have only these three cores and these skins.”
“Very well, then,” said Pinocchio, “if there is nothing else I’ll eat them.”
At first he made a wry face, but then ate the skins and the cores.
“Ah! Now I feel fine!” he said.
“You see,” observed Geppetto, “I was right. Don’t be too fussy and too dainty!”
Chapter 8
Geppetto makes Pinocchio a new pair of feet, and buys him an ABC book[12]
Soon the Marionette started to grumble and cry that he wanted a new pair of feet. After dinner Master Geppetto said to him:
“What for? To run away from home once more?”
“I promise you,” answered the Marionette, “that I’ll be good.”
“Boys always promise that when they want something,” said Geppetto.
“I promise to go to school every day, to study.”
“Boys always sing that song when they want something.”
“But I am not like other boys! I am better than all of them. I always tell the truth. I promise you, Father, that I’ll learn a trade, and I’ll help you in your old age.”
Geppetto’s eyes filled with tears and his heart softened. He said no more, but took his tools and two pieces of wood.
In less than an hour the feet were ready, two slender, nimble little feet, strong and quick. The Marionette jumped from the table.
“I am grateful to you, Father, I’ll go to school now. But I need some clothes.”
Geppetto did not have a penny in his pocket, so he made him a little suit of flowered paper, a pair of shoes from the bark of a tree, and a tiny cap from a bit of dough.
Pinocchio ran to look at himself in a bowl of water, and he felt so happy that he said proudly:
“Now I look like a gentleman.”
“Truly,” answered Geppetto.
“But, in order to go to school,” answered Pinocchio, “I still need something very important.”
“What is it?”
“An ABC book.”
“You’re right. But how shall we get it?”
“That’s easy. We’ll go to a bookstore and buy it.”
“And the money?”
“I have none.”
“Neither have I,” said the old man sadly.
Pinocchio became sad and downcast.
Suddenly Geppetto ran out of the house without another word. After a while he returned. In his hands he had the ABC book for his son. But he did not have his old coat anymore. The poor fellow was in his shirt and the day was cold.
“Where’s your coat, Father?”
“I sold it.”
“Why did you sell your coat?”
“It was too warm.”
Pinocchio understood the answer, and he jumped on his father’s neck and kissed him.
Chapter 9
Pinocchio sells his ABC book
Pinocchio hurried off to school with his new ABC book under his arm. He said:
“In school today, I’ll learn to read, tomorrow to write, and the day after tomorrow I’ll do arithmetic. I’ll become clever and earn a lot of money. I’ll buy Father a new coat. It will be of gold and silver with diamond buttons. That poor man certainly deserves it. He sold his coat and bought a book for me! On this cold day, too! Fathers are indeed good to their children!”
Then he heard sounds of pipes and drums:
“Pi-pi-pi, pi-pi-pi! Zum, zum, zum, zum!”
He stopped to listen. Those sounds came from a little street that led to a small village.
“What is that noise?”
He was very much puzzled.
“Today I’ll follow the pipes, and tomorrow I’ll go to school,” decided the little rascal.
He went down the street. Soon, he found himself in a large square. There was a little wooden building in brilliant colors.
“What is that house?” Pinocchio asked a little boy near him.
“Read the sign and you’ll know.”
“I can’t read.”
“Oh, really? Listen. It says: Great Marionette Theater.
“When will the show start?”
“Now.”
“And how much is it?”
“Four pennies.”
Pinocchio lost all his pride and said to the boy shamelessly:
“Will you give me four pennies until tomorrow?”
“Gladly,” answered the other, “but not now.”
“For the price of four pennies, I’ll sell you my coat.”
“If it rains, what shall I do with a coat of paper?”
“Do you want to buy my shoes?”
“To light a fire?”
“What about my hat?”
“A cap of dough! The mice will eat it from my head!”
Pinocchio was almost in tears. At last he said:
“Will you give me four pennies for the book?”
“I am a boy and I buy nothing from boys,” said the little fellow.
“I’ll give you four pennies for your ABC book,” said a ragpicker who stood nearby.
Chapter 10
The Marionettes recognize their brother Pinocchio
So Pinocchio disappeared into the Marionette Theater. And then something happened. The performance started. Harlequin and Pulcinella were on the stage. The theater was full of people.
The play continued for a few minutes, and then suddenly Harlequin pointed to Pinocchio and yelled wildly:
“Look,
ABC book = букварь
