The Adventures Of Pinocchio Part 3

Good evening beautiful souls and welcome to tonight's bedtime story,

The Adventures of Pinocchio,

Part three.

Just taking some moments now to make yourself comfortable,

Taking whatever you need in this moment,

Maybe that's a big big yawn,

Maybe you stretch your arms above your head,

Take a full body stretch,

Finding your muscles becoming heavier and heavier as you sink down into your mattress,

Letting your body know that it's time to rest,

It's time to relax,

There's nothing else for you to do now other than lay back and listen to The Adventures of Pinocchio,

Taking a few long deep inhales and exhales and taking any final movements that you need in order for you to become nice and comfortable in your bed so that you may fall asleep and we will continue with our adventures with the mischievous Pinocchio.

Chapter 11.

Fire Eater sneezes and forgives Pinocchio who saves his friend Harlequin from death.

In the theatre great excitement reigned.

Fire Eater,

This was really his name,

Was very ugly but he was far from being as bad as he looked.

Proof of this is that when he saw the poor marionette being brought into him,

Struggling with fear and crying,

And crying,

I don't want to die,

I don't want to die,

He felt sorry for him and began first to waver and then to weaken.

Finally he could control himself no longer and gave a loud sneeze.

At that sneeze Harlequin,

Who until then had been as sad as a weeping willow,

Smiled happily and leaning toward the marionette,

Whispered to him,

Good news brother mine,

Brother mine,

Fire Eater has sneezed and this is a sign that he feels sorry for you.

You are saved for be it known that while other people when sad and sorrowful weep and wipe their eyes,

Fire Eater on the other hand had the strange habit of sneezing each time he felt unhappy.

The way was just as good as any other to show the kindness of his heart.

After sneezing Fire Eater,

Ugly as ever,

Cried to Pinocchio,

Stop crying,

Your wails give me a funny feeling down here in my stomach and and two loud sneezes finished his speech.

God bless you,

Said Pinocchio.

Thank you.

Are your father and mother still living,

Demanded Fire Eater.

My father,

Yes,

My mother I have never known.

Your poor father would suffer terribly if I were to use you as firewood.

Poor old man,

I feel very sorry for him.

Three more sneezes sounded.

Oh God bless you,

Said Pinocchio.

Thank you.

However,

I ought to be sorry for myself.

My good dinner is spoiled.

I have no more wood for the fire and the lamb is only half cooked.

Never mind,

In your place I'll burn some other marionette.

Hey there,

Officers,

At the call two wooden officers appeared,

Long and thin as a yard of rope,

With strange hats on their heads and swords in their hands.

Fire Eater yelled at them in a hoarse voice,

Take Harlequin,

Tie him and throw him on the fire.

I want my lamb well done.

Think how poor Harlequin felt.

He was so scared that his legs doubled up under him and he fell to the floor.

Pinocchio,

At that heartbreaking sight,

Threw himself at the feet of the Fire Eater and,

Weeping bitterly,

Asked in a pitiful voice,

Which could scarcely be heard,

Have pity,

I beg of you,

Signore.

There are no Signori here.

Have pity,

Kind sir.

There are no sirs here.

Have pity,

Your excellency,

On hearing himself addressed as your excellency.

The director of the marionette theatre sat up very straight in his chair,

Stroked his long beard,

And becoming suddenly kind and compassionate,

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,

Who has never done the least harm in his life.

There is no mercy here,

Pinocchio.

I have spared you.

Harlequin must burn in your place.

I am hungry and my dinner must be cooked.

In that case,

Said Pinocchio proudly,

As he stood up and flung away his cap of dough.

In that case,

My duty is clear.

Come,

Officers,

Tie me up and throw me on those flames.

It is not fair for poor Harlequin,

The best friend that I have in the world,

To die in my place.

These brave words said in a piercing voice made all the other marionettes cry,

Even the officers,

Who were made of wood also,

Cried like two little babies.

Fire-eater at first remained hard and cold as a piece of ice,

But then,

Little by little,

He softened and began to sneeze.

After four or five sneezes,

He opened wide his arms and said to Pinocchio,

You are a brave boy.

Come to my arms and give me a kiss.

Pinocchio ran to him and scurrying like a squirrel up the long black beard,

He gave Fire-eater a loving kiss on the tip of his nose.

Has pardon been granted to me?

Asked poor Harlequin with a voice that was hardly a breath.

Pardon is yours,

Answered Fire-eater,

And sighing and wagging his head,

He added,

Well,

Tonight I shall have to eat my lamb only half-cooked,

But beware the next time,

Marionettes.

At the news that pardon had been given,

The marionettes ran to the stage and,

Turning on all the lights,

They danced and they sang till dawn.

Chapter 12.

Fire-eater gives Pinocchio five gold pieces for his father,

Geppetto,

But the marionette meets a fox and a cat and follows them.

The next day Fire-eater called Pinocchio aside and asked him,

What is your father's name?

Geppetto.

And what is his trade?

He is a woodcarver.

Does he earn much?

He earns so much that he never has a penny in his pockets.

Just think that he is a woodcarver.

He earns so much that he never has a penny in his pockets.

Just think that in order to buy me an ABC book for school,

He had to sell the only coat he owned,

A coat so full of darns and pity.

Poor fellow.

I feel sorry for him.

Here,

Take these five gold pieces.

Go,

Give them to your father with my kindest regards.

Pinocchio,

As may easily be imagined,

Thanked him a thousand times over.

He kissed each marionette in turn,

Even the officers,

And beside himself with joy,

He set out on his homeward journey.

He had gone barely a mile when he met a lame fox and a blind cat walking together like two good friends.

The lame fox leaned on the cat and the blind cat let the fox lead him along.

Good morning,

Pinocchio,

Said the fox,

Greeting him.

How do you know my name?

Asked the marionette.

I know your father well.

Where have you seen him?

I saw him yesterday,

Standing at the door of his house.

And what was he doing?

He was in his shirt sleeves,

Trembling with cold.

Poor father.

But after today,

God willing,

He will suffer no more.

And why is that?

Because I have become a rich man.

You?

A rich man,

Said the fox,

And he began to laugh out loud.

The cat was laughing also,

But tried to hide it by stroking his long whiskers.

There is nothing to laugh at,

Cried Pinocchio.

I am very sorry to make your mouth water.

But these,

As you know,

Are five new gold pieces.

And he pulled out the gold pieces,

Which Fire Eater had given him.

At the cheerful tinkle of the gold,

The fox unconsciously held out his paw.

That was supposed to be lame.

And the cat opened wide his two eyes till they looked like live coals.

But he closed them again so quickly that Pinocchio did not notice.

And may I ask,

Inquired the fox,

What you are going to do with all that money?

First of all,

Answered the marionette,

I want to buy a fine new coat for my father.

A coat of gold and silver with diamond buttons.

After that,

I'll buy an ABC book for myself.

For yourself?

Yes,

For myself.

I want to go to school and study hard.

Look at me,

Said the fox.

For the silly reason of wanting to study,

I have lost a paw.

Look at me,

Said the cat.

For the same foolish reason,

I have lost the sight of both my eyes.

At that moment,

A blackbird perched on the fence along the road,

Called out sharp and clear,

Pinocchio,

Do not listen to bad advice.

If you do,

You will be sorry.

Poor little blackbird.

If he had only kept his words to himself.

In the twinkling of an eyelid,

The cat leaped on him and ate him,

Feathers and all.

After eating the bird,

He cleaned his whiskers,

Closed his eyes and became blind once more.

Poor blackbird,

Said Pinocchio.

Why did you kill him?

I killed him to teach him a lesson.

He talked too much.

The next time he will keep his words to himself.

By this time,

The three companions had walked a long distance.

Suddenly,

The fox stopped in his tracks and turning to the marionette,

Said to him,

Do you want to double your gold pieces?

What do you mean?

Do you want 100,

1000,

2000 gold pieces for your miserable five?

Yes.

But how?

The way is very easy.

Instead of returning home,

Come with us.

And where will you take me?

To the city of simple Simons.

Pinocchio thought for a while.

And then said firmly.

No,

I do not want to go.

Home is near.

And I'm going where father is waiting for me.

How unhappy he must be that I have not yet returned.

I have been a bad son.

And the talking cricket was right when he said that a disobedient boy cannot be happy in this world.

I have learned this at my own expense.

Even last night in the theater.

When fire eater shivers run up and down my back at the mere thought of it.

Well,

Then,

Said the fox.

If you really want to go home,

Go ahead.

But you will be sorry.

You will be sorry.

Repeated the cat.

Think well Pinocchio.

You are turning your back on Dame Fortune.

On Dame Fortune.

Repeated the cat.

Tomorrow,

Repeated the cat.

Tomorrow,

Your five gold pieces will be two thousand.

Two thousand.

Repeated the cat.

But how can they possibly become so many?

Asked Pinocchio.

I'll explain,

Said the fox.

You must know that just outside the city of simple simons,

There is a blessed field called the field of wonders.

In this field,

You dig a hole and in the hole,

You bury a gold piece.

After covering up the hole with earth,

You water it well,

Sprinkle a bit of salt on it,

And go to bed.

During the night,

The gold piece sprouts,

Grows,

Blossoms,

Blossoms,

And the next morning,

You find a beautiful tree that is loaded with gold pieces.

So that if I were to bury my five gold pieces,

Cried Pinocchio with growing wonder,

The next morning,

I should find how many?

It is very simple to figure out,

Answered the fox.

Why,

You can figure it out on your fingers.

Granted that each piece gives you five hundred.

Multiply five hundred by five.

Next morning,

You will find twenty five hundred new sparkling gold pieces.

Fine,

Fine,

Okay,

Fine,

Cried Pinocchio,

Dancing about with joy.

And as soon as I have them,

I shall keep two thousand for myself and the other five hundred I will give to you two.

A gift for us,

Cried the fox,

Pretending to be insulted.

Why,

Of course not.

Of course not,

Of course not,

Repeated the cat.

We do not work for gain,

Answered the fox.

We work only to enrich others,

To enrich others,

Repeated the cat.

What good people,

Thought Pinocchio to himself.

And forgetting his father,

The new coat,

The ABC book,

And all his good resolutions,

He said to the fox and to the cat,

Let us go,

I am with you.