In this chapter Pinocchio meets a talking cricket (Il Grillo Parlante) who is NOT called Jiminy - well perhaps Walt Disney knew something we don't. We see that Pinocchio has a terrible temper.
Read by Natasha. Illustrated by Chiara Civati.
Catch up with earlier chapters here.
CHAPTER 4
Very little time did it take to get poor old Geppetto to prison. In the meantime that rascal, Pinocchio, free now from the clutches of the Carabineer, was running wildly across fields and meadows, taking one short cut after another toward home. In his wild flight, he leaped over brambles and bushes, and across brooks and ponds, as if he were a goat or a hare chased by hounds.
On reaching home, he found the house door half open. He slipped into the room, locked the door, and threw himself on the floor, happy at his escape.
But his happiness lasted only a short time, for just then he heard someone saying:
"Cri-cri-cri!"
"Who is calling me?" asked Pinocchio, greatly frightened.
"I am!"
Pinocchio turned and saw a large cricket crawling slowly up the wall.
"Tell me, Cricket, who are you?"
"I am the Talking Cricket and I have been living in this room for more than one hundred years."
"Today, however, this room is mine," said the Marionette, "and if you wish to do me a favor, get out now, and don't turn around even once."
"I refuse to leave this spot," answered the Cricket, "until I have told you a great truth."
"Tell it, then, and hurry."
"Woe to boys who refuse to obey their parents and run away from home! They will never be happy in this world, and when they are older they will be very sorry for it."
"Sing on, Cricket mine, as you please. What I know is, that tomorrow, at dawn, I leave this place forever. If I stay here the same thing will happen to me which happens to all other boys and girls. They are sent to school, and whether they want to or not, they must study. As for me, let me tell you, I hate to study! It's much more fun, I think, to chase after butterflies, climb trees, and steal birds' nests."
"Poor little silly! 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?"
"Keep still, you ugly Cricket!" cried Pinocchio.
But the Cricket, who was a wise old philosopher, instead of being offended at Pinocchio's impudence, continued in the same tone:
"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?"
"Shall I tell you something?" asked Pinocchio, who was beginning to lose patience. "Of all the trades in the world, there is only one that really suits me."
"And what can that be?"
"That of eating, drinking, sleeping, playing, and wandering around from morning till night."
"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."
"Careful, ugly Cricket! If you make me angry, you'll be sorry!"
"Poor Pinocchio, I am sorry for you."
"Why?"
"Because you are a Marionette and, what is much worse, you have a wooden head."
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.
Perhaps he did not think he would strike it. But, sad to relate, my dear children, he did hit the Cricket, straight on its head.
With a last weak "cri-cri-cri" the poor Cricket fell from the wall, dead!
I am first ! ;p
Candy FLoss — August 8, 2013
Dear Bertie THANKYOU!
Storynorystar1lover — August 8, 2013
Jimedy cricket does not look like that get your facts right storynory 😉
Baba — August 8, 2013
Dear Baba, don’t believe everything Disney tells you.
Bertie — August 9, 2013
I read it, this is ordinary story :)))
But from it i can learn english, therefoce please let me sent to thank to writer… I hope will have many short story more to everyone same me can read and feel
Thanks
Dvhieu37 — August 9, 2013
Poor Talking Cricket! He is very wise and says the truth but Pinocchio doesn’t want to hear it…
Thanks to Natasha, Chiara, Bertie and to everybody at Storynory.:)
Beatrix — August 9, 2013
way to go bertie i don’t watch disney at all!!!! you are awesome
rainer04 — August 9, 2013
Awesome! More chapters soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn please
Nisha — August 10, 2013
dear bertie,
i am having troble downloading this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what do i do?
looloo — August 10, 2013
Apologies everyone, the audio is fixed now
Bertie — August 10, 2013
woooooooow greet chapter Ilike it
Omar Ezzat — August 10, 2013
you have a awesome voice
jessica — August 11, 2013
Cool!!! I love Pinocchio story’s pleas get some more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ira — August 11, 2013
Wow !!! I really like the whole series!!! But I also like the secret garden ones… Could you put them in equally?
Adnarim — August 12, 2013
Dear Adnarim, all the secret Garden Chapters are now on the site, take a look under Classic Authors or here //www.storynory.com/category/secret-garden/
Bertie — August 12, 2013
Something is missing…between chapter 3 and 4 it never talked about geppeto getting sent to prison , please explain or rewrite .
Luke — August 12, 2013
Dear Luke, You are right, there was some text missing at the end of Chapter 3, I have put it in now. But it was on the audio !
Bertie — August 13, 2013
I love this story if you didn’t read it you have to read it!!!!!
thanks Natasha and the ilustrators thanks every body!
marianne — August 13, 2013
dear Bertie by the way do you have any other good storys?
marianne — August 13, 2013
I feel Sorry for the cricket and I think Pinocchio has a very bad temper.I don’t think I like him very much. Good Job though.
Ella — November 7, 2013
hi it was good
archie — May 5, 2016
Great site! Loving it!
The Wild Man — November 23, 2013
I loved the story
Iman — December 24, 2013
Kukuku
Iman — December 24, 2013
That was a great story.
Do you have more?
I loved it!!!
Iman — December 24, 2013
Dear Bertie
Have you heard audiobook dromatce reading? I like it, I think you will like it too.
From Mia
Mia — September 14, 2014
cool>>>>>>>>>>>…!!!!
chris — October 2, 2014
I like this story
chris — October 2, 2014
that was not good it was sad
Kiearra Te-Kowhia — October 20, 2014
Pinocchio has a long way to go before he sees the light
Themommy — November 5, 2014
I am confuse didn’t a faery alow him to mov
(In chapter 2i
Mikey davidson's sister — November 5, 2014
it is sad that the cricket died
Elliott — December 24, 2014
the cricket deserved it
Ethan — February 9, 2015
No he didn’t.He just told Pinocchio the truth.
Morgan — December 15, 2015
Your so mean Elliott It’s really sad that cricket died!
Angelina — April 26, 2015
It’s likes it is real
Poppy — April 30, 2015
There are so many chapters
Oliver — May 21, 2015
i likefun
d this book becaese it is
rahel — July 23, 2015
Hate it?
Ashmeister — September 30, 2015
Wow awesome
Carlos — January 29, 2016
Love the book so much
?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿? — March 19, 2016
We are going to play Pinocchio at school and I will be the talking cricket.. I’m from Slovakia and we play in english language, so it’s challenge for us..And Pinocchio is great !
N — April 3, 2016
Fantastic.. Good luck, N.
Jana Elizabeth — April 4, 2016
I hate Pinocchio.
Anonymous — February 1, 2017
I like the Pinocchio series!
Allison — March 29, 2017
omg i hate this
Alan — March 29, 2017
OH NO THE POOR CRICKET
Hop — July 7, 2017
liking this!
hip hop howay — October 10, 2017
a good story
hfhsjdbfhdfiudghidfgvufdgdufghdfuhgdfjghdfjhgsdfugdufhgfjhfjhdgfjhgdufhgdfjgfh — October 23, 2017
It’s perfect 😀 Thanks a lot 🙂
Emrah — January 7, 2018
It is so sad.😭😭😭
Alex — April 26, 2018
omg thats cool 23 november
david — November 22, 2018
this is getting awsome
malia — November 25, 2018
boo this chapter stinks
London harper — February 14, 2019
this is rubsish
stirling — February 26, 2019
booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo this story
stirling — February 26, 2019
Bertie this story is horrible! Pinocchio is such brat! Please remove this series or else I will have to call your supervisor. 😠😠
Alisha Ahmad — March 26, 2019
#good story
anonimos — May 15, 2019
Talking cricket! creative!
Wolfie 123 — May 24, 2019
i felt bad for the Criket.
lydia — July 19, 2019
Good storyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Tina -March16,2011 — October 10, 2019
I love it! Keep it up.
Ellis — April 17, 2020
This was a good story
Charles white — April 17, 2020
i love it so much thank u for reading it it so so cool
Nathaly — April 17, 2020
The Chapter is very INTERESTING and SCARY jk.ps good job.
Chaz — April 18, 2020
Very good
Emily — May 6, 2020
So sad dead cricket
promzhee — August 7, 2020
Hate that donkey, Pinocchio !
Bhavya — October 10, 2020
pinoccio is what im learning 😛
noah :D — January 9, 2021
R.I.P talking cricket
noah :D — January 9, 2021