Pinocchio, Part 4: The Field of Miracles

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Pinocchio set off for home, but on the road he met the fox and the cat again. They looked surprised and happy. "We thought you were lost! What a terrible night!" said the fox. He did not tell Pinocchio that he and the cat had been the two robbers in black sacks. Pinocchio, who had already forgotten the fairy's advice, listened with open ears.

"You still have your four coins?" asked the cat. "Yes," said Pinocchio. "Then we must go to the Field of Miracles today," said the fox. "In an hour, you can have two thousand coins." This time, Pinocchio did not hesitate. They walked for a long time, and at last, they arrived at a dusty, empty field, with no trees, no grass, and no flowers.

"Here it is," said the fox. "Dig a hole, put your coins inside, cover them with earth, and water them with a little salt. Then go away for twenty minutes, and come back." Pinocchio did exactly as he was told. He thanked the fox and the cat, who said they would go and do some shopping in the town, and he went for a walk.

When he came back, the field looked exactly the same. There was no tree and no gold. He dug a bit with his hands, and he found nothing. A parrot in a tree began to laugh at him. "Sometimes, people who are foolish are also very greedy," it said. "The fox and the cat dug up your money an hour ago, and they left."

Pinocchio ran straight to the town and told the judge, a large gorilla with gold glasses. The judge listened with deep sympathy. Then he rang a bell, and two guards came in. "This poor fool has been robbed of four gold coins," he said. "Put him in prison." Pinocchio could not believe it. He was a victim, and he was going to jail!

He stayed in prison for four months. Then, one day, he heard that the country had won a great battle, and that the emperor was freeing every prisoner except the dangerous ones. "I'm a criminal, too!" Pinocchio said to the guard, although it was not true. The guard opened the door, and he walked out.

On the road home, he thought of Geppetto. "How long has it been?" he said to himself. "He must be thinking about me every single day, and I have given him nothing but trouble." And for the first time, Pinocchio began to run in the right direction.