

〃What are you doing with your foot through the door?〃
she asked the Marionette; laughing。

〃It was a misfortune。  Won't you try; pretty little Snail;
to free me from this terrible torture?〃

〃My boy; we need a carpenter here and I have never been one。〃

〃Ask the Fairy to help me!〃

〃The Fairy is asleep and does not want to be disturbed。〃

〃But what do you want me to do; nailed to the door like this?〃

〃Enjoy yourself counting the ants which are passing by。〃

〃Bring me something to eat; at least; for I am faint with hunger。〃

〃Immediately!〃

In fact; after three hours and a half; Pinocchio saw her
return with a silver tray on her head。  On the tray there
was bread; roast chicken; fruit。

〃Here is the breakfast the Fairy sends to you;〃 said the Snail。

At the sight of all these good things; the Marionette felt much better。

What was his disgust; however; when on tasting the food;
he found the bread to be made of chalk; the chicken
of cardboard; and the brilliant fruit of colored alabaster!

He wanted to cry; he wanted to give himself up to
despair; he wanted to throw away the tray and all that
was on it。  Instead; either from pain or weakness; he fell
to the floor in a dead faint。

When he regained his senses; he found himself stretched
out on a sofa and the Fairy was seated near him。

〃This time also I forgive you;〃 said the Fairy to him。
〃But be careful not to get into mischief again。〃

Pinocchio promised to study and to behave himself。
And he kept his word for the remainder of the year。  At
the end of it; he passed first in all his examinations; and
his report was so good that the Fairy said to him happily:

〃Tomorrow your wish will come true。〃

〃And what is it?〃

〃Tomorrow you will cease to be a Marionette and will become a real boy。〃

Pinocchio was beside himself with joy。  All his friends
and schoolmates must be invited to celebrate the great
event!  The Fairy promised to prepare two hundred cups
of coffee…and…milk and four hundred slices of toast
buttered on both sides。

The day promised to be a very gay and happy one; but

Unluckily; in a Marionette's life there's always a BUT
which is apt to spoil everything。




CHAPTER 30

Pinocchio; instead of becoming a boy; runs away
to the Land of Toys with his friend; Lamp…Wick



Coming at last out of the surprise into which the Fairy's
words had thrown him; Pinocchio asked for permission to
give out the invitations。

〃Indeed; you may invite your friends to tomorrow's party。
Only remember to return home before dark。  Do you understand?〃

〃I'll be back in one hour without fail;〃 answered the Marionette。

〃Take care; Pinocchio!  Boys give promises very easily;
but they as easily forget them。〃

〃But I am not like those others。  When I give my word I keep it。〃

〃We shall see。  In case you do disobey; you will be the one
to suffer; not anyone else。〃

〃Why?〃

〃Because boys who do not listen to their elders always come to grief。〃

〃I certainly have;〃 said Pinocchio; 〃but from now on; I obey。〃

〃We shall see if you are telling the truth。〃

Without adding another word; the Marionette bade the good
Fairy good…by; and singing and dancing; he left the house。

In a little more than an hour; all his friends were
invited。  Some accepted quickly and gladly。  Others had to
be coaxed; but when they heard that the toast was to be
buttered on both sides; they all ended by accepting
the invitation with the words; 〃We'll come to please you。〃

Now it must be known that; among all his friends;
Pinocchio had one whom he loved most of all。
The boy's real name was Romeo; but everyone called him
Lamp…Wick; for he was long and thin and had a woebegone
look about him。

Lamp…Wick was the laziest boy in the school and the
biggest mischief…maker; but Pinocchio loved him dearly。

That day; he went straight to his friend's house to invite him
to the party; but Lamp…Wick was not at home。  He went a second time;
and again a third; but still without success。

Where could he be?  Pinocchio searched here and there and everywhere;
and finally discovered him hiding near a farmer's wagon。

〃What are you doing there?〃 asked Pinocchio; running up to him。

〃I am waiting for midnight to strike to go〃

〃Where?〃

〃Far; far away!〃

〃And I have gone to your house three times to look for you!〃

〃What did you want from me?〃

〃Haven't you heard the news?  Don't you know what good luck is mine?〃

〃What is it?〃

〃Tomorrow I end my days as a Marionette and become a boy;
like you and all my other friends。〃

〃May it bring you luck!〃

〃Shall I see you at my party tomorrow?〃

〃But I'm telling you that I go tonight。〃

〃At what time?〃

〃At midnight。〃

〃And where are you going?〃

〃To a real countrythe best in the worlda wonderful place!〃

〃What is it called?〃

〃It is called the Land of Toys。  Why don't you come; too?〃

〃I?  Oh; no!〃

〃You are making a big mistake; Pinocchio。  Believe me;
if you don't come; you'll be sorry。  Where can you find
a place that will agree better with you and me?  No schools;
no teachers; no books!  In that blessed place there is no
such thing as study。  Here; it is only on Saturdays that
we have no school。  In the Land of Toys; every day; except
Sunday; is a Saturday。  Vacation begins on the first
of January and ends on the last day of December。  That
is the place for me!  All countries should be like it!
How happy we should all be!〃

〃But how does one spend the day in the Land of Toys?〃

〃Days are spent in play and enjoyment from morn till
night。  At night one goes to bed; and next morning; the
good times begin all over again。  What do you think of it?〃

〃H'm!〃 said Pinocchio; nodding his wooden head; as if to say;
〃It's the kind of life which would agree with me perfectly。〃

〃Do you want to go with me; then?  Yes or no?  You
must make up your mind。〃

〃No; no; and again no!  I have promised my kind Fairy
to become a good boy; and I want to keep my word。  Just
see:  The sun is setting and I must leave you and run。
Good…by and good luck to you!〃

〃Where are you going in such a hurry?〃

〃Home。  My good Fairy wants me to return home before night。〃

〃Wait two minutes more。〃

〃It's too late!〃

〃Only two minutes。〃

〃And if the Fairy scolds me?〃

〃Let her scold。  After she gets tired; she will stop;〃 said Lamp…Wick。

〃Are you going alone or with others?〃

〃Alone?  There will be more than a hundred of us!〃

〃Will you walk?〃

〃At midnight the wagon passes here that is to take us
within the boundaries of that marvelous country。〃

〃How I wish midnight would strike!〃

〃Why?〃

〃To see you all set out together。〃

〃Stay here a while longer and you will see us!〃

〃No; no。  I want to return home。〃

〃Wait two more minutes。〃

〃I have waited too long as it is。  The Fairy will be worried。〃

〃Poor Fairy!  Is she afraid the bats will eat you up?〃

〃Listen; Lamp…Wick;〃 said the Marionette; 〃are you
really sure that there are no schools in the Land of Toys?〃
〃Not even the shadow of one。〃

〃Not even one teacher?〃

〃Not one。〃

〃And one does not have to study?〃

〃Never; never; never!〃

〃What a great land!〃 said Pinocchio; feeling his mouth water。
〃What a beautiful land!  I have never been there;
but I can well imagine it。〃

〃Why don't you come; too?〃

〃It is useless for you to tempt me!  I told you I promised
my good Fairy to behave myself; and I am going to
keep my word。〃

〃Good…by; then; and remember me to the grammar
schools; to the high schools; and even to the colleges if
you meet them on the way。〃

〃Good…by; Lamp…Wick。  Have a pleasant trip; enjoy
yourself; and remember your friends once in a while。〃

With these words; the Marionette started on his way
home。  Turning once more to his friend; he asked him:

〃But are you sure that; in that country; each week is
composed of six Saturdays and one Sunday?〃

〃Very sure!〃

〃And that vacation begins on the first of January and
ends on the thirty…first of December?〃

〃Very; very sure!〃

〃What a great country!〃 repeated Pinocchio; puzzled
as to what to do。

Then; in sudden determination; he said hurriedly:

〃Good…by for the last time; and good luck。〃

〃Good…by。〃

〃How soon will you go?〃

〃Within two hours。〃

〃What a pity! If it were only one hour; I might wait for you。〃

〃And the Fairy?〃

〃By this time I'm late; and one hour more or less makes
very little difference。〃

〃Poor Pinocchio!  And if the Fairy scolds you?〃

〃Oh; I'll let her scold。  After she gets tired; she will stop。〃

In the meantime; the night became darker and darker。
All at once in the distance a small light flickered。  A
queer sound could be heard; soft as a little bell; and faint
and muffled like the buzz of a far…away mosquito。

〃There it is!〃 cried Lamp…Wick; jumping to his feet。

〃What?〃 whispered Pinocchio。

〃The wagon which is coming to get me。  For the last
time; are you coming or not?〃

〃But is it really true that in that country boys never
have to study?〃

〃Never; never; never!〃

〃What a wonderful; beautiful; marvelous country!  Ohhh!!〃



CHAPTER 31

After five months of play; Pinocchio wakes up one fine morning
and finds a great surprise awaiting him



Finally the wagon arrived。  It made no noise; for its
wheels were bound with straw and rags。

It was drawn by twelve pair of donkeys; all of the same
size; but all of different color。  Some were gray; others
white; and still others a mixture of brown and black。
Here and there were a few with large yellow and blue stripes。

The strangest thing of all was that those twenty…four
donkeys; instead of being iron…shod like any other beast
of burden; had on their feet laced shoes made of leather;
just like the ones boys wear。

And the driver of the wagon?

Imagine to yourselves a little; fat man; much wider
than he was long; round and shiny as a ball of butter; with
a face beaming like an apple; a little mouth that always
smiled; and a voice small and wheedling like that of a cat
begging for food。

No sooner did any boy see him than he fell in love with
him; and nothing satisfied him but to be allowed to ride
in his wagon to that lovely place called the Land of Toys。

In fact the wagon was so closely packed with boys of
all ages that it looked like a box of sardines。  They were
uncomfortable; they were piled one on top of the other;
they could hardly breathe; yet not one word of complaint
was heard。  The thought that in a few hours they would
reach a country where there were no schools; no books;
no teachers; made these boys so happy that they felt
neither hunger; nor thirst; nor sleep; nor discomfort。

No sooner had the wagon sto

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