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16 - The Adventures of Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi · Classic Adventure Books Library

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  Chapter sixteen, the lovely Maiden with azure hair sends for the poor Marionette,
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  puts him to bed, and calls three doctors to tell her if Pinocchio is
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  dead or alive. If the poor Marionette had dangled there much longer, all
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  hope would have been lost. Luckily for him. The lovely Maiden with azure
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  hair once again looked out of her window, filled with pity at the sight
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  of the poor little fellow being knocked helplessly about by the wind. She clapped
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  her hands sharply together three times. At the signal. A loud whirr of
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  wings in quick flight was heard, and a large falcon came and settled itself
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  on the window ledge. What do you command, my charming fairy, asked
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  the falcon, bending his beak in deep reverence. For it must be known
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  that, after all, the lovely Maiden with azure hair was none of than
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  a very kind fairy who had lived for more than a thousand years in the
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  vicinity of the forest. Do you see that marionette hanging from the limb of
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  that giant oak tree, I see him very well. Fly immediately to him
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  with your strong beak, break the knot which holds him tied, take him
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  down and lay him softly on the grass at the foot of the oak.
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  The falcon flew away, and after two minutes returned, saying, I have
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  done what you commanded. How did you find him alive or dead? At
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  first glance, I thought he was dead, but I found I was wrong,
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  for as soon as I loosened the knot around his neck, he gave
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  a long sigh and mumbled with a faint voice, Now I feel better.
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  The fairy clapped her hands twice. A magnificent poodle appeared, walking on his
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  hind legs just like a man. He was dressed in court livery. A
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  tricorn trimmed with gold lace, was set at a rakish angle over a wig
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  of white curls that dropped down to his waist. He wore a jaunty coat
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  of chocolate colored velvet with diamond buttons and with two huge pockets which were always
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  filled with bones dropped there at dinner by his loving mistress. Breeches of crimson
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  velvet, silk stockings and low silver buckled slippers completed his costume. His tail
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  was encased in a blue silk covering, which was to protect it from the
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  rain, come Maduro, said the fairy to him, Get my best coach
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  ready, and set out toward the forest. On reaching the oak tree,
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  you will find a poor half dead marionette stretched out on the grass. Lift
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  him up, tenderly, place him on the silken cushions of the coach,
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  and bring him here to me. The poodle, to show that he understood,
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  wagged his silk covered tail two or three times, and set off at
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  a quick pace. In a few minutes, a lovely little coach, made
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  of glass, with lining as soft as whipped cream and chocolate pudding, and
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  stuffed with canary feathers, pulled out of the stable. It was drawn by
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  one hundred pairs of white mice, and the poodle sat on the coachman's seat
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  and snapped his whip gaily in the air, as if he were a real
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  coachman, in a hurry to get to his destination. In a quarter of
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  an hour, the coach was back. The fairy, who was waiting at
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  the door of the house, lifted the poor little marionette in her arms,
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  took him to a dainty room with mother of pearl walls, put him to
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  bed, and sent immediately for the most famous doctors of the neighborhood to come
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  to her. One after another. The doctors came a crow, an owl,
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  and a talking cricket. I should like to know, signori, said
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  the fairy, turning to the three doctors gathered about Pinocchio's bed, I should
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  like to know if this poor marionette is dead or alive. At this invitation,
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  the crow stepped out and felt Pinocchio's pulse, his nose, his little
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  toe. Then he solemnly pronounced the following words. To my mind, this
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  marionette is dead and gone, but if by any evil chance he were not,
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  then that would be a sure sign that he is still alive. I
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  am sorry, said the owl, to have to contradict the crow, famous
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  friend and colleague. To my mind, this marionette is alive, but if
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  by any evil chance he were not, then that would be a sure sign
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  that he is wholly dead. And do you hold any opinion, the fairy
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  asked the talking cricket. I say that a wise doctor, when he does
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  not know what he is talking about, should know enough to keep his mouth
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  shut. However, that Marionette is not a stranger to me. I have
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  known him a long time. Pinocchio, who until then had been very quiet,
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  shuddered so hard that the bed shook. That Marionette continued, The talking
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  cricket is a rascal of the worst kind. Pinocchio opened his eyes and closed
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  them again. He is rude, lazy, a runaway. Pinocchio hid his
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  face under the sheets. That Marionette is a disobedient son who is breaking his
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  father's heart. Long shuddering sobs were heard, cries and deep sighs. Think
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  how surprised every one was when, on raising the sheets, they discovered Pinocchio
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  half melted in tears. When the dead weep, they are beginning to recover,
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  said the crow solemnly. I am sorry to contradict my famous friend and
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  colleague, said the owl, But as far as I am concerned, I
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  think that when the dead weep, it means they do not want to die.
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  So ends Chapter sixteen of Pinocchio.