The Adventures of Pinocchio (1904)/Chapter 8
The marionette had scarcely appeased his hunger when he began to grumble and cry because he wished a new pair of feet. Geppetto, in order to punish him for his bad actions, let him cry for half a day. Then he said: “And why should I make you a new pair of feet? Perhaps you would run away again.”
“I promise you,” said the marionette, sobbing, “that hereafter I will be a good boy.”
“All boys,” said Geppetto, “when they wish to obtain something, say that.”
“I promise you that I will go to school. I will study and I will be an honor—”
“All boys, when they wish to obtain something, tell the same story.”
“But I am not like other boys. I am better than all the rest and I always speak the truth. I promise you, Papa, that I will learn a trade, and that I will be your consolation and your support in your old age.”
Geppetto, although he had the face of a tyrant, began to shed tears, and his heart was full of compassion when he saw poor little Pinocchio in such a state. He took his tools and two pieces of wood and began to work very diligently.
In less than an hour the new feet were finished. They were two nimble and nervous feet, and were made so beautifully that they looked as if they might have been carved by a great artist. Then Geppetto said to the marionette, “Close your eyes and go to sleep.”
Pinocchio closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Meantime Geppetto stuck on the two feet with a little glue; and he did it so well that one could hardly see the place where they were joined. As soon as the marionette saw that his feet were on, he jumped down and began to dance around as if he were mad with joy.
“In order to pay you back for your kindness,” said Pinocchio to his papa, “I wish to go to school immediately.”
"Good boy!”
“But in order to go to school I need some clothes.”
Geppetto, who was so poor that he had not a cent in his pocket, made a beautiful suit of clothes out of some cardboard painted all over with flowers. He made a pair of shoes out of the bark of a tree, and a cap out of stale bread crumbs all molded together.
Pinocchio ran immediately to look at himself in a tub filled with water, and he was so delighted with his appearance that he said proudly, “Truly, I look like a gentleman!”
“Yes, indeed,” replied Geppetto, “because, bear in mind, it is not fine clothes so much as clean ones that make a gentleman.”
“By the by,” added the marionette, “now in order to go to school I lack something else.”
“What is that?”
“Why, I lack an A B C card.”
“You are right; but how can I get one?”
“That is easy. Go to the store and buy it.”
“And the money?”
“I have none.”
“Neither have I,” added the good old man, looking sad.
Pinocchio, although he was a happy boy, looked sad too, because real trouble is understood by everybody, even by boys.
“Have patience!” cried Geppetto, suddenly getting up. Taking off his coat all covered with patches, he ran out of the house.
After a little while he returned with an A B C card in his hand, but his coat was gone. The poor man was in his shirt sleeves and it was snowing outside too.
“And the coat, Papa?”
“I have sold it.”
“Why did you sell it?”
“Because it made me too warm.”
Pinocchio understood the reply at once, and not being able to restrain his feelings, he jumped up on Geppetto, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed his face all over.
