thousand？ Or if； instead of two thousand； I should find five
thousandor one hundred thousand？ I'll build myself a
beautiful palace； with a thousand stables filled with a
thousand wooden horses to play with； a cellar overflowing
with lemonade and ice cream soda； and a library of candies
and fruits； cakes and cookies。〃
Thus amusing himself with fancies； he came to the field。
There he stopped to see if； by any chance； a vine filled
with gold coins was in sight。 But he saw nothing！ He
took a few steps forward； and still nothing！ He stepped
into the field。 He went up to the place where he had
dug the hole and buried the gold pieces。 Again nothing！
Pinocchio became very thoughtful and； forgetting his good
manners altogether； he pulled a hand out of his pocket and
gave his head a thorough scratching。
As he did so； he heard a hearty burst of laughter close
to his head。 He turned sharply； and there； just above him
on the branch of a tree； sat a large Parrot； busily preening
his feathers。
〃What are you laughing at？〃 Pinocchio asked peevishly。
〃I am laughing because； in preening my feathers； I
tickled myself under the wings。〃
The Marionette did not answer。 He walked to the
brook； filled his shoe with water； and once more sprinkled
the ground which covered the gold pieces。
Another burst of laughter； even more impertinent than
the first； was heard in the quiet field。
〃Well；〃 cried the Marionette； angrily this time；
〃may I know； Mr。 Parrot； what amuses you so？〃
〃I am laughing at those simpletons who believe
everything they hear and who allow themselves to be caught so
easily in the traps set for them。〃
〃Do you； perhaps； mean me？〃
〃I certainly do mean you； poor Pinocchioyou who
are such a little silly as to believe that gold can be sown
in a field just like beans or squash。 I； too； believed that
once and today I am very sorry for it。 Today （but too late！）
I have reached the conclusion that； in order to come
by money honestly； one must work and know how to earn
it with hand or brain。〃
〃I don't know what you are talking about；〃 said the
Marionette； who was beginning to tremble with fear。
〃Too bad！ I'll explain myself better；〃 said the Parrot。
〃While you were away in the city the Fox and the Cat
returned here in a great hurry。 They took the four gold
pieces which you have buried and ran away as fast as the wind。
If you can catch them； you're a brave one！〃
Pinocchio's mouth opened wide。 He would not believe
the Parrot's words and began to dig away furiously at the
earth。 He dug and he dug till the hole was as big as himself；
but no money was there。 Every penny was gone。
In desperation； he ran to the city and went straight to
the courthouse to report the robbery to the magistrate。
The Judge was a Monkey； a large Gorilla venerable
with age。 A flowing white beard covered his chest and he
wore gold…rimmed spectacles from which the glasses had
dropped out。 The reason for wearing these； he said； was
that his eyes had been weakened by the work of many years。
Pinocchio； standing before him； told his pitiful tale；
word by word。 He gave the names and the descriptions
of the robbers and begged for justice。
The Judge listened to him with great patience。 A kind
look shone in his eyes。 He became very much interested
in the story； he felt moved； he almost wept。 When the
Marionette had no more to say； the Judge put out his
hand and rang a bell。
At the sound； two large Mastiffs appeared； dressed in
Carabineers' uniforms。
Then the magistrate； pointing to Pinocchio； said in a
very solemn voice：
〃This poor simpleton has been robbed of four gold pieces。
Take him； therefore； and throw him into prison。〃
The Marionette； on hearing this sentence passed upon
him； was thoroughly stunned。 He tried to protest； but
the two officers clapped their paws on his mouth and
hustled him away to jail。
There he had to remain for four long； weary months。
And if it had not been for a very lucky chance； he probably
would have had to stay there longer。 For； my dear
children； you must know that it happened just then that
the young emperor who ruled over the City of Simple
Simons had gained a great victory over his enemy； and in
celebration thereof； he had ordered illuminations； fireworks；
shows of all kinds； and； best of all； the opening of all prison doors。
〃If the others go； I go； too；〃 said Pinocchio to the Jailer。
〃Not you；〃 answered the Jailer。 〃You are one of those〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 interrupted Pinocchio； 〃I； too； am a thief。〃
〃In that case you also are free；〃 said the Jailer。 Taking
off his cap； he bowed low and opened the door of the prison；
and Pinocchio ran out and away； with never a look backward。
CHAPTER 20
Freed from prison； Pinocchio sets out to return to the Fairy；
but on the way he meets a Serpent and later is caught in a trap
Fancy the happiness of Pinocchio on finding himself free！
Without saying yes or no； he fled from the city and set
out on the road that was to take him back to the house of
the lovely Fairy。
It had rained for many days； and the road was so muddy
that； at times； Pinocchio sank down almost to his knees。
But he kept on bravely。
Tormented by the wish to see his father and his fairy
sister with azure hair； he raced like a greyhound。 As he
ran； he was splashed with mud even up to his cap。
〃How unhappy I have been；〃 he said to himself。 〃And
yet I deserve everything； for I am certainly very stubborn
and stupid！ I will always have my own way。 I won't
listen to those who love me and who have more brains
than I。 But from now on； I'll be different and I'll try to
become a most obedient boy。 I have found out； beyond
any doubt whatever； that disobedient boys are certainly
far from happy； and that； in the long run； they always
lose out。 I wonder if Father is waiting for me。 Will I
find him at the Fairy's house？ It is so long； poor man；
since I have seen him； and I do so want his love and his
kisses。 And will the Fairy ever forgive me for all I have
done？ She who has been so good to me and to whom I
owe my life！ Can there be a worse or more heartless
boy than I am anywhere？〃
As he spoke； he stopped suddenly； frozen with terror。
What was the matter？ An immense Serpent lay stretched
across the roada Serpent with a bright green skin；
fiery eyes which glowed and burned； and a pointed tail
that smoked like a chimney。
How frightened was poor Pinocchio！ He ran back
wildly for half a mile； and at last settled himself atop a
heap of stones to wait for the Serpent to go on his way
and leave the road clear for him。
He waited an hour； two hours； three hours； but the
Serpent was always there； and even from afar one could
see the flash of his red eyes and the column of smoke
which rose from his long； pointed tail。
Pinocchio； trying to feel very brave； walked straight up
to him and said in a sweet； soothing voice：
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Serpent； would you be so
kind as to step aside to let me pass？〃
He might as well have talked to a wall。 The Serpent
never moved。
Once more； in the same sweet voice； he spoke：
〃You must know； Mr。 Serpent； that I am going home
where my father is waiting for me。 It is so long since I
have seen him！ Would you mind very much if I passed？〃
He waited for some sign of an answer to his questions；
but the answer did not come。 On the contrary； the green
Serpent； who had seemed； until then； wide awake and full
of life； became suddenly very quiet and still。 His eyes
closed and his tail stopped smoking。
〃Is he dead； I wonder？〃 said Pinocchio； rubbing his
hands together happily。 Without a moment's hesitation；
he started to step over him； but he had just raised one leg
when the Serpent shot up like a spring and the Marionette
fell head over heels backward。 He fell so awkwardly
that his head stuck in the mud； and there he stood with
his legs straight up in the air。
At the sight of the Marionette kicking and squirming
like a young whirlwind； the Serpent laughed so heartily
and so long that at last he burst an artery and died on the spot。
Pinocchio freed himself from his awkward position and
once more began to run in order to reach the Fairy's
house before dark。 As he went； the pangs of hunger grew
so strong that； unable to withstand them； he jumped into
a field to pick a few grapes that tempted him。 Woe to him！
No sooner had he reached the grapevine thancrack！
went his legs。
The poor Marionette was caught in a trap set there by
a Farmer for some Weasels which came every night to
steal his chickens。
CHAPTER 21
Pinocchio is caught by a Farmer；
who uses him as a watchdog for his chicken coop
Pinocchio； as you may well imagine； began to scream
and weep and beg； but all was of no use； for no houses
were to be seen and not a soul passed by on the road。
Night came on。
A little because of the sharp pain in his legs； a little
because of fright at finding himself alone in the darkness
of the field； the Marionette was about to faint； when he
saw a tiny Glowworm flickering by。 He called to her
and said：
〃Dear little Glowworm； will you set me free？〃
〃Poor little fellow！〃 replied the Glowworm； stopping
to look at him with pity。 〃How came you to be caught
in this trap？〃
〃I stepped into this lonely field to take a few grapes and〃
〃Are the grapes yours？〃
〃No。〃
〃Who has taught you to take things that do not belong to you？〃
〃I was hungry。〃
〃Hunger； my boy； is no reason for taking something
which belongs to another。〃
〃It's true； it's true！〃 cried Pinocchio in tears。 〃I won't
do it again。〃
Just then； the conversation was interrupted by
approaching footsteps。 It was the owner of the field；
who was coming on tiptoes to see if； by chance； he had caught
the Weasels which had been eating his chickens。
Great was his surprise when； on holding up his lantern；
he saw that； instead of a Weasel； he had caught a boy！
〃Ah； you little thief！〃 said the Farmer in an angry
voice。 〃So you are the one who steals my chickens！〃
〃Not I！ No； no！〃 cried Pinocchio； sobbing bitterly。
〃I came here only to take a very few grapes。〃
〃He