In the theater, great excitement reigned.
       Fire Eater (this was really his name) was very ugly, but he was far from being as bad as he looked. Proof of this is that, when he saw the poor Marionette being brought in to him, struggling with fear and crying, "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he felt sorry for him and began first to waver and then to weaken. Finally, he could control himself no longer and gave a loud sneeze.
       At that sneeze, Harlequin, who until then had been as sad as a weeping willow, smiled happily and leaning toward the Marionette, whispered to him:
       "Good news, brother mine! Fire Eater has sneezed and this is a sign that he feels sorry for you. You are saved!"
       For be it known, that, while other people, when sad and sorrowful, weep and wipe their eyes, Fire Eater, on the other hand, had the strange habit of sneezing each time he felt unhappy. The way was just as good as any other to show the kindness of his heart.
       After sneezing, Fire Eater, ugly as ever, cried to Pinocchio:
       "Stop crying! Your wails give me a funny feeling down here in my stomach and--E--tchee!--E--tchee!" Two loud sneezes finished his speech.
       "God bless you!" said Pinocchio.
       "Thanks! Are your father and mother still living?" demanded Fire Eater.
       "My father, yes. My mother I have never known."
       "Your poor father would suffer terribly if I were to use you as firewood. Poor old man! I feel sorry for him! E--tchee! E--tchee! E--tchee!" Three more sneezes sounded, louder than ever.
       "God bless you!" said Pinocchio.
       "Thanks! However, I ought to be sorry for myself, too, just now. My good dinner is spoiled. I have no more wood for the fire, and the lamb is only half cooked. Never mind! In your place I'll burn some other Marionette. Hey there! Officers!"
       At the call, two wooden officers appeared, long and thin as a yard of rope, with queer hats on their heads and swords in their hands.
       Fire Eater yelled at them in a hoarse voice:
       "Take Harlequin, tie him, and throw him on the fire. I want my lamb well done!"
       Think how poor Harlequin felt! He was so scared that his legs doubled up under him and he fell to the floor.
       Pinocchio, at that heartbreaking sight, threw himself at the feet of Fire Eater and, weeping bitterly, asked in a pitiful voice which could scarcely be heard:
       "Have pity, I beg of you, signore!"
       "There are no signori here!"
       "Have pity, kind sir!"
       "There are no sirs here!"
       "Have pity, your Excellency!"
       On hearing himself addressed as your Excellency, the Director of the Marionette Theater sat up very straight in his chair, stroked his long beard, and becoming suddenly kind and compassionate, smiled proudly as he said to Pinocchio:
       "Well, what do you want from me now, Marionette?"
       "I beg for mercy for my poor friend, Harlequin, who has never done the least harm in his life."
       "There is no mercy here, Pinocchio. I have spared you. Harlequin must burn in your place. I am hungry and my dinner must be cooked."
       "In that case," said Pinocchio proudly, as he stood up and flung away his cap of dough, "in that case, my duty is clear. Come, officers! Tie me up and throw me on those flames. No, it is not fair for poor Harlequin, the best friend that I have in the world, to die in my place!"
       These brave words, said in a piercing voice, made all the other Marionettes cry. Even the officers, who were made of wood also, cried like two babies.
       Fire Eater at first remained hard and cold as a piece of ice; but then, little by little, he softened and began to sneeze. And after four or five sneezes, he opened wide his arms and said to Pinocchio:
       "You are a brave boy! Come to my arms and kiss me!"
       Pinocchio ran to him and scurrying like a squirrel up the long black beard, he gave Fire Eater a loving kiss on the tip of his nose.
       "Has pardon been granted to me?" asked poor Harlequin with a voice that was hardly a breath.
       "Pardon is yours!" answered Fire Eater; and sighing and wagging his head, he added: "Well, tonight I shall have to eat my lamb only half cooked, but beware the next time, Marionettes."
       At the news that pardon had been given, the Marionettes ran to the stage and, turning on all the lights, they danced and sang till dawn.

Chapter 1: How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter, found a piece of wood that wept and laughed like a child
Chapter 2: Mastro Cherry gives the piece of wood to his friend Geppetto, who takes it to make himself a Marionette that will dance, fence, and turn somersaults
Chapter 3: As soon as he gets home, Geppetto fashions the Marionette and calls it Pinocchio. The first pranks of the Marionette
Chapter 4: The story of Pinocchio and the Talking Cricket, in which one sees that bad children do not like to be corrected by those who know more than they do
Chapter 5: Pinocchio is hungry and looks for an egg to cook himself an omelet; but, to his surprise, the omelet flies out of the window
Chapter 6: Pinocchio falls asleep with his feet on a foot warmer, and awakens the next day with his feet all burned off
Chapter 7: Geppetto returns home and gives his own breakfast to the Marionette
Chapter 8: Geppetto makes Pinocchio a new pair of feet, and sells his coat to buy him an A-B-C book
Chapter 9: Pinocchio sells his A-B-C book to pay his way into the Marionette Theater
Chapter 10: The Marionettes recognize their brother Pinocchio, and greet him with loud cheers; but the Director, Fire Eater, happens along and poor Pinocchio almost loses his life
Chapter 11: Fire Eater sneezes and forgives Pinocchio, who saves his friend, Harlequin, from death
Chapter 12: Fire Eater gives Pinocchio five gold pieces for his father, Geppetto; but the Marionette meets a Fox and a Cat and follows them
Chapter 13: The Inn of the Red Lobster
Chapter 14: Pinocchio, not having listened to the good advice of the Talking Cricket, falls into the hands of the Assassins
Chapter 15: The Assassins chase Pinocchio, catch him, and hang him to the branch of a giant oak tree
Chapter 16: The Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair sends for the poor Marionette, puts him to bed, and calls three Doctors to tell her if Pinocchio is dead or alive
Chapter 17
Chapter 18: Pinocchio finds the Fox and the Cat again, and goes with them to sow the gold pieces in the Field of Wonders
Chapter 19: Pinocchio is robbed of his gold pieces and, in punishment, is sentenced to four months in prison
Chapter 20: Freed from prison, Pinocchio sets out to return to the Fairy; but on the way he meets a Serpent and later is caught in a trap
Chapter 21: Pinocchio is caught by a Farmer, who uses him as a watchdog for his chicken coop
Chapter 22: Pinocchio discovers the thieves and, as a reward for faithfulness, he regains his liberty
Chapter 23
Chapter 24: Pinocchio reaches the Island of the Busy Bees and finds the Fairy once more
Chapter 25: Pinocchio promises the Fairy to be good and to study, as he is growing tired of being a Marionette, and wishes to become a real boy
Chapter 26: Pinocchio goes to the seashore with his friends to see the Terrible Shark
Chapter 27: The great battle between Pinocchio and his playmates. One is wounded. Pinocchio is arrested
Chapter 28: Pinocchio runs the danger of being fried in a pan like a fish
Chapter 29
Chapter 30: Pinocchio, instead of becoming a boy, runs away to the Land of Toys with his friend, Lamp-Wick
Chapter 31: After five months of play, Pinocchio wakes up one fine morning and finds a great surprise awaiting him
Chapter 32: Pinocchio's ears become like those of a Donkey. In a little while he changes into a real Donkey and begins to bray
Chapter 33
Chapter 34: Pinocchio is thrown into the sea, eaten by fishes, and becomes a Marionette once more. As he swims to land, he is swallowed by the Terrible Shark
Chapter 35: In the Shark's body Pinocchio finds whom? Read this chapter, my children, and you will know
Chapter 36: Pinocchio finally ceases to be a Marionette and becomes a boy