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138 PINOCCHIO
hand intending to seize the puppet by the end
of his nose.
But he was not in time, fos Pinocchio stuck
his leg out from under the table and gave him
a great kick on his shins.
‘Oh, what hard feet!” roared the boy,
rubbing the bruise that the puppet had given
him.
" And what elbows! . . . even harder than
his feet! . . .” said another, who for his rude
tricks had received a blow in the stomach.
But nevertheless the kick and the blow
acquired at once for Pinocchio the sympathy
and the esteem of all the boys in the school.
They all made friends with him and liked him
heartily.
And even the master praised him, for he
found him attentive, studious, and intelligent—
always the first to come to school, and the last
to leave when school was over.
But he had one fault: he made too many
friends; and amongst them were several young
rascals well known for their dislike to study and
love of mischief.
The master warned him every day, and even
the good Fairy never failed to tell him, and to
repeat constantly:
“ ‘Take care, Pinocchio! Those bad school¬
fellows of yours will end sooner or later by