Chapter 18

           Cryingasifhisheartwouldbreak,theMarionettemournedforhoursoverthelengthofhisnose.Nomatterhowhetried,itwouldnotgothroughthedoor. TheFairyshowednopitytowardhim,asshewastryingtoteachhimagoodlesson,sothathewouldstoptellinglies,theworsthabitanyboymayacquire. Butwhenshesawhim,palewithfrightandwithhiseyeshalfoutofhisheadfromterror,shebegantofeelsorryforhimandclappedherhandstogether.AthousandwoodpeckersflewinthroughthewindowandsettledthemselvesonPinocchio’snose. Theypeckedandpeckedsohardatthatenormousnosethatinafewmoments,itwasthesamesizeasbefore. 

           "Howgoodyouare,myFairy,"saidPinocchio,dryinghiseyes,"andhowmuchIloveyou!" 

           "Iloveyou,too,"answeredtheFairy,"andifyouwishtostaywithme,youmaybemylittlebrotherandI’llbeyourgoodlittlesister." 

           "Ishouldliketostay--butwhataboutmypoorfather?" 

           "Ihavethoughtofeverything.Yourfatherhasbeensentforandbeforenighthewillbehere." 

           "Really?"criedPinocchiojoyfully."Then,mygoodFairy,ifyouarewilling,Ishouldliketogotomeethim.Icannotwaittokissthatdearoldman,whohassufferedsomuchformysake." 

           "Surely;goahead,butbecarefulnottoloseyourway.Takethewoodpathandyou’llsurelymeethim." 

           Pinocchiosetout,andassoonashefoundhimselfinthewood,heranlikeahare. Whenhereachedthegiantoaktreehestopped,forhethoughtheheardarustleinthebrush. Hewasright.TherestoodtheFoxandtheCat,thetwotravelingcompanionswithwhomhehadeatenattheInnoftheRedLobster.