Geppetto was an old carpenter who lived with a cat called Figaro and a fish called Cleo.

One day he made a little puppet boy out of a piece of wood. Oh how I wish you were a real live boy he sighed before going to bed. But outside the evening star had risen and its light was falling into the old man's room. Sometimes the fairy of the evening star grants wishes and that night she appeared from out of the light. May you wake up, she said touching the puppet with her wand. The puppet suddenly opened his eyes, where am I he said? The fairy noticed a little cricket on the table. What's your name? she asked. Jiminy Cricket, said a little voice. And may Jiminy Cricket be your conscience, she told the puppet. "You are not a real boy yet", she continued "but if you prove to be brave and wise, someday you may be." then she dissapeared. Father, father cried the puppet, look at me! Geppetto was overjoyed. He danced with Figaro. "I will call you Pinnochio" he told the puppet. Pinnochio was a good little boy overall, but whenever he would tell a lie his wooden nose grew longer. Soon Geppetto decided Pinnochio was old enough to go to school. On the way to school Pinnochio met two swindlers who told him that going to Pleasure Island is much more fun for children than going to school and he should follow them. Jiminy Cricket cried in vain at Pinnochio not to go, he went anyway. Pleasure Island was a lot of fun. Pinnochio made friends with a boy named Lampwick and they would ride on rollercoasters and eat candy all day long. Treasure Island even had a carriage that would take the kids from place to place, it was drawn by a bunch of sad looking donkeys. One day Lampwick's ears started to grow long, then he grew a tail. That was why all the children were being brought to Pleasure Island! So they could turn into donkeys! Run Pinnochio run, Lampwick managed to cry out before two men caught him in a sack. Pinnochio too had started growing ears and a tail but he managed to escape and for the first time he started following Jiminy Cricket's suggestions. Eventually they were off the island and finally made it home. But Geppetto and Figaro and Cleo were gone! A beautiful white dove, the evening star fairy herself, flew down left Pinnochio a note and then flew away. The note said that Geppetto had left looking for his son and had been swallowed by a whale. Pinnochio was heart broken. But he and Jiminy Cricket left by sea to find their little family. They travelled for many months on a raft and avoided many dangers. Then one day they came face to face with a whale! And they could hear Geppetto talking to Figaro inside the whale! They held their breath, they knew they had just one choice, and then it happened! The whale swallowed them too! Tears and hugs followed, but they needed to find a way out. Then Pinnochio had an idea.

"We must build a fire", he told Geppetto, "so the whale will sneeze and throw us out". Finally the whale sneezed and soon Geppetto Figaro,Cleo and Jiminy Cricket were thrown to shore. But where was Pinnochio? The waves finally brought him to shore. But he seemed dead. Oh my poor brave boy Geppetto cried cradling him in his arms. But the only answer came from the tide. Suddenly a beam of light came down and the voice of the evening fairy said: For your bravery and wisdom I hereby turn you into a real live boy, the little boy started breathing and a medal shone on his jacket. Rewards always come for those who are brave wise and never give up.

Gepetto era un tamplar batran care locuia cu o piscanumita Figaro si un peste numit Cleo. Intr-o zi el a facut un mic baietel marioneta dintr-o bucata de lemn. Vai ce mi-ar place sa fii un baiat adevarat a oftat el inainte sa se suie in pat. Dar afara luceafarul era pe cer si lumina lui cadea in camera batranului. Cateodata zana luceafarului de seara implineste dorinte si in noaptea aceea s-a infiripat din lumina. -Scoala-te i-a spus marionetei atingand-o cu bagheta fermecata. Marioneta deodata deschise ochii, unde sunt? intreba el. Zana observa un grieras pe masa. Cum te cheama intreba ea. -Jiminy Greierasul, raspunse o voce mica. -Si fie ca Jiminy Greierasul sa-ti fie constiinta, spuse ea marionetei. Nu esti un baiat adevarat inca, continua zana, dar daca dovedesti ca esti curajos si intelept intr-o zi poti fi, pe urma disparu. -Tata, tata striga marioneta, uita-te la mine! Geppetto fu foarte fericit. El dansa cu Figaro. -Iti voi spune Pinochio spuse el papusii. Pinochio in mare era un baiat bun, dar cand spunea o minciuna ii crestea nasul. In curand Geppetto hotara ca Pinochio era destul de mare ca sa mearga la scoala. Pe drum spre scoala Pinochio se intalni cu doi ticalosi care ii spusera ca mersul in Insula Placerilor e mult mai distractiv pentru copii decat mersul la scoala si sa ii urmeze. Jiminy Greierasul ii striga in van lui Pinochio sa nu se duca, el pleca oricum. Insula Placerilor era foarte distractiva. Pinochio se imprieteni cu un baiat numit Lampwick si ei mergeau pe montagne-russe si mancau bomboane toata ziua. Insula avea chiar o trasura trasa de un grup de magarusi tristi. Intr-o zi urechile lui Lampwick incepura sa creasca, pe urma ii crescu o coada. De asta erau copiii adusi pe Insula Placerilor! Ca sa se transforme in magari! Fugi Pinochio, fugi! a apucat Lampwick sa strige inainte ca doi barbati sa-l bage intr-un sac. Si Pinochio incepuse sa aiba uchi lungi si o coada dar reusi sa scape si pentru prima data incepu sa urmeze sugestiile lui Jiminy Greierasul. In cele din urma plecara de pe insula si ajunsera acasa. Dar Gepeto si Figaro si Cleo plecasera! Un frumos porumbel alb, zana lucafarului de seara insasi, cobora in zbor ii lasa lui Pinochio un bilet si pleca in zbor. Biletul zicea ca Gepeto plecase sa-si gaseasca fiul si fusese inghitit de o balena. Pinochio ramase cu inima zdrobita. Dar el si cu Jiminy Greierasul plecara pe mare ca sa-si gaseasca mica familie. Au mers multe luni pe o pluta si au evitat multe pericole. Si intr-o zi ajunsera fata in fata cu o balena! Si il puteau auzi pe Gepeto vorbind cu Figaro din interiorul balenei! Isi tinura respiratia, stiau ca au o singura varianta, si atunci se intampla! Balena ii inghiti si pe ei! Lacrimi si imbratisari urmara, dar trebuiau sa gaseasca un mod de a pleca. Atunci lui Pinochio ii veni o idee. - Trebuie sa pornim un foc, spuse el lui Gepeto, ca balena sa stranute si sa ne arunce afara.

In sfarsit balena a stranutat si in curand Geppetto Figaro,Cleo si Jiminy Cricket au fost aruncati la tarm. Dar unde era Pinochio? Valurile in sfarsit l-au adus la tarm. Dar parea mort. - O bietul meu baiat curajos, plangea Gepeto, tinandu-l in brate. Dar singurul raspuns era al valurilor. Deodata o raza de lumina cobora si vocea zanei luceafarului de seara spuse: Pentru curajul si intelepciunea ta te transform intr-un baietel adevarat, baietelul incepu sa respire si o medalie ii stralucea pe jacheta. Recompense totdeauna vin celor care sunt curajosi, intelepti si nu se dau batuti.