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PINOCCHIO 93
must tell you that an hour ago we met an old
wolf on the road, almost fainting from want of
food, who asked alms of us. Not having so
much as a fish-bone to give him, what did my
friend, who has really the heart of a Cesar,
do? She bit off one of her fore paws, and
threw it to that poor beast that he might ap¬
pease his hunger.”
And the Fox, in relating this, dried a tear.
Pinocchio was also touched, and approach¬
ing the Cat he whispered into her ear:
“Tf all cats resembled you, how fortunate
the mice would be! ”’
" And now, what are you doing here?”
asked the Fox of the puppet.
" T am waiting for my papa, whom I expect
to arrive every moment.”
" And your gold pieces? "
" I have got them in my pocket, all but one
that I spent at the inn of the Red Craw-fish.”
" And to think that, instead of four pieces,
by to-morrow they might become one or two
thousand! Why do you not listen to my ad¬
vice? why will you not go and bury them in
the Field of miracles?”
“To-day it is impossible: I will go another
day.
‘Another day it will be too late! . . ." said
the Fox,