In a sleepy old Italian village, nestled between the mountains, but not far from the magnificent Mediterranean coast, an old woodcarver sat on his workbench, putting the finishing touches on a little girl marionette. The sky had begun to pale from a sunset of vivid oranges and purples to the deep dark blue of night, so he worked quickly in the fading light.
To look around his shop was to see a myriad of wooden clocks, chimes, and children's toys. The little gadgets made the shop come alive with so much noise that it was mindboggling to think that anyone could sleep in such a place, yet there was a bed by a large window and, while the woodcarver continued his work, there were those that slept. A small black and white cat lay flat on his back, under a table, kneading the air with his paws, while he dreamed, and a fish bowl, sitting on the table, held a big beautiful goldfish, sleeping in an underwater palace, sending tiny bubbles floating gently to the surface. Last, but far from least, on a small ledge, above the coats hanging on the wall, a matchbox held a sleeping cricket. His coat, hat, and umbrella were hung neatly against the wall.
The little marionette was made of pinewood and smooth as glass from all the sanding the woodcarver had given her. She wore a shimmering wig of ebony-colored hair that would have fallen to just below her shoulders if it weren't caught up in a bright red bow. He had painted her with little black gloves and she wore a white blouse and black skirt with a lacy white petticoat underneath. On her legs the woodcarver had painted little white socks and her feet were covered with little black boots. Her eyes were a soft brown color and her lips were full and painted dark red. Her strings hung neatly above her, so that they wouldn't be tangled.
"Father," a small boy's voice came to the woodcarver's ear and he felt a small tug on his pant leg, "When will you make me a little brother?"
Geppetto responded with a joyful laugh, and patted his son's head, saying, "Now, now, Pinocchio, how many times must I tell you? A lonely old woodcarver cannot make a boy—I can only make puppets, and then the Blue Fairy will come to make a new boy—if she wants too," Geppetto caught hold of his son and swung him up onto his lap, "and only if someone makes a wish on the first star he's sees each night—which I haven't heard you doing, my son."
Pinocchio starred innocently at his father, and smiled, saying, "Well, I didn't think it would matter until you got done making him."
"Oh, but it does, Pinocchio, it does!" Geppetto enthused, "Why, what if the Blue Fairy needs convincing? If you only ask once, then she might not come, but if you keep after her, then she might change her mind." He turned toward the window, and pointed "Look, Pinocchio, there's the first star—go make a wish, my son—then go to sleep, so that the Blue Fairy can come and so you will not be too tired at school tomorrow."
Pinocchio obediently hopped off Geppetto's lap, and hurried toward the window. Geppetto watched him for a few moments then turned to light his lantern and finish the marionette. A few minutes later, he felt another gentle dug on his pant leg.
"Father," Pinocchio asked, when Geppetto looked down into his curious bright eyes, "When will you be done with her?" The little boy pointed up at the almost finished puppet.
"I must finish tonight, my son," Geppetto replied kindly, "Remember Emilia's birthday is this weekend, and her father will come for her gift in the morning before you go to school—now, hurry to bed, my son—Emilia's father is expecting a finished puppet for his little girl!"
"Alright, Father," Pinocchio turned and began skipping toward the bed. Then he stopped mid-stride, turned and skipped back to Geppetto's side.
"Will you start making me a brother tomorrow, Father?" he asked.
Geppetto smiled as he'd just managed to finish the marionette, and in a stroke of good mood, he patted his son's head, "Yes, Pinocchio," he replied. Then he remembered himself, and added hastily, "But remember—it's not me who makes puppets into real boys!"
"I remember Father," Pinocchio smiled brightly and turned to go to bed.
Suddenly, Geppetto reached out, taking hold of Pinocchio 's hand and drawing the small boy into his lap, "Wait, my son—she's finished now—except for a name—what do you think we should call her? Pick a name Emilia will like."
Pinocchio reached out to touch the marionette's smooth wooden face, shining in the lantern's light, as if mesmerized.
"Rosa," he replied, with some awe in his voice.
Jiminy Cricket stirred uncomfortably in his sleep—he had the strangest feeling that he was missing something, and finally one eyelid popped open to see what could be seen. There was a growing brightness, that consumed the entire workshop with its radiance, and for a moment Jiminy thought that perhaps he'd overslept. He scrambled out of his matchbox and was reaching for his coat, hat, and umbrella when he suddenly froze to take another look.
It was not daylight, he realized, for he could vaguely make out stars in the night sky behind the glowing brightness that entered the workshop, although, those stars paled dramatically behind the brightness. The little cricket shook his head and blinked rapidly to make sure he wasn't dreaming. After a moment, he remembered.
"Here we go again," he murmured, as the brightness began to fade from an all-consuming radiance and concentrated around a beautiful blonde woman, in a shimmering pale blue dress. The woman took no notice of him as she walked, or perhaps, floated toward the little marionette sitting on the workbench.
She smiled down at the little wooden puppet, saying, "Little Pinocchio wished for brother tonight, but you, little one, are going to be his sister." She raised her twinkling silver wand to tap the puppet's shoulder, but stopped and turned when she heard a noise coming from the other side of the workbench.
"Hello, my lady," Jiminy came running up, only to stop a few feet away from her; he took off his hat and bowed deeply, "How have you been, my lady?" he asked.
Very well, thank you, Jiminy" the Blue Fairy responded fondly, as she leaned over to talk to the little cricket, "And how has Pinocchio's official conscience been?"
"Very well, thank you, ma'am" Jiminy responded, already feeling a blush rise into his face—he just couldn't help it; he really loved the Blue Fairy.
The Blue Fairy laughed gaily then turned back to the business at hand. She raised her wand to tap Rosa's shoulder, but again, Jiminy voice stopped her.
"Uh, pardon me, ma'am, but I thought Pinocchio wished for a little brother?"
The Blue Fairy laughed again, and said, "He did, but he's getting a little sister."
"But ma'am—"
"Now, Jiminy, as an official conscience, you should know that little boys and girls often wish for things and they don't always get exactly what they wanted, but often times they get what they need and they end up liking that better than they thought they would. Do you remember that I asked Pinocchio to learn three things before he would be a real boy?"
"Yes, my lady, I helped him, remember."
"Yes, Jiminy, I do—well, now he needs this little one, in order for him to grow up even more, and she will need him to help her learn the things that she has to know in order to be a real girl."
"She won't be real straight away?"
"Oh course not, Jiminy."
"And maybe I could help her learn too?"
"I expect you too—you're an official conscience, after all."
"And what are the things she has to learn to become a real girl?"
"Just a minute now."
The Blue Fairy turned around to face the puppet again, and raised her wand, saying, "Little puppet made of pine, wake, the gift of life is thine." She tapped Rosa's shoulder, and the little puppet sneezed, and then covered her mouth with a giggle.
"Bless you, little one," the Blue Fairy said, leaning down she smiled brightly in the little girl's face.
"Oh my," the little wooden girl spoke for the first time, "Oh my, I'm alive—look—"
She stretched out her arms, one at a time, and opened and closed her fists and turned her head from side to side, "Oh my, I'm alive, see what I can do?" She laughed brightly.
"Yes, you are," the Blue Fairy responded with a smile, "Tonight Pinocchio wished for you to become real."
Jiminy said, "But I thought—"
The Blue Fairy ignored him, as the wooden child spoke again.
"Does that mean I'm real now?"
"No, little one," the Blue Fairy replied, "I gave you life, but becoming a real girl is entirely up to you."
"What do I have to do?" Rosa asked in a small voice.
"You must learn to be generous, dependable, and patient." The Blue Fairy responded.
"That sounds hard," Rosa said, sounding worried, "How will I do that?"
"I'll help you," Jiminy called from the workbench, waving his hat, so that she'd see him.
Rosa looked down, baffled at the little cricket beside her, "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Jiminy Cricket," he told her.
"He's an official conscience," the Blue Fairy explained, "He's one of the ones who will help you learn how to be a real girl."
"Who are the others?" Rosa asked.
The Blue Fairy pointed to Geppetto and Pinocchio, asleep in their bed, and said, "That's your Father, Geppetto, and your brother, Pinocchio. They'll help you too."
"Oh!" Rosa exclaimed with delight, cupping her face in her hands, "Let's get them up, and start right away!" She scrambled to her feet, with a great upheaval.
"Rosa wait!" Jiminy started to say, as he held up his hands to stop her. But he was too late; she toppled over and fell, with a great crash to the floor.
In the same instant that Geppetto and Pinocchio flew up in shock, the Blue Fairy disappeared. In the fish bowl, Cleo awoke with a start, and quickly disappeared further inside her underwater palace. Figaro dove behind a wooden rocking horse, and then peered out cautiously.
"Who's there?" Geppetto called, his voice quivering, as he put a protective arm around Pinocchio.
"It's just me," Rosa responded, waving from the floor as the old woodcarver and little boy stared back at in shock.
Jiminy quickly hopped down from the workbench, aided by his umbrella, and ran toward Rosa, who was scrambling to her feet. He had a near miss when she stepped on her skirt, and almost toppled over, but soon she was on her feet and he was safely in the clear.
"There now," she said, as if everything was settled, "The Blue Fairy said that you two are going to help me become a real girl." She pointed at Geppetto and Pinocchio in turn, adding, "You're going to be my father and you're going to be my brother."
Jiminy gave a little laugh, and said, "Uh-the Blue Fairy came."
"But I wished for a little brother," Pinocchio said pouting.
"Oh yes," Rosa replied with a little superiority in her voice, "I know all about that—she said that you wanted a little brother, but that you needed me."
Pinocchio's pout got bigger, and Geppetto finally snapped out of his shock.
"Oh no, Pinocchio," he hurriedly admonished, "The Blue Fairy is right—we need this little one—she will be our special little girl, and we must celebrate! Come on, my son, we must have music!" He called, "Music maestro!" as he wound up different wooden chimes.
He took an accordion and began dancing a jig across the floor. Figaro couldn't resist the fun and was soon frolicking between his legs with delight, and even took a few wipes at the accordion. Cleo spun around her bowl and leapt in the air with happiness. Pinocchio only sat on the bed with his arms crossed and a steadily increasing pout. Rosa took up the same position on the floor, innocently replicating her brother's actions. Jiminy looked back and forth between the two, and realized that Rosa simply didn't understand that Pinocchio was upset.
"Come on, Pinoke," he called out, with a wave of his hat, "It's a celebration! Rosa needs you to teach her how to celebrate!"
Pinocchio's scowl only deepened, "I wanted a brother," he growled.
Geppetto stepped in, and said, "Now, my son, the Blue Fairy is always right and she gave you a sister, and now we must celebrate." He pulled Pinocchio off the bed, saying, "Now you must ask her to dance."
"But I don't want too."
"Now, now, not another word—go be a gentleman and ask her to dance!"
Pinocchio went because he had to and soon they were both trying to replicate Geppetto's steps. More than once they stepped on each other's feet, and once Pinocchio tripped himself in Rosa's skirt and sent them both sprawling on the floor. They got to their feet in gales of laughter and Pinocchio proclaimed that Rosa was lots of fun.
"See now?" Jiminy called out, "That's the spirit!"
A wooden clock on the wall suddenly announced the time, and once he realized how late—or perhaps how early—it was, Geppetto grew weary, "Ah, I think we ought to head back to bed—you both must go to school in the morning." He tucked the two children into bed and found an extra blanket and pillow for himself to lie on the floor.
"What's school?" Rosa asked.
Pinocchio pointed to himself, and said, in an important tone, "I'll show you tomorrow."
Jiminy smiled as he tucked himself back into his matchbox. Figaro and Cleo returned to their sleeping quarters, and soon everyone was sound asleep.
Hours later, just before dawn, Geppetto sat up straight again. "What will I tell Emilia's father?" he asked no one in particular.
A/N My thanks to Mar2509avillosa for her help in deciding what the three things Rosa has to learn would be.