before he had drawn up the hundred buckets of water the perspiration was
pouring from his head to his feet. Never before had he undergone such
fatigue.

"Up till now," said the gardener, "the labor of turning the pumping
machine was performed by my little donkey, but the poor animal is
dying."

"Will you take me to see him?" said Pinocchio.

"Willingly."

When Pinocchio went into the stable he saw a beautiful little donkey
stretched on the straw, worn out from hunger and overwork. After looking
at him earnestly, he said to himself, much troubled:

"I am sure I know this little donkey! His face is not new to me."

And, bending over him, he asked him in asinine language:

"Who are you?"

At this question the little donkey opened his dying eyes, and answered
in broken words in the same language:

"I am--Can--dle--wick."

And, having again closed his eyes, he expired.

"Oh, poor Candlewick!" said Pinocchio in a low voice; and, taking a
handful of straw, he dried a tear that was rolling down his face.

"Do you grieve for a donkey that cost you nothing?" said the gardener.
"What must it be to me, who bought him for ready money?"

"I must tell you--he was my friend!"

"Your friend?"

"One of my school-fellows!"

"How?" shouted Giangio, laughing loudly. "How? had you donkeys for
school-fellows? I can imagine what wonderful studies you must have
made!"

The puppet, who felt much mortified at these words, did not answer; but,
taking his tumbler of milk, still quite warm, he returned to the hut.

And from that day for more than five months he continued to get up at
daybreak every morning to go and turn the pumping machine, to earn the
tumbler of milk that was of such benefit to his father in his bad state
of health. Nor was he satisfied with this; for, during the time that he
had over, he learned to make hampers and baskets of rushes, and with the
money he obtained by selling them he was able with great economy to
provide for all the daily expenses. Amongst other things he constructed
an elegant little wheel-chair, in which he could take his father out on
fine days to breathe a mouthful of fresh air.

By his industry, ingenuity and his anxiety to work and to overcome
difficulties, he not only succeeded in maintaining his father, who
continued infirm, in comfort, but he also contrived to put aside five
dollars to buy himself a new coat.

One morning he said to his father:

"I am going to the neighboring