inty was so great that Pinocchio could
resist no longer and with an air of decision he said:

"I must have patience! I will carry the can to your house."

The can was heavy and the puppet, not being strong enough to carry it in
his hand, had to resign himself to carry it on his head.

When they reached the house the good little woman made Pinocchio sit
down at a small table already laid and she placed before him the bread,
the cauliflower and the bonbon.

Pinocchio did not eat, he devoured. His stomach was like an apartment
that had been left empty and uninhabited for five months.

When his ravenous hunger was somewhat appeased he raised his head to
thank his benefactress, but he had no sooner looked at her than he gave
a prolonged "Oh-h!" of astonishment and continued staring at her with
wide open eyes, his fork in the air, and his mouth full of bread and
cauliflower, as if he had been bewitched.

"What has surprised you so much?" asked the good woman, laughing.

"It is--" answered the puppet, "it is--it is--that you are like--that
you remind me--yes, yes, yes, the same voice--the same eyes--the same
hair--yes, yes, yes--you also have blue hair--as she had--Oh, little
Fairy! tell me that it is you, really you! Do not make me cry any more!
If you knew--I have cried so much, I have suffered so much."

And, throwing himself at her feet on the floor, Pinocchio embraced the
knees of the mysterious little woman and began to cry bitterly.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXV

PINOCCHIO PROMISES THE FAIRY TO BE GOOD

At first the good little woman maintained that she was not the little
Fairy with blue hair, but, seeing that she was found out and not wishing
to continue the comedy any longer, she ended by making herself known,
and she said to Pinocchio:

"You little rogue! how did you ever discover who I was?"

"It was my great affection for you that told me."

"Do you remember? You left me a child, and now that you have found me
again I am a woman--a woman almost old enough to be your mamma."

"I am delighted at that, for now, instead of calling you little sister,
I will call you mamma. I have wished for such a long time to have a
mamma like other boys! But how did you manage to grow so fast?"

"That is a secret."

"Teach it to me, for I should also like to grow. Don't you see? I always
remain no bigger than a ninepin."

"But you cannot grow," replied the Fairy.

"Why?"

"Because puppets never grow. T