“But how are the days spent in the ’Land of Boobies’?”

They are spent in play and amusement from morning till night.  When night comes you go to bed, and recommence the same life in the morning.  What do you think of it?”

“Hum!” said Pinocchio, and he shook his head slightly, as much as to say, “That is a life that I also would willingly lead.”

“Well, will you go with me?  Yes or no?  Resolve quickly.”

“No, no, no, and again no.  I promised my good Fairy to become a well conducted boy, and I will keep my word.  And as I see that the sun is setting I must leave you at once and run away.  Good-bye, and a pleasant journey to you.”

“Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?”

“Home.  My good Fairy wishes me to be back before dark.”

“Wait another two minutes.”

“It will make me too late.”

“Only two minutes.”

“And if the Fairy scolds me?”

“Let her scold.  When she has scolded well she will hold her tongue,” said that rascal Candlewick.

“And what are you going to do?  Are you going alone or with companions?”

“Alone?  Indeed not, there will be more than a hundred boys.”

“And do you make the journey on foot?”

“A coach will pass by shortly which is to take me to that happy country.”

“What would I not give for the coach to pass by now!”

“Why?”

“That I might see you all start together.”

“Stay here a little longer and you will see us.”

“No, no, I must go home.”

“Wait another two minutes.”

“I have already delayed too long.  The Fairy will be anxious about me.”

“Poor Fairy!  Is she afraid that the bats will eat you?”

“But now,” continued Pinocchio, “are you really certain that there are no schools in that country?”

“Not even the shadow of one.”

“And no masters either?”

“Not one.”

“And no one is ever made to study?”

“Never, never, never!”

“What a delightful country!” said Pinocchio, his mouth watering.  “What a delightful country!  I have never been there, but I can quite imagine it.”

“Why will you not come also?”

“It is useless to tempt me.  I promised my good Fairy to become a sensible boy, and I will not break my word.”

“Good-bye, then, and give my compliments to all the boys at school, if you meet them in the street.”

“Good-bye, Candlewick; a pleasant journey to you; amuse yourself, and think sometimes of your friends.”

Thus saying, the puppet made two steps to go, but then stopped, and, turning to his friend, he inquired: 

“But are you quite certain that in that country all the weeks consist of six Saturdays and one Sunday?”

“Most certainly.”

“But do you know for certain that the holidays begin on the first of January and finish on the last day of December?”