“Hurrah for the jester! He speaks like a book,” shouted the little scamps, bursting forth into laughter. One of them, more impertinent than the others, stretched out his arm and tried to seize Pinocchio by the nose. But he did not have time because Pinocchio thrust his leg under the desk and gave him a kick on the shins.
“Oh, what hard feet he has!” cried the boy, rubbing the lumps that the marionette had made.
“And what hard elbows!” said another, who for another trick had received a punch in the stomach. The fact is, that after several kicks and elbowings Pinocchio had the good will of all the boys in the school and they began to like him very much.
The school-teacher, too, praised him because he was so attentive, studious, and intelligent,—always the first to enter the school, always the last to get up when it was over. The only mistake he made was that of going with too many companions, among whom were a few who did not care to study. The teacher warned him daily, and the good Fairy, too, added her words of advice, saying, “Take care, Pinocchio! your companions will sooner or later make you lose your love for study and perhaps will bring misfortune upon you.”
“There is no danger of that,” replied the marionette, shrugging his shoulders and touching his
