Pinocchio in Africa Read online

  Produced by Walter Moore, James Linden and James Nugen

  PINOCCHIO IN AFRICA

  Translated from the Italianof Cherubini byAngelo PatriPrincipal of Public School No. 4Borough of BronxNew York City

  Original Drawings byCharles Copeland

  Ginn and CompanyBoston . New York . Chicago . London

  Copyright, 1911, by Angelo PatriAll Rights Reserved811.4

  The Athenaum PressGinn and Company ProprietorsBoston . U.S.A.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER

  I Why Pinocchio Did Not Go To SchoolII Pinocchio Assists In Welcoming The CircusIII Pinocchio Among The Wild AnimalsIV Pinocchio Makes Friends With The Wild AnimalsV Pinocchio Determines To Go To AfricaVI Pinocchio In DoubtVII He Bids Good-By To The AnimalsVIII Pinocchio Does Not SleepIX Pinocchio Eats DatesX Pinocchio Lands On A RockXI The First Night In AfricaXII Pinocchio Is Well ReceivedXIII Pinocchio Is ArrestedXIV Pinocchio's FatherXV Pinocchio Sells Drinking WaterXVI A Ride On A Dog's BackXVII The CaveXVIII The CaravanXIX The Baby Pulls His NoseXX Pinocchio Travels With The CaravanXXI He Is Offered For SaleXXII The Bird In The ForestXXIII His Adventure With A LionXXIV Pinocchio Is Brought Before The KingXXV The Monkeys Stone The MarionetteXXVI Pinocchio Dreams AgainXXVII Pinocchio Is Carried Away In An EggshellXXVIII Pinocchio Escapes AgainXXIX Pinocchio Is Swallowed By A CrocodileXXX Pinocchio Is Made EmperorXXXI His First Night As EmperorXXXII He Sends For The Royal DoctorXXXIII An Old StoryXXXIV His Duties As EmperorXXXV Pinocchio Makes His First AddressXXXVI The Emperor Becomes As Black As A CrowXXXVII The Hippopotamus HuntXXXVIII The Emperor Surprises His Subjects By His WisdomXXXIX Pinocchio Travels Through The EmpireXL Pinocchio Is Placed In A CageXLI Pinocchio Performs For The PublicXLII Pinocchio Breaks The Cage And Makes His Escape

  PREFACE

  Collodi's "Pinocchio" tells the story of a wooden marionette and of hisefforts to become a real boy. Although he was kindly treated by the oldwoodcutter, Geppetto, who had fashioned him out of a piece of kindlingwood, he was continually getting into trouble and disgrace. EvenFatina, the Fairy with the Blue Hair, could not at once change an idle,selfish marionette into a studious and reliable boy. His adventures,including his brief transformation into a donkey, give the author anopportunity to teach a needed and wholesome lesson without disagreeablemoralizing.

  Pinocchio immediately leaped into favor as the hero of Italian juvenileromance. The wooden marionette became a popular subject for theartist's pencil and the storyteller's invention. Brought across theseas, he was welcomed by American children and now appears in a newvolume which sets forth his travels in Africa. The lessons underlyinghis fantastic experiences are clear to the youngest readers but arenever allowed to become obtrusive. The amusing illustrations of theoriginal are fully equaled in the present edition, while the whimsicalnonsense which delights Italian children has been reproduced as closelyas a translation permits.

  CHAPTER IWHY PINOCCHIO DID NOT GO TO SCHOOL

  One morning Pinocchio slipped out of bed before daybreak. He got upwith a great desire to study, a feeling, it must be confessed, whichdid not often take hold of him. He dipped his wooden head into thecool, refreshing water, puffed very hard, dried himself, jumped up anddown to stretch his legs, and in a few moments was seated at his smallworktable.

  There was his home work for the day,--twelve sums, four pages ofpenmanship, and the fable of "The Dog and the Rabbit" to learn byheart. He began with the fable, reciting it in a loud voice, like thehero in the play: "'A dog was roaming about the fields, when frombehind a little hill jumped a rabbit, which had been nibbling thetender grass.'

  "Roaming, nibbling.--The teacher says this is beautiful language. Maybeit is; I have nothing to say about that. Well, one more.

  "'A dog was roaming about the fields--when he saw--run out--a rabbitwhich--which--' I don't know it; let's begin again. 'A dog was runningabout eating, eating--' But eating what? Surely he did not eat grass!

  "This fable is very hard; I cannot learn it. Well, I never did havemuch luck with dogs and rabbits! Let me try the sums. Eight and seven,seventeen; and three, nineteen; and six, twenty-three, put down two andcarry three. Nine and three, eleven; and four, fourteen; put down thewhole number--one, four; total, four hundred thirteen.

  "Ah! good! very good! I do not wish to boast, but I have always had agreat liking for arithmetic. Now to prove the answer: eight and seven,sixteen; and three, twenty-one; and six, twenty-four; put down four--why! it's wrong! Eight and seven, fourteen; and three, nineteen; andsix--wrong again!

  "I know what the trouble is; the wind is not in the right quarterto-day for sums. Perhaps it would be better to take a walk in the open."

  No sooner said than done. Pinocchio went out into the street and filledhis lungs with the fresh morning air.

  "Ah! here, at least, one can breathe. It is a pity that I am beginningto feel hungry! Strange how things go wrong sometimes! Take thelessons--" he went on.

  Listen! A noise of creaking wheels, of bells ringing, the voices ofpeople, the cries of animals! Pinocchio stopped short. What could itall mean?

  Down the street came a huge wagon drawn by three big mules. Behind itwas a long train of men and women dressed in the strangest fashion.Some were on foot, some on horseback, some sat or lay on other wagonslarger and heavier than the first. Two Moors, their scarlet turbansblazing in the sun, brought up the rear. With spears at rest and withshields held before them, they rode along, mounted on two snow-whitehorses.

  Pinocchio stood with his mouth open. Only after the two Moors hadpassed did he discover the fact that he had legs, and that these werefollowing on behind the procession. And he walked, walked, walked,until the carriages and all the people stopped in the big town square.A man with a deep voice began to give orders. In a short time therearose an immense tent, which hid from Pinocchio and the many others whohad gathered in the square all those wonderful wagons, horses, mules,and strange people.

  It may seem odd, but it is a fact that the school bell began to ringand Pinocchio never heard it!

  CHAPTER IIPINOCCHIO ASSISTS IN WELCOMING THE CIRCUS

  That day the school bell rang longer and louder perhaps than it waswont to ring on other days. What of that? From the tent came the loudclanging of hammers, the sounds of instruments, the neighing of horses,the roaring of lions and tigers and panthers, the howling of wolves,the bleating of camels, the screeching of monkeys! Wonderful noises!Who cared for the school bell? Pinocchio? No, not he.

  Suddenly there was a loud command. All was still.

  The two Moors raised the tent folds with their spears. Out came a crowdof men dressed in all sorts of fine clothes, and women in coats of mailand beautiful cloaks of silk, with splendid diadems on their heads.They were all mounted upon horses covered with rich trappings of redand white.

  Out they marched, and behind them came a golden carriage drawn by fourwhite ponies. In it was the big man with the deep voice. There he satin the beautiful carriage with his dazzling high hat and his tall whitecollar. He wore a black suit with a pair of high boots. As he rode onhe waved his white gloves and bowed right and left. The band with itstrumpets and drums and cymbals struck up a stirring march, and a paradesuch as the townsfolk had never seen before passed out among the crowdsthat now filled the square.

  The marionette could not believe his eyes. He rubbed them to see if hewas really awake. He forgot all about his hunger. What did he care forthat? The wonders of the whole world were before him.

  The parade soon reentered the tent. The two Moors, mounted upon theirsnow-white horses, again stood at the entrance. Then the director, theman with the loud voice, came out, hat in hand, and began to addressthe people.

  CHAPTER IIIPINOCCHIO AMONG THE WILD ANIMALS

  "Ladies and gent
lemen! kind and gentle people! citizens of a greattown! officers and soldiers! I wish you all peace, health, and plenty.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, let me make a brief explanation. Iam not here for gain. Far be it from me to think of such a thing asmoney. I travel the world over with my menagerie, which is made up ofrare animals brought by me from the heart of Africa. I perform only inlarge cities. But to-day one of the monkeys in the troupe is fallenseriously ill. It is therefore necessary to make a short stop in orderthat we may consult with some well-known doctor in this town.

  "Profit, therefore, by this chance, ladies and gentlemen, to seewonders which you have never seen before, and which you may never seeagain. I labor to spread learning, and I work to teach the masses, forI love the common people. Come forward, and I shall be glad to open mymenagerie to you. Forward, forward, ladies and gentlemen! two smallfrancs will admit you. Children one franc, yes, only one franc."

  Pinocchio, who stood in the front row, and who was