〃Bring　me　something　to　eat；　at　least；　for　I　am　faint　with　hunger。〃
  〃Immediately！〃
  In　fact；　after　three　hours　and　a　half；　Pinocchio　saw　her
  return　with　a　silver　tray　on　her　head。　　On　the　tray　there
  was　bread；　roast　chicken；　fruit。
  〃Here　is　the　breakfast　the　Fairy　sends　to　you；〃　said　the　Snail。
  At　the　sight　of　all　these　good　things；　the　Marionette　felt　much　better。
  What　was　his　disgust；　however；　when　on　tasting　the　food；
  he　found　the　bread　to　be　made　of　chalk；　the　chicken
  of　cardboard；　and　the　brilliant　fruit　of　colored　alabaster！
  He　wanted　to　cry；　he　wanted　to　give　himself　up　to
  despair；　he　wanted　to　throw　away　the　tray　and　all　that
  was　on　it。　　Instead；　either　from　pain　or　weakness；　he　fell
  to　the　floor　in　a　dead　faint。
  When　he　regained　his　senses；　he　found　himself　stretched
  out　on　a　sofa　and　the　Fairy　was　seated　near　him。
  〃This　time　also　I　forgive　you；〃　said　the　Fairy　to　him。
  〃But　be　careful　not　to　get　into　mischief　again。〃
  Pinocchio　promised　to　study　and　to　behave　himself。
  And　he　kept　his　word　for　the　remainder　of　the　year。　　At
  the　end　of　it；　he　passed　first　in　all　his　examinations；　and
  his　report　was　so　good　that　the　Fairy　said　to　him　happily：
  〃Tomorrow　your　wish　will　come　true。〃
  〃And　what　is　it？〃
  〃Tomorrow　you　will　cease　to　be　a　Marionette　and　will　become　a　real　boy。〃
  Pinocchio　was　beside　himself　with　joy。　　All　his　friends
  and　schoolmates　must　be　invited　to　celebrate　the　great
  event！　　The　Fairy　promised　to　prepare　two　hundred　cups
  of　coffee…and…milk　and　four　hundred　slices　of　toast
  buttered　on　both　sides。
  The　day　promised　to　be　a　very　gay　and　happy　one；　but
  Unluckily；　in　a　Marionette's　life　there's　always　a　BUT
  which　is　apt　to　spoil　everything。
  CHAPTER　30
  Pinocchio；　instead　of　becoming　a　boy；　runs　away
  to　the　Land　of　Toys　with　his　friend；　Lamp…Wick
  Coming　at　last　out　of　the　surprise　into　which　the　Fairy's
  words　had　thrown　him；　Pinocchio　asked　for　permission　to
  give　out　the　invitations。
  〃Indeed；　you　may　invite　your　friends　to　tomorrow's　party。
  Only　remember　to　return　home　before　dark。　　Do　you　understand？〃
  〃I'll　be　back　in　one　hour　without　fail；〃　answered　the　Marionette。
  〃Take　care；　Pinocchio！　　Boys　give　promises　very　easily；
  but　they　as　easily　forget　them。〃
  〃But　I　am　not　like　those　others。　　When　I　give　my　word　I　keep　it。〃
  〃We　shall　see。　　In　case　you　do　disobey；　you　will　be　the　one
  to　suffer；　not　anyone　else。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Because　boys　who　do　not　listen　to　their　elders　always　come　to　grief。〃
  〃I　certainly　have；〃　said　Pinocchio；　〃but　from　now　on；　I　obey。〃
  〃We　shall　see　if　you　are　telling　the　truth。〃
  Without　adding　another　word；　the　Marionette　bade　the　good
  Fairy　good…by；　and　singing　and　dancing；　he　left　the　house。
  In　a　little　more　than　an　hour；　all　his　friends　were
  invited。　　Some　accepted　quickly　and　gladly。　　Others　had　to
  be　coaxed；　but　when　they　heard　that　the　toast　was　to　be
  buttered　on　both　sides；　they　all　ended　by　accepting
  the　invitation　with　the　words；　〃We'll　come　to　please　you。〃
  Now　it　must　be　known　that；　among　all　his　friends；
  Pinocchio　had　one　whom　he　loved　most　of　all。
  The　boy's　real　name　was　Romeo；　but　everyone　called　him
  Lamp…Wick；　for　he　was　long　and　thin　and　had　a　woebegone
  look　about　him。
  Lamp…Wick　was　the　laziest　boy　in　the　school　and　the
  biggest　mischief…maker；　but　Pinocchio　loved　him　dearly。
  That　day；　he　went　straight　to　his　friend's　house　to　invite　him
  to　the　party；　but　Lamp…Wick　was　not　at　home。　　He　went　a　second　time；
  and　again　a　third；　but　still　without　success。
  Where　could　he　be？　　Pinocchio　searched　here　and　there　and　everywhere；
  and　finally　discovered　him　hiding　near　a　farmer's　wagon。
  〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　running　up　to　him。
  〃I　am　waiting　for　midnight　to　strike　to　go〃
  〃Where？〃
  〃Far；　far　away！〃
  〃And　I　have　gone　to　your　house　three　times　to　look　for　you！〃
  〃What　did　you　want　from　me？〃
  〃Haven't　you　heard　the　news？　　Don't　you　know　what　good　luck　is　mine？〃
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃Tomorrow　I　end　my　days　as　a　Marionette　and　become　a　boy；
  like　you　and　all　my　other　friends。〃
  〃May　it　bring　you　luck！〃
  〃Shall　I　see　you　at　my　party　tomorrow？〃
  〃But　I'm　telling　you　that　I　go　tonight。〃
  〃At　what　time？〃
  〃At　midnight。〃
  〃And　where　are　you　going？〃
  〃To　a　real　countrythe　best　in　the　worlda　wonderful　place！〃
  〃What　is　it　called？〃
  〃It　is　called　the　Land　of　Toys。　　Why　don't　you　come；　too？〃
  〃I？　　Oh；　no！〃
  〃You　are　making　a　big　mistake；　Pinocchio。　　Believe　me；
  if　you　don't　come；　you'll　be　sorry。　　Where　can　you　find
  a　place　that　will　agree　better　with　you　and　me？　　No　schools；
  no　teachers；　no　books！　　In　that　blessed　place　there　is　no
  such　thing　as　study。　　Here；　it　is　only　on　Saturdays　that
  we　have　no　school。　　In　the　Land　of　Toys；　every　day；　except
  Sunday；　is　a　Saturday。　　Vacation　begins　on　the　first
  of　January　and　ends　on　the　last　day　of　December。　　That
  is　the　place　for　me！　　All　countries　should　be　like　it！
  How　happy　we　should　all　be！〃
  〃But　how　does　one　spend　the　day　in　the　Land　of　Toys？〃
  〃Days　are　spent　in　play　and　enjoyment　from　morn　till
  night。　　At　night　one　goes　to　bed；　and　next　morning；　the
  good　times　begin　all　over　again。　　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃
  〃H'm！〃　said　Pinocchio；　nodding　his　wooden　head；　as　if　to　say；
  〃It's　the　kind　of　life　which　would　agree　with　me　perfectly。〃
  〃Do　you　want　to　go　with　me；　then？　　Yes　or　no？　　You
  must　make　up　your　mind。〃
  〃No；　no；　and　again　no！　　I　have　promised　my　kind　Fairy
  to　become　a　good　boy；　and　I　want　to　keep　my　word。　　Just
  see：　　The　sun　is　setting　and　I　must　leave　you　and　run。
  Good…by　and　good　luck　to　you！〃
  〃Where　are　you　going　in　such　a　hurry？〃
  〃Home。　　My　good　Fairy　wants　me　to　return　home　before　night。〃
  〃Wait　two　minutes　more。〃
  〃It's　too　late！〃
  〃Only　two　minutes。〃
  〃And　if　the　Fairy　scolds　me？〃
  〃Let　her　scold。　　After　she　gets　tired；　she　will　stop；〃　said　Lamp…Wick。
  〃Are　you　going　alone　or　with　others？〃
  〃Alone？　　There　will　be　more　than　a　hundred　of　us！〃
  〃Will　you　walk？〃
  〃At　midnight　the　wagon　passes　here　that　is　to　take　us
  within　the　boundaries　of　that　marvelous　country。〃
  〃How　I　wish　midnight　would　strike！〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃To　see　you　all　set　out　together。〃
  〃Stay　here　a　while　longer　and　you　will　see　us！〃
  〃No；　no。　　I　want　to　return　home。〃
  〃Wait　two　more　minutes。〃
  〃I　have　waited　too　long　as　it　is。　　The　Fairy　will　be　worried。〃
  〃Poor　Fairy！　　Is　she　afraid　the　bats　will　eat　you　up？〃
  〃Listen；　Lamp…Wick；〃　said　the　Marionette；　〃are　you
  really　sure　that　there　are　no　schools　in　the　Land　of　Toys？〃
  〃Not　even　the　shadow　of　one。〃
  〃Not　even　one　teacher？〃
  〃Not　one。〃
  〃And　one　does　not　have　to　study？〃
  〃Never；　never；　never！〃
  〃What　a　great　land！〃　said　Pinocchio；　feeling　his　mouth　water。
  〃What　a　beautiful　land！　　I　have　never　been　there；
  but　I　can　well　imagine　it。〃
  〃Why　don't　you　come；　too？〃
  〃It　is　useless　for　you　to　tempt　me！　　I　told　you　I　promised
  my　good　Fairy　to　behave　myself；　and　I　am　going　to
  keep　my　word。〃
  〃Good…by；　then；　and　remember　me　to　the　grammar
  schools；　to　the　high　schools；　and　even　to　the　colleges　if
  you　meet　them　on　the　way。〃
  〃Good…by；　Lamp…Wick。　　Have　a　pleasant　trip；　enjoy
  yourself；　and　remember　your　friends　once　in　a　while。〃
  With　these　words；　the　Marionette　started　on　his　way
  home。　　Turning　once　more　to　his　friend；　he　asked　him：
  〃But　are　you　sure　that；　in　that　country；　each　week　is
  composed　of　six　Saturdays　and　one　Sunday？〃
  〃Very　sure！〃
  〃And　that　vacation　begins　on　the　first　of　January　and
  ends　on　the　thirty…first　of　December？〃
  〃Very；　very　sure！〃
  〃What　a　great　country！〃　repeated　Pinocchio；　puzzled
  as　to　what　to　do。
  Then；　in　sudden　determination；　he　said　hurriedly：
  〃Good…by　for　the　last　time；　and　good　luck。〃
  〃Good…by。〃
  〃How　soon　will　you　go？〃
  〃Within　two　hours。〃
  〃What　a　pity！　If　it　were　only　one　hour；　I　might　wait　for　you。〃
  〃And　the　Fairy？〃
  〃By　this　time　I'm　late；　and　one　hour　more　or　less　makes
  very　little　difference。〃
  〃Poor　Pinocchio！　　And　if　the　Fairy　scolds　you？〃
  〃Oh；　I'll　let　her　scold。　　After　she　gets　tired；　she　will　stop。〃
  In　the　meantime；　the　night　became　darker　and　darker。
  All　at　once　in　the　distance　a　small　light　flickered。　　A
  queer　sound　could　be　heard；　soft　as　a　little　bell；　and　faint
  and　muffled　like　the　buzz　of　a　far…away　mosquito。
  〃There　it　is！〃　cried　Lamp…Wick；　jumping　to　his　feet。
  〃What？〃　whispered　Pinocchio。
  〃The　wagon　which　is　coming　to　get　me。　　For　the　last
  time；　are　you　coming　or　not？〃
  〃But　is　it　really　true　that　in　that　country　boys　never
  have　to　study？〃
  〃Never；　never；　never！〃
  〃What　a　wonderful；　beautiful；　marvelous　country！　　Ohhh！！〃
  CHAPTER　31
  After　five　months　of　play；　Pinocchio　wakes　up　one　fine　morning
  and　finds　a　great　surprise　awaiting　him
  Finally　the　wagon　arrived。　　It　made　no　noise；　for　its
  wheels　were　bound　with　straw　and　rags。
  It　was　drawn　by　twelve　pair　of　donkeys；　all　of　the　same
  size；　but　all　of　different　color。　　Some　were　gray；　others
  white；　and　still　others　a　mixture　of　brown　and　black。
  Here　and　there　were　a　few　with　large　yellow　and　blue　stripes。
  The　strangest　thing　of　all　was　that　those　twenty…four
  donkeys；　instead　of　being　iron…shod　like　any