Chapter 5 The Danger How hard it is to be a boy, Pinocchio thought as he walked.
Everyone scolds us and gives us advice and warns us of danger, as if they were our mother or father or teacher.
I think danger is something invented by grown-ups to frighten children who want to have fun.
Even if I encounter some danger, Pinocchio vowed I will stare it in the face and say What do you want?
Ha!
I'm not afraid of you.
Suddenly however, Pinocchio was very afraid, for he thought he heard a slight rustle in the leaves behind him.
When he turned to look, he saw two dark figures wrapped from head to foot in black sacks.
Danger, Pinocchio thought. or assassins.
Not knowing where to put the gold pieces, he put them under his tongue.
He tried to run, but the masked figures grabbed his arm and yelled, Your money or your life.
Pinocchio could not speak with the gold pieces in his mouth, so he tried to indicate with hand gestures that he was only a poor puppet without so much as a penny in his pocket.
Don't waste our time, puppet, said the taller figure, or we'll hurt both you and your father.
Not father, Pinocchio cried.
As he screamed, the gold pieces rattled in his mouth.
The muggers cried, spit that money out immediately.
Pinocchio refused, keeping his lips tightly sealed even after the muggers held his nose and shook him from side to side.
When one of the muggers tried to pry Pinocchio's wooden lips open with a knife, the puppet used his sharp splintery teeth to bite the mugger's hand.
Imagine his surprise when he felt fur on his tongue and realized he had bitten into a paw.
Pinocchio broke away and ran.
The muggers were close behind.
After running about seven miles, Pinocchio was exhausted and climbed up a tree.
The muggers tried to climb up after him, but they slipped and fell.
Pinocchio called down Jokes on you.
One of the muggers replied and Pinocchio watched wide-eyed as they gathered up some wood, piled it at the base of the tree and set it on fire.
When the flames rose high enough to tickle his feet, Pinocchio jumped out of the tree and the chase was on again.
Just when he thought he could run no farther, Pinocchio spotted a little cottage up ahead among the trees.
If only I can make it there, he thought, I will be safe.
Reaching the door, he knocked wildly.
He could hear the footsteps and breaths of the muggers close behind him.
There was no answer at the cottage.
In despair, Pinocchio began to kick the door.
An upstairs window opened and a very pretty but pale girl looked out.
Her hair was blue.
In a weak voice, she whispered, No one lives here.
You live here?
Pinocchio cried.
Please, open the door.
I'm being chased by muggers.
Just then, however, the muggers caught up to him and grabbed him and dragged him away.
We've got you now, they growled.
Pinocchio shook so hard from fear that the coins rattled under his tongue.
This time you will open your mouth, the muggers vowed.
A few minutes later, Pinocchio found himself hanging like a Christmas ornament in an oak tree, with a noose around his neck.
The muggers waited for Pinocchio to give his last gasp, but when he didn't, they got bored and tired.
Goodbye until tomorrow, they cried.
When we return.
We hope you will be polite enough to be dead with your mouth wide open and your gold coins in a pile on the ground.
