No sooner had the wagon stopped than the little fat man turned to
Lamp-Wick. With bows and smiles, he asked in a wheedling tone:

"Tell me, my fine boy, do you also want to come to my wonderful
country?"

"Indeed I do."

"But I warn you, my little dear, there's no more room in the wagon. It
is full."

"Never mind," answered Lamp-Wick. "If there's no room inside, I can sit
on the top of the coach."

And with one leap, he perched himself there.

"What about you, my love?" asked the Little Man, turning politely to
Pinocchio. "What are you going to do? Will you come with us, or do you
stay here?"

"I stay here," answered Pinocchio. "I want to return home, as I prefer
to study and to succeed in life."

"May that bring you luck!"

"Pinocchio!" Lamp-Wick called out. "Listen to me. Come with us and we'll
always be happy."

"No, no, no!"

"Come with us and we'll always be happy," cried four other voices from
the wagon.

"Come with us and we'll always be happy," shouted the one hundred and
more boys in the wagon, all together. "And if I go with you, what will
my good Fairy say?" asked the Marionette, who was beginning to waver and
weaken in his good resolutions.

"Don't worry so much. Only think that we are going to a land where
we shall be allowed to make all the racket we like from morning till
night."

Pinocchio did not answer, but sighed deeply once--twice--a third time.
Finally, he said:

"Make room for me. I want to go, too!"

"The seats are all filled," answered the Little Man, "but to show you
how much I think of you, take my place as coachman."

"And you?"

"I'll walk."

"No, indeed. I could not permit such a thing. I much prefer riding one
of these donkeys," cried Pinocchio.

No sooner said than done. He approached the first donkey and tried to
mount it. But the little animal turned suddenly and gave him such a
terrible kick in the stomach that Pinocchio was thrown to the ground and
fell with his legs in the air.

At this unlooked-for entertainment, the whole company of runaways
laughed uproariously.

The little fat man did not laugh. He went up to the rebellious animal,
and, still smiling, bent over him lovingly and bit off half of his right
ear.

In the meantime, Pinocchio lifted himself up from the ground, and with
one leap landed on the donkey's back. The leap was so well taken that
all the boys shouted,

"Hurrah for Pinocchio!" and clapped their hands in hearty applause.

Sudde