The following day Fire-eater called Pinocchio to one side and asked him:
"What is your father"s name?"
"Geppetto."
"And what trade does he follow?"
"He is a beggar."
"Does he gain much?"
"Gain much? Why, he has never a penny in his pocket. Only think, to buy a spelling-book for me to go to school, he was obliged to sell the only coat he had to wear--a coat that between patches and darns was not fit to be seen."
"Poor devil! I feel almost sorry for him! Here are five gold pieces.
Go at once and take them to him with my compliments."
You can easily understand that Pinocchio thanked the showman a thousand times. He embraced all the puppets of the company one by one, even to the gendarmes, and beside himself with delight set out to return home.
But he had not gone far when he met on the road a Fox lame in one foot, and a Cat blind in both eyes, who were going along helping each other like good companions in misfortune. The Fox who was lame walked leaning on the Cat, and the Cat who was blind was guided by the Fox.
"Good day, Pinocchio," said the Fox, accosting him politely.
"How do you come to know my name?" asked the puppet.
"I know your father well."
"Where did you see him?"
"I saw him yesterday at the door of his house."
"And what was he doing?"
"He was in his shirt sleeves and shivering with cold."
"Poor papa! But that is over; for the future he shall shiver no more."
"Why?"
"Because I am become a gentleman."
"A gentleman--you!" said the Fox, and he began to laugh rudely and scornfully. The Cat also began to laugh, but to conceal it she combed her whiskers with her forepaws.
"There is little to laugh at," cried Pinocchio angrily. "I am really sorry to make your mouths water, but if you know anything about it, you can see that here are five gold pieces."
And he pulled out the money that Fire-eater had made him a present of.
At the sympathetic ring of the money the Fox with an involuntary movement stretched out the paw that had seemed crippled, and the cat opened wide two eyes that looked like two green lanterns. It is true that she shut them again, and so quickly that Pinocchio observed nothing.
"And now," asked the Fox, "what are you going to do with all that money?"
"First of all," answered the Puppet, "I intend to buy a new coat for my papa, made of gold and silver, and with diamond b.u.t.tons, and then I will buy a spelling-book for myself."
"For yourself?"
"Yes, indeed, for I wish to go to school to study in earnest."
"Look at me!" said the Fox. "Through my foolish pa.s.sion for study I have lost a leg."
"Look at me!" said the Cat. "Through my foolish pa.s.sion for study I have lost the sight of both my eyes."
At that moment a white Blackbird, that was perched on the hedge by the road, began his usual song, and said:
"Pinocchio, don"t listen to the advice of bad companions; if you do you will repent it!"
Poor Blackbird! If only he had not spoken! The Cat with a great leap sprang upon him and without even giving him time to say "Oh!" ate him in a mouthful, feathers and all.
Having eaten him and cleaned her mouth she shut her eyes again and feigned blindness as before.
"Poor Blackbird!" said Pinocchio to the Cat. "Why did you treat him so badly?"
"I did it to give him a lesson. He will learn another time not to meddle in other people"s conversation."
They had gone almost half-way when the Fox, halting suddenly, said to the puppet:
"Would you like to double your money?"
"In what way?"
"Would you like to make out of your five miserable gold pieces, a hundred, a thousand, two thousand?"
"I should think so! But in what way?"
"The way is easy enough. Instead of returning home you must go with us."
"And where do you wish to take me?"
"To the Land of the Owls."
Pinocchio reflected a moment, and then he said resolutely:
"No, I will not go. I am already close to the house, and I will return home to my papa who is waiting for me. Who can tell how often the poor old man must have sighed yesterday when I did not come back! I have been a bad son, indeed, and the Talking-cricket was right when he said "Disobedient boys never come to any good in the world." I have found it to my cost, for many misfortunes have happened to me. Even yesterday in Fire-eater"s house I ran the risk.... Oh! it makes me shudder only to think of it."
"Well, then," said the Fox, "you are quite decided to go home? Go, then, and so much the worse for you."
"So much the worse for you!" repeated the Cat.
"Think well of it, Pinocchio, for you are giving a kick to fortune."
"To fortune!" repeated the Cat.