Pinocchio

t I may also maintain my good mamma. Good-bye, Snail, I shall expect you in two days.”
The Snail, contrary to her usual habits, began to run like a lizard in a hot August sun.
That evening Pinocchio, instead of going to bed at ten o`clock, sat up till midnight had struck; and instead of making eight baskets of rushes he made sixteen.
Then he went to bed and fell asleep. And whilst he slept he thought that he saw the Fairy, smiling and beautiful, who, after having kissed him, said to him:
“Well done, Pinocchio! To reward you for your good heart I will forgive you for all that is past. Boys who minister tenderly to their parents and assist them in their misery and infirmities, are deserving of great praise and affection, even if they cannot be cited as examples of obedience and good behavior. Try and do better in the future and you will be happy.”
At this moment his dream ended and Pinocchio opened his eyes and awoke.
But imagine his astonishment when upon awakening he discovered that he was no longer a wooden puppet, but that he had become instead a boy, like all other boys. He gave a glance round and saw that the straw walls of the hut had disappeared, and that he was in a pretty little room furnished and arranged with a simplicity that was almost elegance. Jumping out of bed he found a new suit of clothes ready for him, a new cap, and a pair of new boots, that fitted him beautifully.
He was hardly dressed when he naturally put his hands in his pockets and pulled out a little ivory purse on which these words were written: “The Fairy with blue hair returns the five dollars to her dear Pinocchio, and thanks him for his good heart.” He opened the purse and instead of five dollars he saw fifty shining gold pieces fresh from the mint.
He then went and looked at himself in the glass, and he thought he was some one else. For he no longer saw the usual reflection of a wooden puppet; he was greeted instead by the image of a bright, intelligent boy with chestnut hair, blue eyes, and looking as happy and joyful as if it were the Easter holidays.
In the midst of all these wonders succeeding each other, Pinocchio felt quite bewildered, and he could not tell if he was really awake or if he was dreaming with his eyes open.
“Where can my papa be?” he exclaimed suddenly, and, going into the next room, he found old Geppetto quite well, lively, and in good humor, just as he had been formerly. He had already resumed his trade of wood-carving, and he was designing a rich and beautiful frame of leaves, flowers and the heads of animals.
“Satisfy my curiosity, dear papa,” said Pinocchio, throwing his arms around his neck and covering him with kisses; “how can this sudden change be accounted for?”
“This sudden change in our home is all your doing,” answered Geppetto.
“How my doing?”
“Because when boys who have behaved badly turn over a new leaf and become good, they have the power of bringing contentment and happiness to their families.”
“And where has the old wooden Pinocchio hidden himself?”
“There he is,” answered Geppetto, and he pointed to a big puppet leaning against a chair, with its head on one side, its arms dangling, and its legs so crossed and bent that it was really a miracle that it remained standing.
Pinocchio turned and looked at it; and, after he had looked at it for a short time, he said to himself with great complacency:
“How ridiculous I was when I was a puppet! And how glad I am that I have become a well-behaved little boy!”