PINOCCHIO BECOMES A LITTLE DONKEY

It was morning. The sun was bright and the
day was warm. Pinocchio jumped out of bed and
went up to the mirror. And what did he see?

He saw two long ears on his head! And they
were donkey’s ears! He began to cry, but it didn’t
help. Then he began to pull at his ears. He pulled
and pulled but his ears only grew and grew!

The little Puppy who lived in the next room
heard his cries. He came into Pinocchio’s room.
He saw the donkey’s ears on the puppet’s head and
asked him:

“What’s the matter with you?”

“I’m ill, my dear little Puppy, very ill.”

“I’m very sorry for you,” said the Puppy. “But
I must tell you that very soon you’ll not be a puppet and you’ll not be a boy!”

“Then what shall I be?”

“You’ll be a little donkey.”

“Oh, poor little Pinocchio, poor little Pinocchio,” cried the puppet. He tried to pull his ears
out of his head, but they only grew longer and
longer.

“My dear boy,” said the Puppy, “what can you
do? Nothing! I must tell you this. All boys who are
lazy and don't want to go to school become little
donkeys.”

“Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?” cried
the poor puppet. “I’ll find Candlewick and break
his bones, because he brought me to this
town!”

When Pinocchio got to his door, he thought of
his donkey’s ears. The other boys mustn’t see them.
He put his cap on his head, pushed his ears into
it and pulled it well down over his nose?