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the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第2章

小说: the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记) 字数: 每页4000字

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like real steam。

As soon as he reached home; Geppetto took his tools
and began to cut and shape the wood into a Marionette。

〃What shall I call him?〃 he said to himself。  〃I think
I'll call him PINOCCHIO。  This name will make his fortune。
I knew a whole family of Pinocchi oncePinocchio the
father; Pinocchia the mother; and Pinocchi the children
and they were all lucky。  The richest of them begged for
his living。〃

After choosing the name for his Marionette; Geppetto
set seriously to work to make the hair; the forehead; the
eyes。  Fancy his surprise when he noticed that these eyes
moved and then stared fixedly at him。  Geppetto; seeing
this; felt insulted and said in a grieved tone:

〃Ugly wooden eyes; why do you stare so?〃

There was no answer。

After the eyes; Geppetto made the nose; which began
to stretch as soon as finished。  It stretched and stretched
and stretched till it became so long; it seemed endless。

Poor Geppetto kept cutting it and cutting it; but the
more he cut; the longer grew that impertinent nose。  In
despair he let it alone。

Next he made the mouth。

No sooner was it finished than it began to laugh and
poke fun at him。

〃Stop laughing!〃 said Geppetto angrily; but he might
as well have spoken to the wall。

〃Stop laughing; I say!〃 he roared in a voice of thunder。

The mouth stopped laughing; but it stuck out a long tongue。

Not wishing to start an argument; Geppetto made
believe he saw nothing and went on with his work。
After the mouth; he made the chin; then the neck; the
shoulders; the stomach; the arms; and the hands。

As he was about to put the last touches on the finger
tips; Geppetto felt his wig being pulled off。  He glanced
up and what did he see?  His yellow wig was in the Marionette's
hand。  〃Pinocchio; give me my wig!〃

But instead of giving it back; Pinocchio put it on his
own head; which was half swallowed up in it。

At that unexpected trick; Geppetto became very sad
and downcast; more so than he had ever been before。

〃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;

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