“I will explain better,” said the Parrot. “Know, then, that while you were in the city the Fox and the Cat returned here. They took the money and then fled like the wind. And now they cannot be caught.”
Pinocchio remained with his mouth wide open. Unwilling to believe the words of the Parrot, he began with his hands and nails to dig out the dirt where he had planted his money. And he dug and dug and dug until he had made a hole large enough for a haystack; but the money was not there.
In desperation he returned to the town. There he went before the tribunal and denounced the highwaymen who had stolen his money.
The judge was a Monkey of the race of Gorilla. He was old and looked respectable on account of his white beard, and especially so on account of his gold eyeglasses with no glass in them. These he wore continually on account of a weakness of the eyes, which had troubled him for many years.
Pinocchio told the judge everything; gave the names and addresses of the highwaymen, and finished by asking for justice.
The judge listened with much dignity. He took a lively interest in the story and seemed quite moved. When the marionette had no more to say,
