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PINOCCHIO 111
" I beg your pardon, I am not a dog."
“ Not adog? Then what are you?”
“IT am a puppet.”
" And you are acting as watch-dog? "
" That is only too true—as a punishment.”
“Well, then, I will offer you the same
conditions that we made with the deceased
Melampo, and I am sure you will be satisfied
with them.”
" What are these conditions? ”
“One night in every week you are to per¬
mit us to visit this poultry-yard as we have
hitherto done, and to carry off eight chickens.
Of these chickens seven are to be eaten by us,
and one we will give to you, on the express
understanding, however, that you pretend to
be asleep, and that it never enters your head
to bark and to wake the peasant.”
‘ Did Melampo act in this manner? ” asked
Pinocchio.
‘Certainly, and we were always on the
best terms with him. Sleep quietly, and rest
assured that before we go we will leave by the
kennel a beautiful chicken ready plucked for
your breakfast to-morrow. Have we under¬
stood each other clearly?”
“Only too clearly!...” answered Pinocchio,
and he shook his head threateningly as much as
to say: " You shall hear of this shortly!”