Pinocchio

A long time ago in Italy, there was a poor carpenter named Gepetto. One day, Gepetto carved a wooden puppet just for fun. He was such a good carpenter that the puppet came to life. It began to talk and walk around. Gepetto said, "I will name you Pinocchio, for I have never had a son."

Pinocchio was a very special puppet, but he was very, very naughty. He told many lies to his father . And every time he lied, his nose grew at least two inches. Soon, Pinocchio's nose was almost as long as his arm!

"Why do you lie so much? Don't you have a conscience?" asked Gepetto. "It is a little voice in your brain that tells you what is Right and Wrong. Here is my friend the Talking Cricket, who will tell you what is Right and Wrong."

One day Pinocchio promised Gepetto he would go to school. Gepetto gave him a book to take with him, but Pinocchio sold his book so that he could buy a ticket to a puppet show.

On the way to the show, Pinocchio made friends with a Fox and a Cat who lived next door. They told him to steal apples from the market, because apples are delicious! A beautiful Fairy with blue hair saw Pinocchio stealing. "You should never steal," she told him.

Pinocchio asked the Fairy to make him a real boy with her magic wand. She said, "Only if you behave yourself, go to school, and always tell the truth."

Instead of going to school, Pinocchio started going to the Land of Make Believe every day with his friend Lampwick. The Land of Make Believe was so fun for little boys! They could have all the toys and games they wanted. The only problem was that the boys were all liars who cheated at games.

Every day Pinocchio told Gepetto and the Fairy that he was learning to read and write. Every day his nose grew even longer because he was lying. Finally he ran away to live forever in the Land of Make Believe.

One day Pinocchio woke up with very sore ears. He realized that he had grown donkey ears in the night - and so had Lampwick! They were turning into silly donkeys because they had been so naughty!

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the King of the Land of Make Believe. "After you have turned into donkeys, you will never be able to leave this land! You will be my pet donkeys forever!"

Pinocchio and Lampwick had to escape from the King. But Lampwick legs had already turned to donkey legs! Pinocchio knew what he had to do. He lifted his donkey friend onto his back. Then he ran all the way home.

When the boys got back home, their donkey ears were gone. Pinocchio had saved the day! He was so brave that the Fairy waved her wand and turned him into a real boy.

He had toes and fingers that wiggled. No more wooden joints! He had a mouth that could smile and frown. No more painted lips! And best of all, he had a normal nose.

The Fairy and the Cricket decided to stay with Pinocchio and be his friends forever. Pinocchio, the Cricket, the Fairy, and Gepetto lived happily ever after in Gepetto's little cottage.