The Story of a Puppet/VIII

by Carlo Collodi

VIII

Geppetto makes Pinocchio new feet, and sells his own coat to buy him a Spelling-book.

No sooner had the puppet appeased his hunger than he began to cry and to grumble because he wanted a pair of new feet.

But Geppetto, to punish him for his naughtiness, allowed him to cry and to despair for half the day. He then said to him:

'Why should I make you new feet? To enable you, perhaps, to escape again from home?'

'I promise you,' said the puppet, sobbing, 'that for the future I will be good.'

'All boys,' replied Geppetto, 'when they are bent upon obtaining something, say the same thing.'

'I promise you that I will go to school, and that I will study and earn a good character.'

'All boys, when they are bent on obtaining something, repeat the same story.'

'But I am not like other boys! I am better than all of them and I always speak the truth. I promise you, papa, that I will learn a trade, and that I will be the consolation and the staff of your old age.'

Geppetto, although he put on a severe face, had his eyes full of tears and his heart big with sorrow at seeing his poor Pinocchio in such a pitiable state. He did not say another word, but taking his tools and two small pieces of well-seasoned wood he set to work with great diligence.

In less than an hour the feet were finished: two little feet—swift, well-knit, and nervous. They might have been modelled by an artist of genius.

Geppetto then said to the puppet:

'Shut your eyes and go to sleep!'

And Pinocchio shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

And whilst he pretended to sleep, Geppetto, with a little glue which he had melted in an egg-shell, fastened his feet in their place, and it was so well done that not even a trace could be seen of where they were joined.

No sooner had the puppet discovered that he had feet than he jumped down from the table on which he was lying, and began to spring and to cut a thousand capers about the room, as if he had gone mad with the greatness of his delight.

'To reward you for what you have done for me,' said Pinocchio to his father, 'I will go to school at once.'

'Good boy.'

'But to go to school I shall want some clothes.'

Geppetto, who was poor, and who had not so much as a farthing in his pocket, then made him a little dress of flowered paper, a pair of shoes from the bark of a tree, and a cap of the crumb of bread.

Pinocchio ran immediately to look at himself in a crock of water, and he was so pleased with his appearance that he said, strutting about like a peacock:

'I look quite like a gentleman!'

'Yes indeed,' answered Geppetto, 'for bear in mind that it is not fine clothes that make the gentleman, but rather clean clothes.'

'By the bye,' added the puppet, 'to go to school I am still in want—indeed I am without the best thing, and the most important.'

'And what is it?'

'I have no Spelling-book.'

'You are right: but what shall we do to get one?'

'It is quite easy. We have only to go to the bookseller's and buy it.'

'And the money?'

'I have got none.'

'No more have I,' added the good old man very sadly.

And Pinocchio, although he was a very merry boy, became sad also; because poverty when it is real poverty is understood by everybody—even by boys.

'Well, patience!' exclaimed Geppetto, all at once rising to his feet, and putting on his old fustian coat, all patched and darned, he ran out of the house.

He returned shortly, holding in his hand a Spelling-book for Pinocchio, but the old coat was gone. The poor man was in his shirt sleeves, and out of doors it was snowing.

'And the coat, papa?'

'I have sold it.'

'Why did you sell it?'

'Because I found it too hot.'

Pinocchio understood this answer in an instant, and unable to restrain the impulse of his good heart he sprang up, and throwing his arms round Geppetto's neck he began kissing him again and again.

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