Page:Crane Italian Popular Tales.djvu/303

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Once upon a time there was a child whose name was Buchettino. One morning his mamma called him and said: "Buchettino, will you do me a favor? Go and sweep the stairs." Buchettino, who was very obedient, did not wait to be told a second time, but went at once to sweep the stairs. All at once he heard a noise, and after looking all around, he found a penny. Then he said to himself: "What shall I do with this penny? I have half a mind to buy some dates but no! for I should have to throw away the stones. I will buy some apples  no! I will not, for I should have to throw away the core. I will buy some nuts  but no, for I should have to throw away the shells! What shall I buy, then? I will buy—I will buy—enough; I will buy a pennyworth of figs." No sooner said than done: he bought a pennyworth of figs, and went to eat them in a tree. While he was eating, the ogre passed by, and seeing Buchettino eating figs in the tree, said:

Buchettino threw him one, but it fell in the dirt. Then the ogre repeated:

Then Buchettino threw him another, which also fell in the dirt. The ogre said again: