While poor Pinocchio hung from the branch of the Grand Oak and appeared more dead than alive, the beautiful Fairy with the Blue Hair came to the window. Pitying the poor unfortunate who was swinging backward and forward, she clapped her hands three times. At this signal the beating of wings was heard and a great Falcon came and placed himself on the window sill.

"What do you command, my gracious Fairy?" said the Falcon, lowering his beak in a bow of reverence. For you must know that the Fairy with the Blue Hair was none other than a beautiful enchantress, who for more than a thousand years had lived in the neighborhood of this forest.

"Do you see that marionette hanging on yonder Grand Oak?"

"I see him."

"Fly quickly there and untie with your strong beak the knot that holds him suspended and lay him gently on the ground."

The Falcon flew away and after two minutes returned, saying, "That which you have commanded is done."

'How did you find him — alive or dead?"

"He appeared to be dead, but he cannot really be so. Scarcely had I untied the knot and laid him gently on the ground when he gave a sigh and said, 'Now I feel better.'"

Then the Fairy clapped her hands twice and a Bearded Dog appeared, walking on his hind legs, just like a man. The Bearded Dog was dressed in livery. He had a cap trimmed with gold lace and a white curly wig that came down to his neck. He wore a dress coat of chocolate color, with buttons of brilliants and two big pockets to hold bones. He had a pair of short boots of crimson velvet and he carried behind him a sort of umbrella cover in which he put his tail when it rained.

"My brave Fido," said the Fairy to the Bearded Dog, "go quickly, hitch up the most beautiful carriage in my stables and take the road to the forest. When you arrive under the Grand Oak you will find stretched out on the ground a poor marionette, half dead. Take him up carefully and bring him here. Do you understand?"

The Bearded Dog, in order to show that he understood, shook the cover to his tail three or four times and departed in a flash. A little while afterward a beautiful transparent carriage, all trimmed with canary-bird feathers and lined inside with cream-colored cloth, was seen to come from the stables. It was drawn by one hundred pairs of white mice and the Bearded Dog sat on the box and cracked his whip from right to left as a coachman always does when he fears he shall be late.

A quarter of an hour had hardly passed when the carriage returned. The Fairy, who waited at the door, took the marionette in her arms and carried him to a little bed of mother-of-pearl, which she had prepared for him. Then she sent immediately for three doctors. They soon arrived, one after the other. They were a Crow, an Owl, and a Talking Cricket.

"I should like to know from you, gentlemen," said the Fairy, turning to the three doctors who surrounded the bed of Pinocchio, — " I should like to know if this unhappy marionette is dead or alive."

At this invitation the Crow stepped forward, tested the pulse of Pinocchio, tested his nose, and then his little toe. When he had tested him thoroughly he pronounced these words: "It is my belief that the marionette is quite dead; but if through some awkwardness he should not be dead, then it would be a sure sign that he is alive."

"It pains me," said the Owl, "to have to contradict the Crow, my illustrious friend and colleague. To me, however, the marionette is quite alive; if through some awkwardness he should not be alive, then it would be a sure sign that he is dead."

"And have you nothing to say?" said the Fairy to the Talking Cricket.

"I say that a prudent doctor should be quiet when he does not know what to say. Besides, that marionette has a familiar face. I know him a little."

Pinocchio, who until then had been as immovable as a piece of wood, began to tremble so violently that he shook the bed.

"That marionette," continued the Talking Cricket, "is a good for nothing."

Pinocchio opened his eyes and then closed them suddenly.

"He is a scamp, a rogue, a vagabond."

Pinocchio hid his face under the covers.

"That marionette is a disobedient child who is killing his poor papa."

At this point crying and sobbing were heard in the room. Imagine how surprised everybody was when the covers were pulled down and the crying and sobbing were found to come from Pinocchio!

"When the dead cry," said the Crow, "it is a sign that they are on the road to recovery."

"It grieves me to contradict my Illustrious friend and colleague," added the Owl, "but to my mind, when the dead cry it is a sign that they do not want to die."