the adventures of pinocchio-第15章

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〃Do　you　promise？〃

〃I　promise。　　I　want　to　become　a　good　boy　and　be　a　comfort　to　my　father。　Where　is　my　poor　father　now？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃Will　I　ever　be　lucky　enough　to　find　him　and　embrace　him　once　more？〃

〃I　think　so。　　Indeed；　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

At　this　answer；　Pinocchio's　happiness　was　very　great。　He　grasped　the　Fairy's　hands　and　kissed　them　so　hard　that　it　looked　as　if　he　had　lost　his　head。　　Then　lifting　his　face；　he　looked　at　her　lovingly　and　asked：　　〃Tell　me；　little　Mother；　it　isn't　true　that　you　are　dead；　is　it？〃

〃It　doesn't　seem　so；〃　answered　the　Fairy；　smiling。

〃If　you　only　knew　how　I　suffered　and　how　I　wept　when　I　read　‘Here　lies'〃

〃I　know　it；　and　for　that　I　have　forgiven　you。　　The　depth　of　your　sorrow　made　me　see　that　you　have　a　kind　heart。　There　is　always　hope　for　boys　with　hearts　such　as　yours；　though　they　may　often　be　very　mischievous。　　This　is　the　reason　why　I　have　come　so　far　to　look　for　you。　　From　now　on；　I'll　be　your　own　little　mother。〃

〃Oh！　　How　lovely！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　jumping　with　joy。

〃You　will　obey　me　always　and　do　as　I　wish？〃

〃Gladly；　very　gladly；　more　than　gladly！〃

〃Beginning　tomorrow；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃you'll　go　to　school　every　day。〃

Pinocchio's　face　fell　a　little。

〃Then　you　will　choose　the　trade　you　like　best。〃

Pinocchio　became　more　serious。

〃What　are　you　mumbling　to　yourself？〃　asked　the　Fairy。

〃I　was　just　saying；〃　whined　the　Marionette　in　a　whisper；　〃that　it　seems　too　late　for　me　to　go　to　school　now。〃

〃No；　indeed。　　Remember　it　is　never　too　late　to　learn。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　either　trade　or　profession。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　work　wearies　me！〃

〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃people　who　speak　as　you　do　usually　end　their　days　either　in　a　prison　or　in　a　hospital。　　A　man；　remember；　whether　rich　or　poor；　should　do　something　in　this　world。　　No　one　can　find　happiness　without　work。　　Woe　betide　the　lazy　fellow！　　Laziness　is　a　serious　illness　and　one　must　cure　it　immediately；　yes；　even　from　early　childhood。　　If　not；　it　will　kill　you　in　the　end。〃

These　words　touched　Pinocchio's　heart。　　He　lifted　his　eyes　to　his　Fairy　and　said　seriously：　〃I'll　work；　I'll　study；　I'll　do　all　you　tell　me。　After　all；　the　life　of　a　Marionette　has　grown　very　tiresome　to　me　and　I　want　to　become　a　boy；　no　matter　how　hard　it　is。　You　promise　that；　do　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　I　promise；　and　now　it　is　up　to　you。〃



CHAPTER　26

Pinocchio　goes　to　the　seashore　with　his　friends　to　see　the　Terrible　Shark



In　the　morning；　bright　and　early；　Pinocchio　started　for　school。

Imagine　what　the　boys　said　when　they　saw　a　Marionette　enter　the　classroom！　　They　laughed　until　they　cried。　　Everyone　played　tricks　on　him。　　One　pulled　his　hat　off；　another　tugged　at　his　coat；　a　third　tried　to　paint　a　mustache　under　his　nose。　　One　even　attempted　to　tie　strings　to　his　feet　and　his　hands　to　make　him　dance。

For　a　while　Pinocchio　was　very　calm　and　quiet。　　Finally；　however；　he　lost　all　patience　and　turning　to　his　tormentors；　he　said　to　them　threateningly：

〃Careful；　boys；　I　haven't　come　here　to　be　made　fun　of。　I'll　respect　you　and　I　want　you　to　respect　me。〃

〃Hurrah　for　Dr。　Know…all！　　You　have　spoken　like　a　printed　book！〃　howled　the　boys；　bursting　with　laughter。　One　of　them；　more　impudent　than　the　rest；　put　out　his　hand　to　pull　the　Marionette's　nose。

But　he　was　not　quick　enough；　for　Pinocchio　stretched　his　leg　under　the　table　and　kicked　him　hard　on　the　shin。

〃Oh；　what　hard　feet！〃　cried　the　boy；　rubbing　the　spot　where　the　Marionette　had　kicked　him。

〃And　what　elbows！　　They　are　even　harder　than　the　feet！〃　shouted　another　one；　who；　because　of　some　other　trick；　had　received　a　blow　in　the　stomach。

With　that　kick　and　that　blow　Pinocchio　gained　everybody's　favor。　Everyone　admired　him；　danced　attendance　upon　him；　petted　and　caressed　him。

As　the　days　passed　into　weeks；　even　the　teacher　praised　him；　for　he　saw　him　attentive；　hard　working；　and　wide　awake；　always　the　first　to　come　in　the　morning；　and　the　last　to　leave　when　school　was　over。

Pinocchio's　only　fault　was　that　he　had　too　many　friends。　Among　these　were　many　well…known　rascals；　who　cared　not　a　jot　for　study　or　for　success。

The　teacher　warned　him　each　day；　and　even　the　good　Fairy　repeated　to　him　many　times：

〃Take　care；　Pinocchio！　　Those　bad　companions　will　sooner　or　later　make　you　lose　your　love　for　study。　Some　day　they　will　lead　you　astray。〃

〃There's　no　such　danger；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　pointing　to　his　forehead　as　if　to　say；　〃I'm　too　wise。〃

So　it　happened　that　one　day；　as　he　was　walking　to　school；　he　met　some　boys　who　ran　up　to　him　and　said：

〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃

〃No！〃

〃A　Shark　as　big　as　a　mountain　has　been　seen　near　the　shore。〃

〃Really？　　I　wonder　if　it　could　be　the　same　one　I　heard　of　when　my　father　was　drowned？〃

〃We　are　going　to　see　it。　　Are　you　coming？〃

〃No；　not　I。　　I　must　go　to　school。〃

〃What　do　you　care　about　school？　　You　can　go　there　tomorrow。　With　a　lesson　more　or　less；　we　are　always　the　same　donkeys。〃

〃And　what　will　the　teacher　say？〃

〃Let　him　talk。　　He　is　paid　to　grumble　all　day　long。〃

〃And　my　mother？〃

〃Mothers　don't　know　anything；〃　answered　those　scamps。

〃Do　you　know　what　I'll　do？〃　said　Pinocchio。　〃For　certain　reasons　of　mine；　I；　too；　want　to　see　that　Shark；　but　I'll　go　after　school。　　I　can　see　him　then　as　well　as　now。〃

〃Poor　simpleton！〃　cried　one　of　the　boys。　　〃Do　you　think　that　a　fish　of　that　size　will　stand　there　waiting　for　you？　He　turns　and　off　he　goes；　and　no　one　will　ever　be　the　wiser。〃

〃How　long　does　it　take　from　here　to　the　shore？〃　asked　the　Marionette。　〃One　hour　there　and　back。〃


〃Very　well；　then。　　Let's　see　who　gets　there　first！〃　cried　Pinocchio。

At　the　signal；　the　little　troop；　with　books　under　their　arms；　dashed　across　the　fields。　　Pinocchio　led　the　way；　running　as　if　on　wings；　the　others　following　as　fast　as　they　could。

Now　and　again；　he　looked　back　and；　seeing　his　followers　hot　and　tired；　and　with　tongues　hanging　out；　he　laughed　out　heartily。　　Unhappy　boy！　　If　he　had　only　known　then　the　dreadful　things　that　were　to　happen　to　him　on　account　of　his　disobedience！



CHAPTER　27

The　great　battle　between　Pinocchio　and　his　playmates。　One　is　wounded。　　Pinocchio　is　arrested



Going　like　the　wind；　Pinocchio　took　but　a　very　short　time　to　reach　the　shore。　　He　glanced　all　about　him；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　a　Shark。　　The　sea　was　as　smooth　as　glass。

〃Hey　there；　boys！　　Where's　that　Shark？〃　he　asked；　turning　to　his　playmates。

〃He　may　have　gone　for　his　breakfast；〃　said　one　of　them；　laughing。

〃Or；　perhaps；　he　went　to　bed　for　a　little　nap；〃　said　another；　laughing　also。

From　the　answers　and　the　laughter　which　followed　them；　Pinocchio　understood　that　the　boys　had　played　a　trick　on　him。

〃What　now？〃　he　said　angrily　to　them。　　〃What's　the　joke？〃

〃Oh；　the　joke's　on　you！〃　cried　his　tormentors；　laughing　more　heartily　than　ever；　and　dancing　gayly　around　the　Marionette。

〃And　that　is？〃

〃That　we　have　made　you　stay　out　of　school　to　come　with　us。　　Aren't　you　ashamed　of　being　such　a　goody…goody；　and　of　studying　so　hard？　　You　never　have　a　bit　of　enjoyment。〃

〃And　what　is　it　to　you；　if　I　do　study？〃

〃What　does　the　teacher　think　of　us；　you　mean？〃

〃Why？〃

〃Don't　you　see？　　If　you　study　and　we　don't；　we　pay　for　it。　　After　all；　it's　only　fair　to　look　out　for　ourselves。〃

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃Hate　school　and　books　and　teachers；　as　we　all　do。　　They　are　your　worst　enemies；　you　know；　and　they　like　to　make　you　as　unhappy　as　they　can。〃

〃And　if　I　go　on　studying；　what　will　you　do　to　me？〃

〃You'll　pay　for　it！〃

〃Really；　you　amuse　me；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　nodding　his　head。

〃Hey；　Pinocchio；〃　cried　the　tallest　of　them　all；　〃that　will　do。　We　are　tired　of　hearing　you　bragging　about　yourself；　you　little　turkey　cock！　　You　may　not　be　afraid　of　us；　but　remember　we　are　not　afraid　of　you；　either！　You　are　alone；　you　know；　and　we　are　seven。〃

〃Like　the　seven　sins；〃　said　Pinocchio；　still　laughing。

〃Did　you　hear　that？　　He　has　insulted　us　all。　　He　has　called　us　sins。〃

〃Pinocchio；　apologize　for　that；　or　look　out！〃

〃Cuckoo！〃　said　the　Marionette；　mocking　them　with　his　thumb　to　his　nose。

〃You'll　b