pinocchio discovers the thieves and,as a reward for faithfulness, he regains his libertyeven though a boy may be very unhappy, he very seldomloses sleep over his worries. the marionette, being noexception to this rule, slept on peacefully for a few hourstill well along toward midnight, when he was awakenedby strange whisperings and stealthy sounds coming fromthe yard. he stuck his nose out of the doghouse and sawfour slender, hairy animals. they were weasels, smallanimals very fond of both eggs and chickens. one ofthem left her companions and, going to the door of the doghouse, said in a sweet voice:
"good evening, melampo.""my name is not melampo," answered pinocchio.
"who are you, then?""i am pinocchio.""what are you doing here?""i'm the watchdog.""but where is melampo? where is the old dogwho used to live in this house?""he died this morning.""died? poor beast! he was so good! still, judgingby your face, i think you, too, are a good-natured dog.""i beg your pardon, i am not a dog!""what are you, then?""i am a marionette.""are you taking the place of the watchdog?""i'm sorry to say that i am. i'm being punished.""well, i shall make the same terms with you that we had withthe dead melampo. i am sure you will be glad to hear them.""and what are the terms?""this is our plan: we'll come once in a while, as inthe past, to pay a visit to this henhouse, and we'll takeaway eight chickens. of these, seven are for us, and onefor you, provided, of course, that you will make believeyou are sleeping and will not bark for the farmer.""did melampo really do that?" asked pinocchio.
"indeed he did, and because of that we were the best offriends. sleep away peacefully, and remember that beforewe go we shall leave you a nice fat chicken all readyfor your breakfast in the morning. is that understood?""even too well," answered pinocchio. and shakinghis head in a threatening manner, he seemed to say, "we'lltalk this over in a few minutes, my friends."as soon as the four weasels had talked things over,they went straight to the chicken coop which stood closeto the doghouse. digging busily with teeth and claws,they opened the little door and slipped in. but they wereno sooner in than they heard the door close with a sharp bang.
the one who had done the trick was pinocchio, who,not satisfied with that, dragged a heavy stone in frontof it. that done, he started to bark. and he barked asif he were a real watchdog: "bow, wow, wow! bow, wow!"the farmer heard the loud barks and jumped out of bed.
taking his gun, he leaped to the window and shouted:
"what's the matter?""the thieves are here," answered pinocchio.
"where are they?""in the chicken coop.""i'll come down in a second."and, in fact, he was down in the yard in a twinklingand running toward the chicken coop.
he opened the door, pulled out the weasels one by one, and,after tying them in a bag, said to them in a happy voice:
"you're in my hands at last! i could punish you now,but i'll wait! in the morning you may come with meto the inn and there you'll make a fine dinner for somehungry mortal. it is really too great an honor for you,one you do not deserve; but, as you see, i am really avery kind and generous man and i am going to do thisfor you!"then he went up to pinocchio and began to pet and caress him.
"how did you ever find them out so quickly? and to thinkthat melampo, my faithful melampo, never saw themin all these years!"the marionette could have told, then and there, all heknew about the shameful contract between the dog andthe weasels, but thinking of the dead dog, he said tohimself: "melampo is dead. what is the use of accusing him?
the dead are gone and they cannot defend themselves.
the best thing to do is to leave them in peace!""were you awake or asleep when they came?" continued the farmer.
"i was asleep," answered pinocchio, "but theyawakened me with their whisperings. one of them even cameto the door of the doghouse and said to me, `if you promisenot to bark, we will make you a present of one of thechickens for your breakfast.' did you hear that? theyhad the audacity to make such a proposition as that to me!
for you must know that, though i am a very wicked marionettefull of faults, still i never have been, nor ever shall be, bribed.""fine boy!" cried the farmer, slapping him on theshoulder in a friendly way. "you ought to be proud ofyourself. and to show you what i think of you, youare free from this instant!"and he slipped the dog collar from his neck.
