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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 other beast
of burden； had on their feet laced shoes made of leather；
just like the ones boys wear。
And the driver of the wagon？
Imagine to yourselves a little； fat man； much wider
than he was long； round and shiny as a ball of butter； with
a face beaming like an apple； a little mouth that always
smiled； and a voice small and wheedling like that of a cat
begging for food。
No sooner did any boy see him than he fell in love with
him； and nothing satisfied him but to be allowed to ride
in his wagon to that lovely place called the Land of Toys。
In fact the wagon was so closely packed with boys of
all ages that it looked like a box of sardines。 They were
uncomfortable； they were piled one on top of the other；
they could hardly breathe； yet not one word of complaint
was heard。 The thought that in a few hours they would
reach a country where there were no schools； no books；
no teachers； made these boys so happy that they felt
neither hunger； nor thirst； nor sleep； nor discomfor