is! It is!” shrieked Signora Rosaura.
“It is Pinocchio! It is Pinocchio!” yelled all the Marionettes. “It is Pinocchio. It is our brother Pinocchio! Hurrah for Pinocchio!”
“Pinocchio, come up to me!” shouted Harlequin. “Come to the arms of your wooden brothers!”
Pinocchio, with one leap, landed on the stage. It is impossible to describe the shrieks of joy and the friendly greetings with which actors and actresses received Pinocchio.
But the audience became angry and began to yell:
“The play, the play, we want the play!”
The Marionettes lifted up Pinocchio on their shoulders, and carried him around the stage in triumph. At that very moment, the Director came out of his room. He had a fearful appearance. His beard was as black as pitch, and it reached from his chin down to his feet. His mouth was as wide as an oven, his teeth like yellow fangs, and his eyes like two red coals. The poor Marionettes trembled like leaves in a storm.
“Why are you here, in my theater?” the Director asked Pinocchio with the voice of an ogre.
“Believe me, your Honor, this is not my fault.”
“Enough! Be quiet! I’ll talk to you later.”
As soon as the play was over, the Director went to the kitchen. There was a fine big lamb on the spit. The Director called Harlequin and Pulcinella and said to them:
“Bring that Marionette to me! He is made of wood. That’s good for the fire.”
Harlequin and Pulcinella, frightened, left the kitchen. A few minutes later they returned with poor Pinocchio.
“Father, save me! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” cried Pinocchio.
Chapter 11
The Director sneezes and forgives Pinocchio
The Director was very ugly, but he was not very bad. When he saw the poor Marionette he felt sorry for him and began to sneeze. At that sneeze, Harlequin smiled happily and whispered to the Marionette:
“Good news, my brother! The Director feels sorry for you.”
When other people are sad and sorrowful, they weep and wipe their eyes. The Director sneezed each time he felt unhappy. So the Director, ugly as ever, cried to Pinocchio:
“Stop it! Your wails-E-tchee! – E-tchee!”
Two loud sneezes finished his speech.
“God bless you!” said Pinocchio.
“Thanks! Are your father and mother alive?” demanded The Director.
“My father, yes.”
“Your poor father… Poor old man! I feel sorry for him! E-tchee! E-tchee! E-tchee!”
Three more sneezes sounded, louder than ever.
“God bless you!” said Pinocchio.
“Thanks! However, I have no more wood for the fire, and the lamb is only half cooked. Never mind![13] I’ll burn some other Marionette. Hey there! Officers!”
Two wooden officers appeared, long and thin, with queer hats on their heads and swords in their hands. The Director yelled at them in a hoarse voice:
“Take Harlequin, tie him, and throw him on the fire!”
Poor Harlequin was so scared that he fell to the floor. Pinocchio threw himself at the feet of the Director and asked him:
“Have pity, signore!”
“There are no signori here!”
“Have pity, kind sir!”
“There are no sirs here!”
“Have pity, your Excellency!”
The Director of the Marionette Theater sat up very straight in his chair, stroked his long beard, and became suddenly kind and compassionate. He smiled proudly as he said to Pinocchio:
“Well, what do you want from me now, Marionette?”
“I beg for mercy for my poor friend, Harlequin.”
“There is no mercy here, Pinocchio. Harlequin must burn in your place[14]. I am hungry and my dinner is not ready yet.”
“In that case,” said Pinocchio proudly, “in that case, my duty is clear. Come, officers! Tie me up and throw me on those flames. In poor Harlequin’s place!”
All the Marionettes cried. Even the officers, who were made of wood also, cried like two babies.
The Director softened and began to sneeze. And after four or five sneezes, he opened wide his arms and said to Pinocchio:
“You are a brave boy! Come to my arms and kiss me!”
Pinocchio ran to him and kissed the Director on the tip of his nose.
“Well, tonight I shall eat my lamb only half cooked,” said The Director and sighed and wagged his head. He added: “But beware the next time, Marionettes.”
The Marionettes ran to the stage and danced and sang till dawn.
Chapter 12
Pinocchio meets a Fox and a Cat
The next day The Director called Pinocchio aside and asked him:
“What is your father’s name?”
“Geppetto.”
“And what is his trade?”
“He’s a wood carver.”
“Does he earn much?”
“He never has a penny in his pockets. In order to buy[15] me an ABC book for school, he sold his coat.”
“Poor fellow! I feel sorry for him. Here, take these five gold pieces[16]. Go, give them to him.”
Pinocchio thanked him a thousand times. He kissed each Marionette, even the officers, and went home.
Soon he met a lame Fox and a blind Cat. The lame Fox leaned on the Cat, and the blind Cat leaned on the Fox.
“Good morning, Pinocchio,” said the Fox courteously.
“How do you know my name?” asked the Marionette.
“I know your father well.”
“Where did you see him?”
“I saw
Never mind! – Не беда!
in your place – вместо тебя
In order to buy – чтобы купить
five gold pieces – пять золотых (монет)
