Stranica 72 [72]
62 PINOCCHIO
the Field of miracles. In this field you must
dig a little hole, and you put into it, we will
say, one gold sovereign. You then cover up
the hole with a little earth: you must water
it with two pails of water from the fountain,
then sprinkle it with two pinches of salt, and
when night comes you can go quietly to bed.
In the meanwhile, during the night, the gold
piece will grow and flower, and in the morning
when you get up and return to the field, what
do you find? You find a beautiful tree laden
with as many gold sovereigns as a fine ear of
corn has grains in the month of June.” .
" So that,” said Pinocchio, more and more
bewildered, “supposing I buried my five
sovereigns in that field, how many should I
find there the following morning? ”
“That is an exceedingly easy calculation,”
replied the Fox, “a calculation that you can
make on the ends of your fingers. Put that
every sovereign gives you an increase of five
hundred: multiply five hundred by five, and the
following morning will find you with two
thousand five hundred shining gold pieces in
your pocket.”
“Oh! how delightful!” cried Pinocchio,
dancing for joy. " As soon as ever I have
obtained those sovereigns, I will keep two