“When the thieves got into the yard, were you asleep or awake?” the peasant went on to ask him.

“I was asleep,” answered Pinocchio, “but the polecats woke me with their chatter and one of them came to the kennel and said to me:  ’If you promise not to bark, and not to wake the master, we will make you a present of a fine chicken ready plucked!’ To think that they should have had the audacity to make such a proposal to me!  For, although I am a puppet, possessing perhaps nearly all the faults in the world, there is one that I certainly will never be guilty of, that of making terms with, and sharing the gains of, dishonest people!”

“Well said, my boy!” cried the peasant, slapping him on the shoulder.  “Such sentiments do you honor; and as a proof of my gratitude I will at once set you at liberty, and you may return home.”

And he removed the dog-collar.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIII

PINOCCHIO FLIES TO THE SEASHORE

As soon as Pinocchio was released from the heavy and humiliating weight of the dog-collar he started off across the fields and never stopped until he had reached the high road that led to the Fairy’s house.  He could see amongst the trees the top of the Big Oak to which he had been hung, but, although he looked in every direction, the little house belonging to the beautiful Child with the blue hair was nowhere visible.

Seized with a sad presentiment, he began to run with all the strength he had left and in a few minutes he reached the field where the little white house had once stood.  But it was no longer there.  Instead of the house he saw a marble stone, on which were engraved these sad words: 

Here lies
the child with the blue hair
who died from sorrow
because she was abandoned by her
little brother Pinocchio

I leave you to imagine the puppet’s feelings when he had with difficulty spelled out this epitaph.  He fell with his face on the ground and, covering the tombstone with a thousand kisses, burst into an agony of tears.  He cried all night and when morning came he was still crying, although he had no tears left, and his sobs and lamentations were so acute and heart-breaking that they aroused the echoes in the surrounding hills.

And as he wept he said: 

“Oh, little Fairy, why did you die?  Why did I not die instead of you, I who am so wicked, whilst you were so good?  And my papa?  Where can he be?  Oh, little Fairy, tell me where I can find him, for I want to remain with him always and never leave him again, never again!  Oh, little Fairy, tell me that it is not true that you are dead!  If you really love your little brother, come to life again.  Does it not grieve you to see me alone