Pinocchio finally ceases to bea Marionette and becomes a boy"My dear Father, we are saved!" cried the Marionette.

　　"All we have to do now is to get to the shore, and that is easy."Without another word, he swam swiftly away in aneffort to reach land as soon as possible. All at once henoticed that Geppetto was shivering and shaking as if witha high fever.

　　Was he shivering from fear or from cold? Who knows?

　　Perhaps a little of both. But Pinocchio, thinking his fatherwas frightened, tried to comfort him by saying:

　　"Courage, Father! In a few moments we shall be safe on land.""But where is that blessed shore?" asked the little old man,more and more worried as he tried to pierce the faraway shadows.

　　"Here I am searching on all sides and I see nothing but sea and sky.""I see the shore," said the Marionette. "Remember, Father,that I am like a cat. I see better at night than by day."Poor Pinocchio pretended to be peaceful and contented,but he was far from that. He was beginning to feeldiscouraged, his strength was leaving him, and his breathingwas becoming more and more labored. He felt he couldnot go on much longer, and the shore was still far away.

　　He swam a few more strokes. Then he turned to Geppettoand cried out weakly:

　　"Help me, Father! Help, for I am dying!"Father and son were really about to drown when theyheard a voice like a guitar out of tune call from the sea:

　　"What is the trouble?""It is I and my poor father.""I know the voice. You are Pinocchio.""Exactly. And you?""I am the Tunny, your companion in the Shark's stomach.""And how did you escape?""I imitated your example. You are the one who showedme the way and after you went, I followed.""Tunny, you arrived at the right moment! I implore you,for the love you bear your children, the little Tunnies,to help us, or we are lost!""With great pleasure indeed. Hang onto my tail, bothof you, and let me lead you. In a twinkling you will besafe on land."Geppetto and Pinocchio, as you can easily imagine, did notrefuse the invitation; indeed, instead of hanging ontothe tail, they thought it better to climb on the Tunny's back.

　　"Are we too heavy?" asked Pinocchio.

　　"Heavy? Not in the least. You are as light as sea-shells,"answered the Tunny, who was as large as a two-year-old horse.

　　As soon as they reached the shore, Pinocchio was thefirst to jump to the ground to help his old father.

　　Then he turned to the fish and said to him:

　　"Dear friend, you have saved my father, and I have notenough words with which to thank you! Allow me toembrace you as a sign of my eternal gratitude."The Tunny stuck his nose out of the water and Pinocchioknelt on the sand and kissed him most affectionatelyon his cheek. At this warm greeting, the poor Tunny,who was not used to such tenderness, wept like a child.

　　He felt so embarrassed and ashamed that he turned quickly,plunged into the sea, and disappeared.

　　In the meantime day had dawned.

　　Pinocchio offered his arm to Geppetto, who was soweak he could hardly stand, and said to him:

　　"Lean on my arm, dear Father, and let us go. We willwalk very, very slowly, and if we feel tired we can restby the wayside.""And where are we going?" asked Geppetto.

　　"To look for a house or a hut, where they will be kind enoughto give us a bite of bread and a bit of straw to sleep on."They had not taken a hundred steps when they saw tworough-looking individuals sitting on a stone begging for alms.

　　It was the Fox and the Cat, but one could hardly recognizethem, they looked so miserable. The Cat, after pretendingto be blind for so many years had really lost the sightof both eyes. And the Fox, old, thin, and almost hairless,had even lost his tail. That sly thief had fallen intodeepest poverty, and one day he had been forced to sell hisbeautiful tail for a bite to eat.

　　"Oh, Pinocchio," he cried in a tearful voice. "Give ussome alms, we beg of you! We are old, tired, and sick.""Sick!" repeated the Cat.

　　"Addio, false friends!" answered the Marionette.

　　"You cheated me once, but you will never catch me again.""Believe us! Today we are truly poor and starving.""Starving!" repeated the Cat.

　　"If you are poor; you deserve it! Remember the oldproverb which says: `Stolen money never bears fruit.'

　　Addio, false friends.""Have mercy on us!""On us.""Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb which says:

　　`Bad wheat always makes poor bread!'""Do not abandon us.""Abandon us," repeated the Cat.

　　"Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb:

　　`Whoever steals his neighbor's shirt, usually dies withouthis own.'"Waving good-by to them, Pinocchio and Geppettocalmly went on their way. After a few more steps,they saw, at the end of a long road near a clump of trees,a tiny cottage built of straw.

　　"Someone must live in that little hut," said Pinocchio.

　　"Let us see for ourselves."They went and knocked at the door.

　　"Who is it?" said a little voice from within.

　　"A poor father and a poorer son, without food and withno roof to cover them," answered the Marionette.

　　"Turn the key and the door will open," said the samelittle voice.

　　Pinocchio turned the key and the door opened. As soonas they went in, they looked here and there and everywherebut saw no one.

　　"Oh--ho, where is the owner of the hut?" cried Pinocchio,very much surprised.

　　"Here I am, up here!"Father and son looked up to the ceiling, and there on abeam sat the Talking Cricket.

　　"Oh, my dear Cricket," said Pinocchio, bowing politely.

　　"Oh, now you call me your dear Cricket, but do youremember when you threw your hammer at me to kill me?""You are right, dear Cricket. Throw a hammer at me now.

　　I deserve it! But spare my poor old father.""I am going to spare both the father and the son. I haveonly wanted to remind you of the trick you long agoplayed upon me, to teach you that in this world of ourswe must be kind and courteous to others, if we want tofind kindness and courtesy in our own days of trouble.""You are right, little Cricket, you are more than right,and I shall remember the lesson you have taught me. Butwill you tell how you succeeded in buying this prettylittle cottage?""This cottage was given to me yesterday by a little Goatwith blue hair.""And where did the Goat go?" asked Pinocchio.

　　"I don't know.""And when will she come back?""She will never come back. Yesterday she went awaybleating sadly, and it seemed to me she said: `Poor Pinocchio,I shall never see him again. . .the Shark must haveeaten him by this time.'""Were those her real words? Then it was she--it was--my dear little Fairy," cried out Pinocchio, sobbing bitterly.

　　After he had cried a long time, he wiped his eyes andthen he made a bed of straw for old Geppetto. He laid himon it and said to the Talking Cricket:

　　"Tell me, little Cricket, where shall I find a glass of milkfor my poor Father?""Three fields away from here lives Farmer John. He hassome cows. Go there and he will give you what you want."Pinocchio ran all the way to Farmer John's house. TheFarmer said to him:

　　"How much milk do you want?""I want a full glass.""A full glass costs a penny. First give me the penny.""I have no penny," answered Pinocchio, sad and ashamed.

　　"Very bad, my Marionette," answered the Farmer,"very bad. If you have no penny, I have no milk.""Too bad," said Pinocchio and started to go.

　　"Wait a moment," said Farmer John. "Perhaps we can come to terms.

　　Do you know how to draw water from a well?""I can try.""Then go to that well you see yonder and draw onehundred bucketfuls of water.""Very well.""After you have fin............