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.

At the sound of his loud outcries a beautiful little Marmot that lived
on the first floor came into the room. Seeing t