Stranica 217 [217]
PINOCCHIO 195
At last, finding nothing else in the manger,
he resigned himself, and chewed a little hay;
and after he had chewed it well, he shut his
eyes and swallowed it.
“This hay 1s not bad,” he said to himself;
" but how much better it would have been if
I had gone on with my studies! . . . Instead of
hay I might now be eating a hunch of new
bread and a fine slice of sausage! But I must
have patience! .. .”
‘The next morning when he woke he looked
in the manger for more hay; but he found none,
for he had eaten it all during the night.
Then he took a mouthful of chopped straw;
but whilst he was chewing it he had to acknowl¬
edge that the taste of chopped straw did not
in the least resemble a savoury dish of maca¬
roni or rice.
" But I must have patience!” he repeated
as he went on chewing. " May my example
serve at least as a warning to all disobedient
boys who do not want to study. Patience! ”
‘Patience indeed!" shouted his master,
coming at that moment into the stable. "Do
you think, my little donkey, that I bought you
only to give you food and drink? I bought
you to make you work, and that you might
earn money for me. Up, then, at once! you
must come with me into the circus, and there