Pinocchio suddenly asked the Fairy's permission to go and invite his friends. The Fairy said: "Go and invite them, but remember to come back before night. Do you understand?"

"I promise to be back in an hour," he replied.

"Take care, Pinocchio! Boys make promises easily, but sometimes they do not keep them."

"I am not like other boys. And I shall certainly keep this promise."

"We shall see. In case you disobey it will be the worse for you."

"Why?"

"Because boys who do not pay attention to the advice of their parents always meet with misfortune."

I have had experience," said Pinocchio; "now you will see that I obey."

"We shall see if you speak the truth."

In a little more than an hour all his friends were invited. Some accepted at once; others hesitated until they heard of the good things to eat. Then they said, "We will surely come."

Now you must know that among his companions there was one that he liked best of all. His name was Romeo; but he was nicknamed Lamp Wick, because he was as dry as a new lamp wick that people use to light their houses.

Lamp Wick was the most careless and mischievous boy in all the school, but Pinocchio liked him very much. He went to look for him so as to give him an invitation to the party next day; but he sought in vain. Where could he be? He looked here and there and finally found him under a shed of a country house.

"What are you doing here?" asked Pinocchio.

"I am waiting until it is midnight, so that I can go away."

"Where are you going?"

"Far away, far away, far away."

"I have looked for you everywhere."

What do you want with me?"

"Have you not heard?"

"What is it?"

"To-morrow I shall no longer be a marionette; I shall become a boy like all the rest."

"Good luck to you!"

"But I want you to be there."

"I have told you that I am going away to-night."

"At what time?"

"Shortly."

"Where do you go?"

"I am going to live in a new country that is the most beautiful place in all the world. It is a true land of plenty."

"What do they call it?"

"They call it 'The Country of Playthings.' Why won't you come?"

"I? No, indeed."

"You are wrong, Pinocchio. Believe me, if you do not go away, you will be sorry. Where can you find a better place for boys? There are no schools; there are no teachers; there are no books. In that pleasant country they never study. On Saturdays you do not go to school here, and there every day is a Saturday except one, which is Sunday. Just think, the vacation begins the first day of January and ends the last day of December! That is the country for me. That is what I think all countries should be like."

"But how do you pass the days in the Country of Playthings?"

"Why, you play from morning till night. At night you go to bed, and the next morning it is the same thing all over again. How should you like it?"

"Uhm!" said Pinocchio, and he shook his head lightly as if to say, "It is a country that would please me very much."

"Then will you go with me? Yes or no."

"No, no, no! I have promised my kind Fairy to become a good boy and I wish to keep my word. The sun is going down and I must hurry. Good-by and a pleasant journey."

"Don't go away so soon. Why do you hurry?"

"Because I told the good Fairy that I would be at home before dark."

"Wait two minutes."

"No; it will be too late."

"Only two minutes."

"The Fairy will scold me."

"Let her scold. When she has scolded enough she will stop," said the little scoundrel Lamp Wick.

"And what are you going to do? Do you go alone or with company?"

"Alone? Why, there will be a hundred boys."

"Do you go on foot?"

"Oh, no! A little carriage will come soon and take me.

"How much I would give to see the carriage pass by now!"

"Why?"

"I should like to see you all start."

"If you will stay here a little while you will see them."

"No, no! I wish to go home."

"Oh, wait another two minutes."

"No; I have waited too long now. The Fairy will worry about me."

"Poor Fairy! Does she think that you will be eaten by bats?"

"But tell me," urged Pinocchio, "you are sure that in that country there is no school?"

"Not even the shadow of one."

"And no teachers?"

"Not one."

"And you are never obliged to study?"

"Never, never, never!"

"What a beautiful country!" said Pinocchio, his mouth beginning to water. "I have never been there, but I can imagine all about it."

"Why don't you come along?"

"It is useless to tempt me. I have promised to be a good boy and I wish to keep my word."

"Well, then, good-by; remember me to all the scholars."

"Good-by, Lamp Wick. I wish you a good trip and I hope you will meet some nice new friends."

Having said this, the marionette took two steps toward home; then he stopped and asked, "But are you sure that there are six Saturdays in the week and only one Sunday?"

"I am positive."

"And can you say for certain that the vacation begins on the first of January and ends the last day of December?"

"I am positive."

"What a beautiful country!" said Pinocchio. Presently he made another start and said, "Then good-by truly this time, and I wish you a safe journey."

"Good-by."

"How soon do you start?"

"Shortly now."

"Too bad! I think I will wait and see you go."

"And the Fairy?"

"It is late now, and an hour later will not make much difference."

"Poor Pinocchio! and if the Fairy should scold?"

"Well, let her scold. When she has scolded enough she will stop."

In the meantime it became quite dark. Suddenly as they talked they saw moving along the road a little light and heard the tooting of little trumpets so small and fine that they sounded like the buzzing of a mosquito.

"Here they are!" said Lamp Wick, standing up.

"Who is it?" asked Pinocchio, in a low voice.

"It is the carriage that is coming for me. Now will you go? Yes or no."

"But are you sure," asked the marionette, "that in that country the boys are not obliged to study?"

"Never, never, never!"

"What a beautiful country it must be!"