双语·木偶奇遇记 第二十一章
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CHAPTER 21
Pinocchio is caught by a Farmer，who uses him as a watchdog for his chicken coop．
Pinocchio，as you may well imagine，began to scream and weep and beg；but all was of no use，for no houses were to be seen and not a soul passed by on the road．
Night came on．
A little because of the sharp pain in his legs，a little because of fright at finding himself alone in the darkness of the field，the Marionette was about to faint，when he saw a tiny Glowworm flickering by．He called to her and said：
“Dear little Glowworm，will you set me free？”
“Poor little fellow！” replied the Glowworm，stopping to look at him with pity．“How came you to be caught in this trap？”
“I stepped into this lonely field to take a few grapes and—”
“Are the grapes yours？”
“No．”
“Who has taught you to take things that do not belong to you？”
“I was hungry．”
“Hunger，my boy，is no reason for taking something which belongs to another．”
“It's true，it's true！” cried Pinocchio in tears．“I won't do it again．”
Just then，the conversation was interrupted by approaching footsteps．It was the owner of the field，who was coming on tiptoes to see if，by chance，he had caught the Weasels which had been eating his chickens．
Great was his surprise when，on holding up his lantern，he saw that，instead of a Weasel，he had caught a boy！
“Ah，you little thief！” said the Farmer in an angry voice．“So you are the one who steals my chickens！”
“Not I！No，no！” cried Pinocchio，sobbing bitterly．“I came here only to take a very few grapes．”
“He who steals grapes may very easily steal chickens also．Take my word for it，I'll give you a lesson that you'll remember for a long while．”
He opened the trap，grabbed the Marionette by the collar，and carried him to the house as if he were a puppy．When he reached the yard in front of the house，he flung him to the ground，put a foot on his neck，and said to him roughly：“It is late now and it's time for bed．Tomorrow we'll settle matters．In the meantime，since my watchdog died today，you may take his place and guard my henhouse．”
No sooner said than done．He slipped a dog collar around Pinocchio's neck and tightened it so that it would not come off．A long iron chain was tied to the collar．The other end of the chain was nailed to the wall．
“If tonight it should happen to rain，” said the Farmer，“you can sleep in that little doghouse near-by，where you will find plenty of straw for a soft bed．It has been Melampo's bed for three years，and it will be good enough for you．And if，by any chance，any thieves should come，be sure to bark！”
After this last warning，the Farmer went into the house and closed the door and barred it．
Poor Pinocchio huddled close to the doghouse more dead than alive from cold，hunger，and fright．Now and again he pulled and tugged at the collar which nearly choked him and cried out in a weak voice：
“I deserve it！Yes，I deserve it！I have been nothing but a truant and a vagabond．I have never obeyed anyone and I have always done as I pleased．If I were only like so many others and had studied and worked and stayed with my poor old father，I should not find myself here now，in this field and in the darkness，taking the place of a farmer's watchdog．Oh，if I could start all over again！But what is done can't be undone，and I must be patient！”
After this little sermon to himself，which came from the very depths of his heart，Pinocchio went into the doghouse and fell asleep．
第二十一章
匹诺曹被一个农夫抓住了。这个农夫让他看鸡圈。
你完全可以想象，匹诺曹开始尖叫哭泣，苦苦求饶，但一点儿用也没有，因为这儿周围既不见房子，也不见路上有一个人走过。
夜幕降临。
一方面是因为他的两条腿被夹得疼痛难忍，一方面是因为他发现自己孤零零地待在黑乎乎的田地里而感到害怕，木偶眼看就要昏过去，这时他突然看到一只小小的萤火虫飞过，便朝萤火虫喊道：“噢，亲爱的小萤火虫，你放了我好吗？”
“可怜的小家伙！”萤火虫答道，它停下来，同情地看着匹诺曹，“你是怎么被夹在这捕兽夹里的呀？”
“我走进这块地里，想摘几串葡萄——”
“这些葡萄是你的吗？”
“不是。”
“是谁教你拿不属于自己的东西的啊？”
“我很饿。”
“我的孩子，饿不是你拿别人东西的理由。”
“这话没错，这话没错！”匹诺曹含泪哭道，“我再也不这样做了。”
正在这时，他们的谈话被渐渐走近的脚步声打断了。来的是这块地的主人，他踮起脚尖走来，想看看他是不是碰巧夹住了夜里一直吃他的鸡的那些黄鼠狼。
他举起灯笼，非常吃惊地看到夹住的不是一只黄鼠狼，而是一个小男孩！
“啊，你这小偷！”农夫生气地说，“这么说，我的鸡是你偷走的呀！”
“我没有偷！不，不是！”匹诺曹大声痛哭道，“我来这儿只是想摘几串葡萄。”
“会偷葡萄的人可能也会偷鸡。相信我的话，我来教训你一顿，叫你一辈子也忘不了。”
他打开捕兽夹，一把抓住木偶的衣领，像拎一只小狗似的把他拎回了家。走到房前的院子里时，他把木偶扔在地上，一只脚踩在他的脖子上，对他粗暴地说道：“现在天晚了，到上床睡觉的时候了，明天我们再算账。在此期间，因为我的看门狗梅兰珀今天死了，所以你就来代替它看守我的鸡舍吧。”
说到做到，他在匹诺曹的脖子上套上狗脖套。他收紧狗脖套，以免脱落。狗脖套上系着一根长铁链，铁链的另一头钉在墙上。
“要是今天晚上碰巧下雨，”农夫说，“你可以到附近那个小狗窝里去睡觉，那儿有好多稻草，可以作为软床。那曾是梅兰珀睡了三年的床，这对你够好的了。万一有小偷来，记住要竖起耳朵听着，汪汪地叫。”
这样吩咐完后，农夫就走进屋里，关上门，并插上了门闩。
可怜的匹诺曹蜷缩在狗窝旁边，饥寒交迫，胆战心惊，生不如死。他时不时地拉拽狗脖套，狗脖套快把他给勒死了，他有气无力地叫道：“我这是自作自受！是的，我这是自作自受！我是一个懒人和浪子，我从来不听从任何人的劝告，总是随心所欲。要是我像其他许多的男孩子那样学习和劳动，跟可怜的爸爸待在一起，那我现在就不会在这田野里，在这黑暗中，给一个农夫当看门狗了。噢，要是我能一切重来，该多好啊！#可是，覆水难收，我必须忍耐！”
匹诺曹这样对自己小小说教了一番，这是从他的内心深处发出来的，之后他走进狗窝，倒头睡去。
