Приключения Пиноккио / The adventures of Pinocchio. Уровень 1

“Poor Marionette,” said a man. “I am not surprised he doesn’t want to go home. Geppetto, no doubt, will beat him unmercifully. He is very mean and cruel!”

“Geppetto looks like a good man,” added another, “but with boys he’s a real tyrant. Poor Marionette!”

The Carabineer heard that and dragged Geppetto to prison. The poor old Geppetto did not know how to defend himself. He wept and wailed like a child and said between his sobs:

“Ungrateful boy! I wanted to make you a good Marionette! I deserve it, however!”

What happened after this is an almost unbelievable story.

Chapter 4

The story of Pinocchio and the Cricket

So poor old Geppetto was in prison. In the meantime that rascal, Pinocchio, ran wildly across fields and meadows, and reached home. The house door was half open. He slipped into the room, locked the door, and threw himself on the floor.

Then he heard:

“Cri-cri-cri!”

“Who is this?” asked Pinocchio, greatly frightened.

“I am!”

Pinocchio turned and saw a large cricket on the wall.

“Tell me, Cricket, who are you?”

“I am the Cricket. I live in this room. One hundred years.”

“Today, however, this room is mine,” said the Marionette, “so get out[8 - get out – убирайся] now.”

“I refuse to leave this spot,” answered the Cricket, “I want to tell 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.

“Nonsense. What I know is, that tomorrow, at dawn, I leave this place forever. If I stay here they will send me to school, like other boys and girls. As for me, let me tell you, I hate to study! I think, it’s more interesting to chase after butterflies, climb trees, and steal birds’ nests.”

“Poor little silly! Don’t you know that if you do all that, you will grow into a perfect donkey?”

“Keep still[9 - keep still – замолчи], you ugly Cricket!” cried Pinocchio.

But the Cricket, who was a wise old philosopher, continued:

“If you do not like to go to school, why don’t you learn a trade?”

“Shall I tell you something?” asked Pinocchio. “Of all the trades in the world, there is only one that I really like.