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the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第3章

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

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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 off



Pinocchio hated the dark street; but he was so hungry
that; in spite of it; he ran out of the house。  The night was
pitch black。  It thundered; and bright flashes of lightning
now and again shot across the sky; turning it into a sea of
fire。  An angry wind blew cold and raised dense clouds of
dust; while the trees shook and moaned in a weird way。

Pinocchio was greatly afraid of thunder and lightning;
but the hunger he felt was far greater than his fear。  In a
dozen leaps and bounds; he came to the village; tired out;
puffing like a whale; and with tongue hanging。

The whole village was dark and deserted。  The stores
were closed; the doors; the windows。  In the streets; not
even a dog could be seen。  It seemed the Village of the
Dead。

Pinocchio; in desperation; ran up to a doorway; threw
himself upon the bell; and pulled it wildly; saying to himself:
〃Someone will surely answer that!〃

He was right。  An old man in a nightcap opened the
window and looked out。  He called down angrily:

〃What do you want at this hour of night?〃

〃Will you be good enough to give me a bit of bread?
I am hungry。〃

〃Wait a minute and I'll come right back;〃 answered the
old fellow; thinking he had to deal with one of those boys
who love to roam around at night ringing people's bells
while they are peacefully asleep。

After a minute or two; the same voice cried:

〃Get under the window and hold out your hat!〃

Pinocchio had no hat; but he managed to get under the
window just in time to feel a shower of ice…cold water
pour down on his poor wooden head; his shoulders; and
over his whole body。

He returned home as wet as a rag; and tired out from
weariness and hunger。

As he no longer had any strength left with which to
stand; he sat down on a little stool and put his two feet on
the stove to dry them。

There he fell asleep; and while he slept; his wooden
feet began to burn。  Slowly; very slowly; they blackened
and turned to ashes。

Pinocchio snored away happily as if his feet were not
his own。  At dawn he opened his eyes just as a loud knocking
sounded at the door。

〃Who is it?〃 he called; yawning and rubbing his eyes。

〃It is I;〃 answered a voice。

It was the voice of Geppetto。



CHAPTER 7

Geppetto returns home and gives
his own breakfast to the Marionette



The poor Marionette; who was still half asleep; had not
yet found out that his two feet were burned and gone。  As
soon as he heard his Father's voice; he jumped up from his
seat to open the door; but; as he did so; he staggered and
fell headlong to the floor。

In falling; he made as much noise as a sack of wood
falling from the fifth story of a house。

〃Open the door for me!〃 Geppetto shouted from the street。

〃Father; dear Father; I can't;〃 answered the Marionette
in despair; crying and rolling on the floor。

〃Why can't you?〃

〃Because someone has eaten my feet。〃

〃And who has eaten them?〃

〃The cat;〃 answered Pinocchio; seeing that little animal
busily playing with some shavings in the corner of the room。

〃Open!  I say;〃 repeated Geppetto; 〃or I'll give you a
sound whipping when I get in。〃

〃Father; believe me; I can't stand up。  Oh; dear!
Oh; dear!  I shall have to walk on my knees all my life。〃

Geppetto; thinking that all these tears and cries were
only other pranks of the Marionette; climbed up the side
of the house and went in through the window。

At first he was very angry; but on seeing Pinocchio
stretched out on the floor and really without feet; he felt
very sad and sorrowful。  Picking him up from the floor; he
fondled and caressed him; talking to him while the tears
ran down his cheeks:

〃My little Pinocchio; my dear little Pinocchio!
How did you burn your feet?〃

〃I don't know; Father; but believe me; the night has
been a terrible one and I shall remember it as long as I live。
The thunder was so noisy and the lightning so bright
and I was hungry。  And then the Talking Cricket said to
me; ‘You deserve it; you were bad;' and I said to him;
‘Care

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