the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第2部分
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〃Pinocchio； you wicked boy！〃 he cried out。 〃You are
not yet finished； and you start out by being impudent to
your poor old father。 Very bad； my son； very bad！〃
And he wiped away a tear。
The legs and feet still had to be made。 As soon as they
were done； Geppetto felt a sharp kick on the tip of his nose。
〃I deserve it！〃 he said to himself。 〃I should have thought
of this before I made him。 Now it's too late！〃
He took hold of the Marionette under the arms and put
him on the floor to teach him to walk。
Pinocchio's legs were so stiff that he could not move
them； and Geppetto held his hand and showed him how to
put out one foot after the other。
When his legs were limbered up； Pinocchio started
walking by himself and ran all around the room。 He came
to the open door； and with one leap he was out into the
street。 Away he flew！
Poor Geppetto ran after him but was unable to catch
him； for Pinocchio ran in leaps and bounds； his two
wooden feet； as they beat on the stones of the street；
making as much noise as twenty peasants in wooden shoes。
〃Catch him！ Catch him！〃 Geppetto kept shouting。
But the people in the street； seeing a wooden Marionette
running like the wind； stood still to stare and to laugh
until they cried。
At last； by sheer luck； a Carabineer＇2＇ happened
along； who； hearing all that noise； thought that it might
be a runaway colt； and stood bravely in the middle of the
street； with legs wide apart； firmly resolved to stop it and
prevent any trouble。
＇2＇ A military policeman
Pinocchio saw the Carabineer from afar and tried his
best to escape between the legs of the big fellow； but
without success。
The Carabineer grabbed him by the nose （it was an
extremely long one and seemed made on purpose for that
very thing） and returned him to Mastro Geppetto。
The little old man wanted to pull Pinocchio's ears。
Think how he felt when； upon searching for them； he
discovered that he had forgotten to make them！
All he could do was to seize Pinocchio by the back of
the neck and take him home。 As he was doing so； he shook
him two or three times and said to him angrily：
〃We're going home now。 When we get home；
then we'll settle this matter！〃
Pinocchio； on hearing this； threw himself on the ground
and refused to take another step。 One person after another
gathered around the two。
Some said one thing； some another。
〃Poor Marionette；〃 called out a man。 〃I am not
surprised he doesn't want to go home。 Geppetto； no doubt；
will beat him unmercifully； he is so mean and cruel！〃
〃Geppetto looks like a good man；〃 added another； 〃but
with boys he's a real tyrant。 If we leave that poor
Marionette in his hands he may tear him to pieces！〃
They said so much that； finally； the Carabineer ended
matters by setting Pinocchio at liberty and dragging
Geppetto to prison。 The poor old fellow did not know how to
defend himself； but wept and wailed like a child and said
between his sobs：
〃Ungrateful boy！ To think I tried so hard to make you
a well…behaved Marionette！ I deserve it； however！ I should
have given the matter more thought。〃
What happened after this is an almost unbelievable
story； but you may read it； dear children； in the chapters
that follow。
CHAPTER 4
The story of Pinocchio and the Talking Cricket；
in which one sees that bad children do not like
to be corrected by those who know more than they do
Very little time did it take to get poor old Geppetto to
prison。 In the meantime that rascal； Pinocchio； free now
from the clutches of the Carabineer； was running wildly
across fields and meadows； taking one short cut after
another toward home。 In his wild flight； he leaped over
brambles and bushes； and across brooks and ponds； as if
he were a goat or a hare chased by hounds。
On reaching home； he found the house door half open。
He slipped into the room； locked the door； and threw
himself on the floor； happy at his escape。
But his happiness lasted only a short time； for just then
he heard someone saying：
〃Cri…cri…cri！〃
〃Who is calling me？〃 asked Pinocchio； greatly frightened。
〃I am！〃
Pinocchio turned and saw a large cricket crawling
slowly up the wall。
〃Tell me； Cricket； who are you？〃
〃I am the Talking Cricket and I have been living in this
room for more than one hundred years。〃
〃Today； however； this room is mine；〃 said the Marionette；
〃and if you wish to do me a favor； get out now； and don't
turn around even once。〃
〃I refuse to leave this spot；〃 answered the Cricket；
〃until I have told you a great truth。〃
〃Tell it； then； and hurry。〃
〃Woe to boys who refuse to obey their parents and run
away from home！ They will never be happy in this world；
and when they are older they will be very sorry for it。〃
〃Sing on； Cricket mine； as you please。 What I know is；
that tomorrow； at dawn； I leave this place forever。 If I
stay here the same thing will happen to me which happens
to all other boys and girls。 They are sent to school； and
whether they want to or not； they must study。 As for me；
let me tell you； I hate to study！ It's much more fun； I think；
to chase after butterflies； climb trees； and steal birds' nests。〃
〃Poor little silly！ Don't you know that if you go on like
that； you will grow into a perfect donkey and that you'll
be the laughingstock of everyone？〃
〃Keep still； you ugly Cricket！〃 cried Pinocchio。
But the Cricket； who was a wise old philosopher；
instead of being offended at Pinocchio's impudence；
continued in the same tone：
〃If you do not like going to school； why don't you at
least learn a trade； so that you can earn an honest living？〃
〃Shall I tell you something？〃 asked Pinocchio； who was
beginning to lose patience。 〃Of all the trades in the world；
there is only one that really suits me。〃
〃And what can that be？〃
〃That of eating； drinking； sleeping； playing； and
wandering around from morning till night。〃
〃Let me tell you； for your own good； Pinocchio；〃 said
the Talking Cricket in his calm voice； 〃that those who
follow that trade always end up in the hospital or in prison。〃
〃Careful； ugly Cricket！ If you make me angry； you'll be sorry！〃
〃Poor Pinocchio； I am sorry for you。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because you are a Marionette and； what is much worse；
you have a wooden head。〃
At these last words； Pinocchio jumped up in a fury； took
a hammer from the bench； and threw it with all his
strength at the Talking Cricket。
Perhaps he did not think he would strike it。 But； sad
to relate； my dear children； he did hit the Cricket； straight
on its head。
With a last weak 〃cri…cri…cri〃 the poor Cricket fell from
the wall； dead！
CHAPTER 5
Pinocchio is hungry and looks for an egg to cook himself an omelet；
but； to his surprise； the omelet flies out of the window
If the Cricket's death scared Pinocchio at all； it was only
for a very few moments。 For； as night came on； a queer；
empty feeling at the pit of his stomach reminded the
Marionette that he had eaten nothing as yet。
A boy's appetite grows very fast； and in a few moments
the queer； empty feeling had become hunger； and the
hunger grew bigger and bigger； until soon he was as
ravenous as a bear。
Poor Pinocchio ran to the fireplace where the pot was
boiling and stretched out his hand to take the cover off；
but to his amazement the pot was only painted！ Think how
he felt！ His long nose became at least two inches longer。
He ran about the room； dug in all the boxes and drawers；
and even looked under the bed in search of a piece of bread；
hard though it might be； or a cookie； or perhaps a bit of fish。
A bone left by a dog would have tasted good to him！
But he found nothing。
And meanwhile his hunger grew and grew。 The only
relief poor Pinocchio had was to yawn； and he certainly
did yawn； such a big yawn that his mouth stretched
out to the tips of his ears。 Soon he became dizzy and faint。
He wept and wailed to himself： 〃The Talking Cricket
was right。 It was wrong of me to disobey Father and to
run away from home。 If he were here now； I wouldn't be
so hungry！ Oh； how horrible it is to be hungry！〃
Suddenly； he saw； among the sweepings in a corner；
something round and white that looked very much like a
hen's egg。 In a jiffy he pounced upon it。 It was an egg。
The Marionette's joy knew no bounds。 It is impossible
to describe it； you must picture it to yourself。 Certain that
he was dreaming； he turned the egg over and over in his
hands； fondled it； kissed it； and talked to it：
〃And now； how shall I cook you？ Shall I make an
omelet？ No； it is better to fry you in a pan！
Or shall I drink you？ No； the best way is to
fry you in the pan。 You will taste better。〃
No sooner said than done。 He placed a little pan over a
foot warmer full of hot coals。 In the pan； instead of oil or
butter； he poured a little water。 As soon as the water
started to boiltac！he broke the eggshell。 But in place
of the white and the yolk of the egg； a little yellow Chick；
fluffy and gay and smiling； escaped from it。 Bowing
politely to Pinocchio； he said to him：
〃Many； many thanks； indeed； Mr。 Pinocchio； for having
saved me the trouble of breaking my shell！ Good…by
and good luck to you and remember me to the family！〃
With these words he spread out his wings and； darting
to the open window； he flew away into space till he was
out of sight。
The poor Marionette stood as if turned to stone； with
wide eyes； open mouth； and the empty halves of the egg…
shell in his hands。 When he came to himself； he began to
cry and shriek at the top of his lungs； stamping his feet on
the ground and wailing all the while：
〃The Talking Cricket was right！ If I had not run away
from home and if Father were here now； I should not be
dying of hunger。 Oh； how horrible it is to be hungry！〃
And as his stomach kept grumbling more than ever and
he had nothing to quiet it with； he thought of going out
for a walk to the near…by village； in the hope of finding
some charitable person who might give him a bit of bread。
CHAPTER 6
Pinocchio falls asleep with his feet on a foot warmer；
and awakens the next day with his feet all burned
