Pinocchio, Candlewick and the other boys who had made the journey with the little man, had scarcely set foot in the town before they were in the thick of the tumult, and I need not tell you that in a few minutes they had made acquaintance with everybody.  Where could happier or more contented boys be found?

In the midst of continual games and every variety of amusement, the hours, the days and the weeks passed like lightning.

“Oh, what a delightful life!” said Pinocchio, whenever by chance he met Candlewick.

“See, then, if I was not right?” replied the other.  “And to think that you did not want to come!  To think that you had taken it into your head to return home to your Fairy, and to lose your time in studying!  If you are this moment free from the bother of books and school, you must acknowledge that you owe it to me, to my advice, and to my persuasions.  It is only friends who know how to render such great services.”

“It is true, Candlewick!  If I am now a really happy boy, it is all your doing.  But do you know what the master used to say when he talked to me of you?  He always said to me:  ’Do not associate with that rascal Candlewick, for he is a bad companion, and will only lead you into mischief!’”

“Poor master!” replied the other, shaking his head.  “I know only too well that he disliked me, and amused himself by calumniating me; but I am generous and I forgive him!”

“Noble soul!” said Pinocchio, embracing his friend affectionately and kissing him between the eyes.

This delightful life had gone on for five months.  The days had been entirely spent in play and amusement, without a thought of books or school, when one morning Pinocchio awoke to a most disagreeable surprise that put him into a very bad humor.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXII

PINOCCHIO TURNS INTO A DONKEY

The surprise was that Pinocchio, when he awoke, scratched his head, and in scratching his head he discovered, to his great astonishment, that his ears had grown more than a hand.

You know that the puppet from his birth had always had very small ears—­so small that they were not visible to the naked eye.  You can imagine then what he felt when he found that during the night his ears had become so long that they seemed like two brooms.

He went at once in search of a glass that he might look at himself, but, not being able to find one, he filled the basin of his washing-stand with water, and he saw reflected what he certainly would never have wished to see.  He saw his head embellished with a magnificent pair of donkey’s ears!

Only think of poor Pinocchio’s sorrow, shame and despair!

He began to cry and roar, and he beat his head against the wall, but the more he cried the longer his ears grew; they grew, and grew, and became hairy towards the points.