disliked me and how he enjoyed speaking ill of me. But I am of a
generous nature, and I gladly forgive him."

"Great soul!" said Pinocchio, fondly embracing his friend.

Five months passed and the boys continued playing and enjoying
themselves from morn till night, without ever seeing a book, or a desk,
or a school. But, my children, there came a morning when Pinocchio awoke
and found a great surprise awaiting him, a surprise which made him feel
very unhappy, as you shall see.

CHAPTER 32

Pinocchio's ears become like those of a Donkey. In a little while he
changes into a real Donkey and begins to bray.

Everyone, at one time or another, has found some surprise awaiting him.
Of the kind which Pinocchio had on that eventful morning of his life,
there are but few.

What was it? I will tell you, my dear little readers. On awakening,
Pinocchio put his hand up to his head and there he found--

Guess!

He found that, during the night, his ears had grown at least ten full
inches!

You must know that the Marionette, even from his birth, had very small
ears, so small indeed that to the naked eye they could hardly be seen.
Fancy how he felt when he noticed that overnight those two dainty organs
had become as long as shoe brushes!

He went in search of a mirror, but not finding any, he just filled a
basin with water and looked at himself. There he saw what he never
could have wished to see. His manly figure was adorned and enriched by a
beautiful pair of donkey's ears.

I leave you to think of the terrible grief, the shame, the despair of
the poor Marionette.

He began to cry, to scream, to knock his head against the wall, but the
more he shrieked, the longer and the more hairy grew his ears.

At those piercing shrieks, a Dormouse came into the room, a fat little
Dormouse, who lived upstairs. Seeing Pinocchio so grief-stricken, she
asked him anxiously:

"What is the matter, dear little neighbor?"

"I am sick, my little Dormouse, very, very sick--and from an illness
which frightens me! Do you understand how to feel the pulse?"

"A little."

"Feel mine then and tell me if I have a fever."

The Dormouse took Pinocchio's wrist between her paws and, after a few
minutes, looked up at him sorrowfully and said: "My friend, I am sorry,
but I must give you some very sad news."

"What is it?"

"You have a very bad fever."

"But what fever is it?"

"The donkey fever."

"I don't know anything about that f