Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/187

 'Come with us, and we shall have such fun,' shouted in chorus a hundred voices from the inside of the coach.

'But if I come with you, what will my good Fairy say?' said the puppet, who was beginning to yield.

'Do not trouble your head with melancholy thoughts. Consider only that we are going to a country where we shall be at liberty to run riot from morning till night.'

Pinocchio did not answer; but he sighed: he sighed again: he sighed for the third time, and he said finally:

'Make a little room for me, for I am coming too.'

'The places are all full,' replied the little man; 'but to show you how welcome you are, you shall have my seat on the box. . . .'

'And you? . . .'

'Oh, I will go on foot.'

'No, indeed, I could not allow that. I would rather mount one of these donkeys,' cried Pinocchio.

Approaching the right-hand donkey of the first pair he attempted to mount him, but the animal turned on him, and giving him a great blow in the stomach rolled him over with his legs in the air.

You can imagine the impertinent and immoderate laughter of all the boys who witnessed this scene.