ther of the
puppet's tricks, thought of a means of putting an end to it, and,
climbing up the wall, he got in at the window.

He was very angry and at first he did nothing but scold; but when he saw
his Pinocchio lying on the ground and really without feet he was quite
overcome. He took him in his arms and began to kiss and caress him, and
to say a thousand endearing things to him, and as the big tears ran down
his cheeks he said, sobbing:

"My little Pinocchio! how did you manage to burn your feet?"

"I don't know, papa, but it has been such a dreadful night that I shall
remember it as long as I live. It thundered and lightened, and I was
very hungry, and then the Talking-Cricket said to me: 'It serves you
right; you have been wicked and you deserve it,' and I said to him:
'Take care, Cricket!' and he said: 'You are a puppet and you have a
wooden head,' and I threw the handle of a hammer at him, and he died,
but the fault was his, for I didn't wish to kill him, and the proof of
it is that I put an earthenware saucer on a brazier of burning embers,
but a chicken flew out and said: 'Adieu until we meet again, and many
compliments to all at home': and I got still more hungry, for which
reason that little old man in a night-cap, opening the window, said to
me: 'Come underneath and hold out your hat,' and poured a basinful of
water on my head, because asking for a little bread isn't a disgrace, is
it? and I returned home at once, and because I was always very hungry I
put my feet on the brazier to dry them, and then you returned, and I
found they were burnt off, and I am always hungry, but I have no longer
any feet! Oh! oh! oh! oh!" And poor Pinocchio began to cry and to roar
so loudly that he was heard five miles off.

Geppetto, who from all this jumbled account had only understood one
thing, which was that the puppet was dying of hunger, drew from his
pocket three pears and, giving them to him, said:

"These three pears were intended for my breakfast, but I will give them
to you willingly. Eat them, and I hope they will do you good."

"If you wish me to eat them, be kind enough to peel them for me."

"Peel them?" said Geppetto, astonished. "I should never have thought, my
boy, that you were so dainty and fastidious. That is bad! In this world
we should accustom ourselves from childhood to like and to eat
everything, for there is no saying to what we may be brought. There are
so many chances!"

"You are no doubt r