Latest / Classic Adventure Books Collection / 09 - The Adventures of Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi
Transcript
- Chapter nine, Pinocchio sells his A B. Sea Book to pay his way into the Marionette theater. See Pinocchio hurrying off to school with his new A B. Sea Book under his arm. As he walked along, his brain was busy planning hundreds of wonderful things, building hundreds of castles in the air. Talking to himself, he said, in school to day, I'll learn to read tomorrow, to write the day after tomorrow, while do arithmetic and clever as I am. I can earn a lot of money. With the very first pennies I make. I'll buy father a new cloth coat cloth Did I say no? It shall be of gold and silver with diamond buttons. That poor man deserves it for after all, isn't he in his shirt sleeves? Because he was good enough to buy a book for me on this cold day too. Fathers are indeed good to their children. As he talked to himself, he thought he heard sounds of pipes and drums coming from a distance. Pee pee pee pee pee pee Zum zum sum sum. He stopped to listen. Those sounds came from a little street that led to a small village along the shore. What can that noise be what a nuisance that I have to go to school otherwise? Then he stopped, very much puzzled. He felt he had to make up his mind for either one thing or another. Should he go to school or should he follow the pipes. To day, I'll follow the pipes, and tomorrow I'll go to school. There's always plenty of time to go to school, decided the little rascal at last, shrugging his shoulders. No. Sooner said than done. He started down the street, going like the wind. On he ran and louder grew the sounds of pipe and drum pee pee pee pee pee pee pee bp sum zum zum zum. Suddenly he found himself in a large square full of people, standing in front of a little wooden building painted in brilliant colors. What is that house, Pinocchio asked the little boy near him. Read the side, and you'll know I'd like to read, but somehow I can't. To day, Oh really, and I'll read it to you know? Then that written in letters of fire, I see the words Great Marionette Theater. When did the show start? It's starting now? And how much does one pay to get? In? Four pennies Pinocchio, who was wild with curiosity to know what was going on inside, lost all his pride and said to the boy shamelessly, will you give me four pennies until tomorrow? I'd give them to you gladly, answered the other, poking fun at him. But just now I can't give them to you for the price of four pennies. I'll sell you my coat if it rains. What shall I do with a coat of flowered paper? I could not take it off again. Do you want to buy my shoes? They are only good enough to light a fire with? What about my hat? Fine bargain? Indeed a cap of dough? The mice might come and eat it from my head. Pinocchio was almost in tears. He was just about to make one last offer, but he lacked the courage to do so. He hesitated, he wondered, he could not make up his mind. At last, he said, will you give me four pennies for the book? I am a boy, and I buy nothing from boys, said the little fellow, with far more common sense than the marionette. I'll give you four pennies for your A. B. C. Book, said a ragpicker who stood by. Then and there the book changed hands. And to think that poor old Geppetto sat at home in his shirt sleeve eb shivering with cold, having sold his coat to buy that little book for his son. So ends Chapter nine,