CHAPTER 32

What was the surprise? I will tell you, my deal little reader. The surprise was that when Pinocchio awoke one morning and happened to scratch his head, he perceived — just imagine what he perceived! You know that when the marionette was born he had very little ears, so little that you could scarcely see them. Fancy, then, how surprised he was, when he put his hand to his head, to find that his ears had grown long! He went quickly in search of a mirror, but not finding any he emptied some water into a basin. Then, looking at his reflection, he saw something that he certainly did not expect to see, — two beautiful, long, donkey ears.

I will leave you to imagine the grief, the shame, the desperation of Pinocchio. He cried and screamed and beat his head against the wall; but his ears grew and grew and grew until hair began to show on the tops.

At the sound of his heartrending cries a Dormouse, who lived on the first floor; entered the room. Seeing the marionette in great anguish, he asked eagerly, "What is the matter, my dear little lodger?"

"I am sick, Dormouse; very sick, and with a sickness that alarms me. Do you understand the pulse?"

"A little."

"See, then, if I have a fever."

The Dormouse took Pinocchio's wrist in his paw and, after having tested his pulse, said, "My friend, it grieves me to tell you bad news."

"What is it?"

"You have a bad fever."

"What kind?"

"The donkey fever."

"I do not understand that disease," replied Pinocchio, who really understood very well.

"I will explain it to you. Know, then, that in two or three hours you will be a donkey, a real donkey, like those that pulled the carriage which brought you here."

"Oh, what shall I do? what shall I do?" cried Pinocchio, pulling his ears so hard that it must have hurt him.

"My dear," said the Dormouse, "what are you trying to do? You must know that it is a written decree that those boys who do not wish to study, who hate books and teachers, and who spend the whole day enjoying themselves, end by becoming little donkeys."

"Is that really true?" asked the marionette.

"Of course it is. And now it is of no use to cry. You should always think first."

"But the fault is not mine. The fault, believe me, is all Lamp Wick's."

"Who is Lamp Wick?"

"A friend of mine. I wished to go back to school and be an honor to the good Fairy; but Lamp Wick said to me, 'In the Country of Playthings no one studies, and we can play from morning till night.'"

"Why did you follow the advice of a bad friend?"

"Why? Because, Dormouse, I am a foolish, heartless marionette. Oh, if I had had a little bit of heart, I should never have left my good Fairy, who loved me like a mamma and did much for me. And by this time I should have been a little boy like all the rest instead of a marionette. Oh, if I had not met Lamp Wick!"

And he walked toward the door. But when he had gone outside he remembered his donkey ears; and, being ashamed of himself, what do you think he invented? He made a dunce cap and, putting it on his head, pulled it down over his ears. Then he went out and looked for Lamp Wick. He looked in the streets, in the square, in the theater, in fact, everywhere; but he could not find him. He asked if any one had seen him, but no one knew where he was. He then went to his house and knocked at the door.

"Who is there?" asked Lamp Wick from the inside.

"It is I," replied Pinocchio.

"Wait a little and I will open the door."

After half an hour the door opened and Pinocchio saw his friend, also in a dunce cap which covered his ears.

At the sight of that cap Pinocchio felt somewhat consoled, and he thought to himself, "He has the same trouble and also suffers from donkey fever."

Feigning not to see anything, he asked gayly, "How are you, my dear Lamp Wick?"

"Like a rat in a cake of cheese."

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Why should I tell a story?"

"Excuse me; but why do you wear that cap then?"

"A doctor ordered it because my knees hurt. And you, Pinocchio, why do you wear one?"

"The doctor ordered it because I had corns on my feet."

"Oh, poor Pinocchio!"

"Oh, poor Lamp Wick!"

After these words there was a long silence during which time the two friends looked at each other. Finally the marionette said in a kind voice, "Raise your cap just a little, will you?"

"Never! And you?"

"Never! You see I have an ear that is very painful."

"So have I."

"You, too? And which ear hurts?"

"Both. And you?"

"Both. Can it be the same malady?"

"I fear so."

"Do you wish to please me, Lamp Wick?"

"With all my heart."

"Let me see your ears."

"Oh, no! First let me see yours."

"No; you ought to do it first."

"No; after you always."

"Then," said the marionette, "let us make a contract."

"All right."

"Let us take off our caps together."

"All right."

"Look out then." And Pinocchio began to count: "One, two, three!"

At the word "three," the boys took off their caps and threw them into the air. And then they laughed and laughed and laughed until they were compelled to hold their sides. Suddenly Lamp Wick stopped and, changing color, said to his friend, "Help! oh, help me, Pinocchio!"

"What is the matter?"

"Oh, dear me! I cannot stand up any longer."

"I cannot, either," cried Pinocchio.

Even while they were speaking they fell on their hands and began to run around the room on all fours. And while they ran their arms became legs, their faces changed, and their bodies were covered with long hair. But the moment that was most horrible for each unfortunate was when he felt a tail swishing behind him. Overcome by shame and grief, they tried to talk. But they could not do it. Instead of sobs and lamentations there came the bray of a donkey and it sounded like "Y-a, y-a."

In the meantime there was a knock on the door and they heard a voice outside saying: "Open the door! I am the driver of the carriage that brought you here. Open quickly, or woe be unto you!"