...from which we see that naughty boys cannot bear to be corrected by those who know more than they do."I will not go from here," answered the Cricket, "until I have told you a great truth."
"Tell it, then, and hurry up."
"Woe to those boys who turn against their parents and run away from home for no reason whatever: they will never come to any good in this world, and sooner or later they will repent bitterly."
"Sing away, my good Cricket, as much as you please. I've already made up my own mind to run away from here tomorrow at daybreak, because if I stay here they'll do to me the same as to all the other boys. They'll send me to school, and I'll have to study whether I want to or no. Between you and me I don't want to learn anything, it's much more amusing to chase butterflies and to climb trees so as to steal little birds from their nests."
"You poor idiot! Don't you know that in that way you'll grow up an utter donkey and every one will make fun of you?"
"Shut up, you wicked old croaker!" shouted Pinocchio.
But the Cricket, who was patient and philosophical, instead of getting angry at such impertinence, went on in the same tone:
"If you don't like going to school then why not learn an honest trade, so that you can earn your own bread and butter?"
"Very well, I'll tell you," answered Pinocchio, who was losing his patience. "There's only one trade in the world that really takes my fancy."
"And what trade would that be?"
"That's to eat, drink, and sleep, and to have a good time from morning till night--a regular idler's life!"
"You'd better know," said the Talking Cricket in his calm way, "that those who follow that trade end nearly always either in hospital or in prison."
"Look out, you horrid old Cricket. If I fly into a temper it'll be the worse for you."
"Poor Pinocchio! I really do pity you!"
"Why do you pity me?"
"Because you are a puppet, and what is worse, because you have a wooden head."
excerpt from Pinocchio by C. Collodi, 19-20
2 comments:
This is an entry right from the beginning. Each chapter is short but I love the quotes and lessons we learn from a puppet. He seems to make all the mistakes. I have even quoted it to my son when he reminds me of Pinocchio. He just smiles. Perhaps he'll listen to me better than Pinocchio. This truly seems like good intentions may lead to hell! But it keeps my interests even though I can pretty much guess what will happen, but I'm pleasantly surprised too. I'm really enjoying this story. Now if I can only finish it!
i think government puppets have learned a trick or two from Pinocchio.
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