Pinocchio’s Legs – A Creative Response

August 5, 2013

Pinocchio’s Legs

By Cecelia Barron
Bancroft Elementary School, Kennett Square
Age 9 (Grade 4, Sept. 2013)

Once upon a time, there was a nice little girl. Her name was Monica. And Monica wanted a friend. When Monica was going shopping, she passed a toy shop. The toy shop had a bunch of handmade dolls. But one caught her eye in the window. It was a newly polished doll with a happy smile. So she went in the shop and asked the strange shopkeeper if he could take the doll out of the window. He nodded and took it down. “You know, “ said the shopkeeper, “When I made the doll I called him Pinocchio.” “That’s a nice name,” Monica said, “and I would like to get it.” “Fine with me,” the shopkeeper said as he looked at the price tag. “Six fifty,” he said. She gave him the cash and happily left.

“Pinocchio,” she thought, “what a nice name.” She rushed home and showed her mother. “Look what I got at the toy shop today, mom!” “I saw that thing out of the window of that store,” the mom said. “Oh isn’t he gorgeous!” Monica said. “No!” the mom said, “It’s a filthy, horrible, ugly doll that I would never want to see ever again!” “Oh mother!” Monica said, “Can I keep him for just two weeks?” “Fine, but only two weeks,” the mom said. “That ugly little doll,” she murmured under her breath. So Monica went upstairs to where her pet parakeet was. She named her Lily. “Oh Lily,” Monica said, “Mom said I can only keep him for two weeks!” But Lily was frozen. She was in love at first sight. “Um, Lily?” Monica said. “Hellooo?” “I’m here! What? Where? When? Why? How?” said Lily. Then Lily eyes caught eyes on the doll again. “Oh isn’t the doll so handsome!” “Um Lily,” Monica said, “You’re not getting the point! Mom said I can only have him for two weeks!…….”

“I have a plan!” said Lily. Lily’s plan was to go to the toy shop, ask the shopkeeper to make a doll that looks exactly like Pinocchio, and they would throw away that one but keep the other one secretly to make it seem like she had no doll anymore. So they set off on their journey. They went to the toy shop, got a new Pinocchio and went back home. But there was something strange about this “Pinocchio.” He had longer legs than the old Pinocchio. The new Pinocchio knew Lily and Monica’s plan. He surprisingly said, “I don’t want to be thrown out!” and started whimpering. “You can talk?” Monica said. “He can talk!” Lily exclaimed. “No I can’t!” said Pinocchio without realizing that they obviously knew he could speak. “I can’t talk!” the new Pinocchio said. But when he said this his legs got one inch longer. Lily and Monica didn’t move. Their eyes were still in disbelief. “You’re obviously lying to us, “ Monica said. “No I’m not,” the new Pinocchio said, still a little grumpy and sad. Monica signaled for Lily to come to the corner of the room. “That’s it!” she quietly said to Lily. “When Pinocchio lies his legs get longer, we shouldn’t throw him out!” “Plus, he’s more handsome!” Lily said. Lily loves dolls. Two weeks later, they threw the old Pinocchio out instead of the new one that could speak. He lied a lot but made a promise he would never lie to them again.

THE END

This is a finalist in our Pinocchio Creative Response Contest in collaboration with Philadelphia Stories, Jr. From August 5-16, leave a comment on this post or like the link on our Facebook page to vote for this entry to win a prize!