"Take care, Pinocchio!" said the largest boy going up to him and shaking his fist under his nose. “Don't make fun of us. None of your fine airs here, even if you are not afraid of us. Remember you are one against seven, and we are not afraid of you either."
"Now, Pinocchio, I am going to teach you a lesson" cried another, and struck the puppet with his fist. But it was an exchange of blows, for the lively marionette ducked his head and replied suddenly with another blow, and then the fight became general. Pinocchio, although he was alone, defended himself like a hero. His hard wooden feet worked so well that they kept all the boys at a reasonable distance. Where the feet struck they always left black and blue spots. Then the boys, provoked at not being able to get near the marionette looked around for stones to throw, but there was nothing but sand. Finally they took their spelling books, geographies, histories and arithmetics and began hurling them at him. But Pinocchio was very quick and dodged every one so that the books flew over him, and fell into the sea, splash!
