d heart, I forgive you for
all your old mischief. Boys who love and take good care of their parents
when they are old and sick, deserve praise even though they may not be
held up as models of obedience and good behavior. Keep on doing so well,
and you will be happy."

At that very moment, Pinocchio awoke and opened wide his eyes.

What was his surprise and his joy when, on looking himself over, he saw
that he was no longer a Marionette, but that he had become a real live
boy! He looked all about him and instead of the usual walls of straw, he
found himself in a beautifully furnished little room, the prettiest he
had ever seen. In a twinkling, he jumped down from his bed to look on
the chair standing near. There, he found a new suit, a new hat, and a
pair of shoes.

As soon as he was dressed, he put his hands in his pockets and pulled
out a little leather purse on which were written the following words:

The Fairy with Azure Hair returns
fifty pennies to her dear Pinocchio
with many thanks for his kind heart.

The Marionette opened the purse to find the money, and behold--there
were fifty gold coins!

Pinocchio ran to the mirror. He hardly recognized himself. The bright
face of a tall boy looked at him with wide-awake blue eyes, dark brown
hair and happy, smiling lips.

Surrounded by so much splendor, the Marionette hardly knew what he was
doing. He rubbed his eyes two or three times, wondering if he were still
asleep or awake and decided he must be awake.

"And where is Father?" he cried suddenly. He ran into the next room, and
there stood Geppetto, grown years younger overnight, spick and span
in his new clothes and gay as a lark in the morning. He was once more
Mastro Geppetto, the wood carver, hard at work on a lovely picture
frame, decorating it with flowers and leaves, and heads of animals.

"Father, Father, what has happened? Tell me if you can," cried
Pinocchio, as he ran and jumped on his Father's neck.

"This sudden change in our house is all your doing, my dear Pinocchio,"
answered Geppetto.

"What have I to do with it?"

"Just this. When bad boys become good and kind, they have the power of
making their homes gay and new with happiness."

"I wonder where the old Pinocchio of wood has hidden himself?"

"There he is," answered Geppetto. And he pointed to a large Marionette
leaning against a chair, head turned to one side, arms hanging limp, and
legs twisted under him.

After a