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PINOCCHIO 107 3) " I was so hungry. . . . " Hunger, my boy, is not a good reason for appropriating what does not belong to us... .” ‘That 1s true, that is true! " said Pinocchio, crying. " I will never do it again.” At this moment their conversation was interrupted by a slight sound of approaching footsteps. It was the owner of the field coming on tiptoe to see if one of the polecats that ate his chickens during the night had been caught in his trap. His astonishment was great when, having brought out his lantern from under his coat, he perceived that instead of a polecat a boy had been taken. Ah, little thief!” said the angry peasant, “then it is you who carry off my chickens? " ‘“ No, 1t is not [; indeed it is not!” cried Pinocchio, sobbing. “I only came into the field to take two bunches of grapes!...” " He who steals grapes is quite capable of stealing chickens. Leave it to me, I will give you a lesson that you will not forget in a hurry.” Opening the trap he seized the puppet by the collar, and carried him to his house as if he had been a young lamb. When he reached the yard in front of the house he threw him roughly on the ground, and putting his foot on his necx he said to him:
