Pinocchio thought he was going to die. He closed his eyes. Suddenly, Alidoro the dog ran into the cave. Alidoro smelled the hot oil and the fish. Alidoro was very hungry.
The Fisherman told the dog to go away. But Alidoro stayed. Alidoro saw the bundle in the Fisherman's hand. Pinocchio said in a small voice, "Save me, Alidoro!"
Alidoro knew Pinocchio's voice. The dog jumped and caught Pinocchio in his mouth. Alidoro ran out of the cave very fast. The Fisherman was angry, but he could not catch the dog.
Alidoro carried Pinocchio to the road. He put Pinocchio on the ground. Pinocchio thanked the dog. Alidoro said, "You saved me before. Now I save you. We must help each other."
Pinocchio and Alidoro were now good friends. Alidoro went home. Pinocchio walked to a small hut. He saw an old man. Pinocchio asked about his friend Eugene.
The old man said Eugene was alive and at home. Pinocchio was very happy. The old man asked who hit Eugene. Pinocchio said a boy named Pinocchio hit him.
The old man asked, "Who is Pinocchio?" Pinocchio said, "He is a very bad boy. He is lazy and he tells lies." Pinocchio said many bad things about himself.
Suddenly, Pinocchio's nose grew very long. Pinocchio was scared. He said, "Wait! I am lying. Pinocchio is not that bad." Then his nose became small again.
Pinocchio had no clothes. The old man gave Pinocchio a big bag. Pinocchio cut holes in the bag for his head and arms. He wore the bag like a shirt. He walked to the village.
Pinocchio reached the Fairy's house at night. It was dark and raining. Pinocchio was afraid to knock. He knocked three times. Finally, a window opened.
A Snail (a small animal with a shell that moves very slowly) looked out. Pinocchio asked for the Fairy with the Azure Hair. The Snail said the Fairy was sleeping.
The Snail said, "Wait there. I will come down." Pinocchio was very cold. He waited for two hours. The Snail was very slow. Pinocchio knocked again.
The Snail looked out of the window again. She said, "I am a snail. Snails are never in a hurry." Pinocchio waited until midnight. The door was still closed.
Pinocchio became very angry. He kicked the door hard. His foot went through the wood! Pinocchio could not pull his leg out. He stayed there all night with his foot in the door.
In the morning, the Snail opened the door. She looked at Pinocchio's foot and laughed. She could not help him. She brought Pinocchio some food on a tray.
Pinocchio was very hungry. But the bread was made of chalk. The chicken was made of paper. The fruit was made of stone. Pinocchio was so sad and weak that he fainted.
When Pinocchio woke up, he was on a sofa. The Fairy with the Azure Hair was there. She forgave Pinocchio again. She told him to be a good boy.
Pinocchio studied hard for the rest of the year. He was the best student in his class. The Fairy with the Azure Hair was very happy.
She said, "Tomorrow, you will not be a marionette anymore. Tomorrow, you will be a real boy." Pinocchio was the happiest person in the world.
They planned a big party. There would be coffee, milk, and bread with butter. All of Pinocchio’s friends were invited. But something happened to change the plan.