跟您说句心里话，我讨厌读书。

It's much more fun, I think, to chase after butterflies, climb trees, and steal birds' nests.

我更爱追蝴蝶，爬树掏鸟窝。

Poor little silly!

可怜的小傻瓜！

Don't you know that if you go on like that, you will grow into a perfect donkey and that you'll be the laughingstock of everyone?

可你不知道吗，这样下去你会变成一头大蠢驴，你将成为所有人的笑柄？

Keep still, you ugly Cricket! cried Pinocchio.

闭口吧你，你这不吉利的坏蟋蟀！皮诺乔叫道。

But the Cricket, who was a wise old philosopher, instead of being offended at Pinocchio's impudence, continued in the same tone:

可蟋蟀是一个贤明的老哲人，木偶这样粗暴无礼，它一点不生气、还是用它原来的声调说：

If you do not like going to school, why don't you at least learn a trade, so that you can earn an honest living?

你要是不爱上学，那为什么不学个什么行当，好正正直直地给自己挣块面包呢？

Shall I tell you something? asked Pinocchio, who was beginning to lose patience.

你要我告诉你吗？皮诺乔开始不耐烦了，回答说。

Of all the trades in the world, there is only one that really suits me.

世界上所有的行当当中，只有—个行当真正合我的心意。

And what can that be?

那是什么行当？

That of eating, drinking, sleeping, playing, and wandering around from morning till night.

就是吃、喝、睡觉，玩儿，从早逛到晚。

Let me tell you, for your own good, Pinocchio, said the Talking Cricket in his calm voice, that those who follow that trade always end up in the hospital or in prison.

让我告诉你，为你自己好，会说话的蟋蟀还是那么心平气和地说，凡是干这种行当的，最后几乎不是进医院就是进监牢。

Careful, ugly Cricket! If you make me angry, you'll be sorry!

当心点，不吉利的坏蟋蟀！……你惹我生气了可要后悔的！

Poor Pinocchio, I am sorry for you.

可怜的皮诺乔！你真叫我可怜！……

Why?

为什么？

Because you are a Marionette and, what is much worse, you have a wooden head.

因为你是—个木偶，更糟的是，因为你有一个木头脑袋。

At these last words, Pinocchio jumped up in a fury, took a hammer from the bench, and threw it with all his strength at the Talking Cricket.

听了最后这句话，皮诺乔火冒三丈，猛地跳起来，打工作台上抓一个木头槌子，用尽全力向会说话的蟋蟀扔过去。

Perhaps he did not think he would strike it.

他也许根本不想打中它。

But, sad to relate, my dear children, he did hit the Cricket, straight on its head.

可是真不巧，我亲爱的孩子，他正好打中了蟋蟀的头，

With a last weak cri-cri-cri the poor Cricket fell from the wall, dead!

可怜的蟋蟀无力地叫了最后一声：唧唧，就从墙上掉下来，死了。