Читать книгу Приключения Пиноккио / The adventures of Pinocchio. Уровень 1 - Карло Коллоди - Страница 10

Pinocchio hurried off to school with his new ABC book under his arm. He said:

“In school today, I’ll learn to read, tomorrow to write, and the day after tomorrow I’ll do arithmetic. I’ll become clever and earn a lot of money. I’ll buy Father a new coat. It will be of gold and silver with diamond buttons. That poor man certainly deserves it. He sold his coat and bought a book for me! On this cold day, too! Fathers are indeed good to their children!”

Then he heard sounds of pipes and drums:

“Pi-pi-pi, pi-pi-pi! Zum, zum, zum, zum!”

He stopped to listen. Those sounds came from a little street that led to a small village.

“What is that noise?”

He was very much puzzled.

“Today I’ll follow the pipes, and tomorrow I’ll go to school,” decided the little rascal.

He went down the street. Soon, he found himself in a large square. There was a little wooden building in brilliant colors.

“What is that house?” Pinocchio asked a little boy near him.

“Read the sign and you’ll know.”

“I can’t read.”

“Oh, really? Listen. It says: Great Marionette Theater.

“When will the show start?”

“Now.”

“And how much is it?”

“Four pennies.”

Pinocchio lost all his pride and said to the boy shamelessly:

“Will you give me four pennies until tomorrow?”

“Gladly,” answered the other, “but not now.”

“For the price of four pennies, I’ll sell you my coat.”

“If it rains, what shall I do with a coat of paper?”

“Do you want to buy my shoes?”

“To light a fire?”

“What about my hat?”

“A cap of dough! The mice will eat it from my head!”

Pinocchio was almost in tears. 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.

“I’ll give you four pennies for your ABC book,” said a ragpicker who stood nearby.