Part 8 (1/2)
”What are you, then?”
”I a the place of the watchdog?”
”I' punished”
”Well, I shall make the same terms with you that we had with the dead Melalad to hear them”
”And what are the terms?”
”This is our plan: We'll come once in a while, as in the past, to pay a visit to this henhouse, and we'll take away eight chickens Of these, seven are for us, and one for you, provided, of course, that you willand will not bark for the Farmer”
”Did Melampo really do that?” asked Pinocchio
”Indeed he did, and because of that ere the best of friends Sleep away peacefully, and reo we shall leave you a nice fat chicken all ready for your breakfast in theIs that understood?”
”Even too well,” answered Pinocchio And shaking his head in a threatening manner, he seemed to say, ”We'll talk this over in a few minutes, my friends”
As soon as the four Weasels had talked things over, they went straight to the chicken coop which stood close to the doghouse Digging busily with teeth and claws, they opened the little door and slipped in But they were no sooner in than they heard the door close with a sharp bang
The one who had done the trick was Pinocchio, who, not satisfied with that, dragged a heavy stone in front of it That done, he started to bark And he barked as if he were a real watchdog: ”Bo! Bo!”
The Farun, he leaped to theand shouted: ”What's the matter?”
”The thieves are here,” answered Pinocchio
”Where are they?”
”In the chicken coop”
”I'll come down in a second”
And, in fact, he was down in the yard in a twinkling and running toward the chicken coop
He opened the door, pulled out the Weasels one by one, and, after tying the, said to them in a happy voice: ”You're in my hands at last! I could punish you now, but I'll wait! In theyou may come with me to the inn and there you'll reat an honor for you, one you do not deserve; but, as you see, I a to do this for you!”
Then he went up to Pinocchio and began to pet and caress him
”How did you ever find them out so quickly? And to think that Melampo, my faithful Melampo, never saw them in all these years!”
The Marionette could have told, then and there, all he knew about the sha of the dead dog, he said to hi hione and they cannot defend the to do is to leave them in peace!”
”Were you awake or asleep when they came?” continued the Farmer
”I was asleep,” answered Pinocchio, ”but they awakened s One of thehouse and said to me, 'If you promise not to bark, ill make you a present of one of the chickens for your breakfast' Did you hear that? They had the audacity to make such a proposition as that to h I am a very wicked Marionette full of faults, still I never have been, nor ever shall be, bribed”
”Fine boy!” cried the Farht to be proud of yourself And to show you what I think of you, you are free fro collar from his neck
CHAPTER 23
Pinocchio weeps upon learning that the Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair is dead He eon, who carries hio to the aid of his father
As soon as Pinocchio no longer felt the sha collar around his neck, he started to run across the fields and meadows, and never stopped till he came to the main road that was to take him to the Fairy's house
When he reached it, he looked into the valley far below him and there he saw the here unluckily he had met the Fox and the Cat, and the tall oak tree where he had been hanged; but though he searched far and near, he could not see the house where the Fairy with the Azure Hair lived
He beca as fast as he could, he finally came to the spot where it had once stood The little house was no longer there In its place lay a small marble slab, which bore this sad inscription: HERE LIES THE LOVELY FAIRY WITH AZURE HAIR WHO DIED OF GRIEF WHEN ABANDONED BY HER LITTLE BROTHER PINOCCHIO The poor Marionette was heartbroken at reading these words He fell to the ground and, covering the cold ht, and dawn found hih his tears had dried and only hard, dry sobs shook his wooden frame But these were so loud that they could be heard by the faraway hills
As he sobbed he said to himself: ”Oh, my Fairy, my dear, dear Fairy, why did you die? Why did I not die, who aood? And my father--where can he be? Please dear Fairy, tell ain! You are not really dead, are you? If you love me, you will come back, alive as before Don't you feel sorry foriant oak tree and I will really die, this time What shall I do alone in the world? Now that you are dead and my father is lost, where shall I eat? Where shall I sleep? Who will make my new clothes? Oh, I want to die! Yes, I want to die! Oh, oh, oh!”
Poor Pinocchio! He even tried to tear his hair, but as it was only painted on his wooden head, he could not even pull it
Just then a large Pigeon flew far above hi the Marionette, he cried to hi there?”
”Can't you see? I' his head toward the voice and rubbing his eyes with his sleeve
”Tell eon, ”do you by chance know of a Marionette, Pinocchio by name?”
”Pinocchio! Did you say Pinocchio?” replied the Marionette, ju to his feet ”Why, I aeon fleiftly down to the earth He was er than a turkey
”Then you know Geppetto also?”
”Do I know him? He's my father, my poor, dear father! Has he, perhaps, spoken to you of me? Will you take me to him? Is he still alive? Answer me, please! Is he still alive?”
”I left hie sea”
”What was he doing?”