Chapter 71

Pinocchio promises the Fairy to be good and to study,as he is growingtired of being a Marionette1,and wishes to become a realboyIf Pinocchio cried much longer, the little woman thoughthe would melt away,so she finally admitted that she wasthe little Fairy with Azure2 Hair.

　　"You rascal3 of a Marionette! How didyou know it was I?"she asked, laughing.

　　"Mylove for you told me who you were.""Do you remember? You left me whenI was a little girl and now you find me a grown woman. I am so old, Icouldalmost be your mother!""I am very glad of that, for then I cancall you motherinstead of sister. For a long time I have wanted a mother,justlike other boys. But how did you grow so quickly?""That's asecret!""Tell it to me. I also want to grow a little. Look at me!

　　Ihave never grown higher than a penny's worth of cheese.""But youcan't grow," answered the Fairy.

　　"Whynot?""Because Marionettes never grow. They are born Marionettes,theylive Marionettes, and they die Marionettes.""Oh, I'm tired of alwaysbeing a Marionette!" cried Pinocchio disgustedly.

　　"It'sabout time for me to grow into a man as everyone else does.""And youwill if you deserve it--""Really? What can I do to deserveit?""It's a very simple matter. Try to act like a well-behavedchild.""Don't you think I do?""Far from it! Good boysare obedient4, and you, on thecontrary--""And I never obey.""Good boys love study andwork, but you--""And I, on the contrary, am a lazy fellow and a tramp5 all yearround.""Good boys always tell the truth.""And I always telllies.""Good boys go gladly to school.""And I get sick if Igo to school. From now on I'll be different.""Do you promise?""Ipromise. I want to become a good boy and be a comfort to my father.

好心的小妇人起先说她不是那位天蓝色头发的小仙女。可后来看到识破了，也不想再把这场喜剧继续演下去，终于承认她就是小仙女，她对皮诺乔说：
　　“你这木头小鬼！你怎么认出是我的？”
　　“我热爱您，就认出是您了。”
　　“你记得吗？你扔下我的时候，我还是个小姑娘，可你现在碰到我，我已经是个妇人了。我简直可以做你的妈妈了，”
　　“那我太高兴了，这样我就不是叫您姐姐，而要叫您妈妈了。多少日子以来，我一直想跟所有的孩子那样有个妈妈！……可您怎么会长得这样快的？”
　　“这是一个秘密。”
　　“告诉我吧。我也想长大一点。您没看到吗？我还是跟一个子儿的干酪那么高。”
　　“可你不会长大。”仙女回答说。
　　“为什么？”
　　“因为木偶是从来不长大的。他们生下来是木偶，活着是木偶，死了也是木偶。”
　　“噢！我老做木偶都做腻了！”皮诺乔拍着后脑勺大叫着说，“我现在要变人，跟所有人一样的人。”
　　“你会变人的，如果你配得上变人的话……”
　　“真的吗？怎么办才配得上呢？”
　　“容易极了，只要你一直做个好孩子。”
　　“噢，我不是个好孩子吗？”
　　“根本不是！好孩子听话，可你正好相反……”
　　“我从来不听话。”
　　“好孩子爱读书爱干活，可你……”
　　“正好相反，我一年到头偷懒，吊儿郎当。”
　　“好孩子向来说真话……”
　　“可我向来说假话。”
　　“好孩子高高兴兴去上学……”
　　“可学校叫我肚子疼。不过从今以后，我要改变我的生活。”
　　“你答应我这样做吗？”
　　“我答应你这样做。我要变成一个好孩子，我还要成为我爸爸的安慰……这会儿我可怜的爸爸在哪儿呢？”

1 marionette    

n.木偶

参考例句：

·With this marionette I wish to travel through the world.我希望带着这个木偶周游世界。

·The development of marionette had a great influence on the future development of opera.木偶戏的发展对以后的戏曲有十分重要的影响。

2azure 

adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的

参考例句：

·His eyes are azure.他的眼睛是天蓝色的。

·The sun shone out of a clear azure sky.清朗蔚蓝的天空中阳光明媚。

3rascal 

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

·If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。

·The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

4obedient 

adj.服从的，顺从的

参考例句：

·She is an obedient woman.她是位温顺的女人。

·We're absolutely obedient to the superior.我们绝对服从上级。

5tramp 

n.流浪者，步行，跋涉；v.步行，跋涉

参考例句：

·She wants to go for a tramp in the country.她想去乡间远足。

·A tramp came to the door and asked for food.一个流浪汉来到门前讨饭吃。