Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/189

 'Poor fool! you would follow your own way, but you will repent it!'

Pinocchio, feeling almost frightened, looked from side to side to try and discover where these words could come from: but he saw nobody. The donkeys galloped, the coach rattled, the boys inside slept, Candlewick snored like a dormouse, and the little man seated on the box sang between his teeth:

After they had gone another mile, Pinocchio heard the same little low voice saying to him:

'Bear it in mind, simpleton! Boys who refuse to study, and turn their backs upon books, schools, and masters, to pass their time in play and amusement, sooner or later come to a bad end. . . I know it by experience. . . and I can tell you. A day will come when you will weep as I am weeping now. . . but then it will be too late! . . .'

On hearing these words whispered very softly the puppet, more frightened than ever, sprang down from the back of his donkey and went and took hold of his mouth.

Imagine his surprise when he found that the donkey was. crying. . . and he was crying like a boy!

'Eh! Sir coachman,' cried Pinocchio to