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匹诺曹和能言善辩的蟋蟀的故事，大家从这个故事里可以看到坏孩子们是不喜欢被比他们有见识的人们指正的。
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.
老杰佩托很快就被送进了监狱。与此同时，从警察手里逃脱的淘气鬼匹诺曹正撒腿跑着，他穿过田野和草地，抄近路朝家的方向跑去。在疯狂逃回家的路上，他跳过荆棘和灌木丛，趟过小溪，游过池塘，好像他是一只被猎狗们追赶的小山羊或小野兔似的。
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.
当他回到家时，他发现家里的门半掩着。他溜进房间，把房门锁上，然后扑倒在地，美滋滋地想着自己现在自由了。
But his happiness lasted only a short time, for just then he heard someone saying:
但是他的开心眨眼间就被某种声音给打破了。这声音叫着：
"Cri—cri—cri! "
“吱—吱—吱！”
"Who is calling me? " asked Pinocchio, greatly frightened.
“谁在叫我？” 匹诺曹问，他被吓坏了。
"I am! "
“是我呀！”
Pinocchio turned and saw a large cricket crawling slowly up the wall.
匹诺曹转过头，看到一只蟋蟀正在墙上慢吞吞地往上爬。
"Tell me, Cricket, who are you? "
“告诉我，蟋蟀，你是谁呀？”
"I am the Talking Cricket and I have been living in this room for more than one hundred years. "
“我是能言善辩的蟋蟀，我已经在这个房子里住了一百多年了。”
"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. "
“但是，今天这房子就是我的了，” 木偶说， “如果你愿意帮我一个忙的话，就现在出去，再也别回来了。”
"I refuse to leave this spot, " answered the Cricket, "until I have told you a great truth. "
“我就是不走，” 蟋蟀回答说， “除非我告诉你一个伟大的真理。”
"Tell it, then, and hurry. "
“那你就说吧，赶紧的。”
"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. "
“那些不愿听从父母的话还任意离家出走的孩子，是不会有好结果的！他们在这个世界上就永远不会开心，等他们长大了就会非常后悔的。”
"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. "
“您高兴的话就接着在这里夸夸其谈吧，我的蟋蟀先生。我只知道，明天天一亮，我就永远离开这里。如果我继续在这呆下去的话，那我就一定会跟其他孩子有相同的遭遇的。他们被送到学校去，不管是不是愿意，都必须要学习。至于我嘛，我实话告诉你吧，我讨厌学习！对我来说，我觉得追蝴蝶、爬树，还有掏鸟窝才更有意思呢。”
"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? "
“可怜的小傻瓜！你知不知道，如果你真的像自己说的那样成长的话，你会变成一头彻头彻尾的蠢驴，会成为每个人的笑柄的！”
"Keep still, you ugly Cricket! " cried Pinocchio.
“闭嘴，你这丑陋的蟋蟀！” 匹诺曹叫道。
But the Cricket, who was a wise old philosopher, instead of being offended at Pinocchio's impudence, continued in the same tone:
但蟋蟀先生是一位睿智的哲学家，一点也不介意匹诺曹的无礼，相反还继续用跟以前相同的口气说：
"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? "
“如果你不喜欢去上学，那么最起码也该学个什么行当，好挣钱养活自己吧？”
"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. "
“要我告诉你么？” 匹诺曹说，他已经开始不耐烦了， “虽然世界上那么多行当，但只有一个真正适合我。”
"And what can that be? "
“那是什么行当呢？”
"That of eating, drinking, sleeping, playing, and wandering around from morning till night. "
“那就是吃、喝、睡、玩和日夜闲逛。”
"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. "
“我告诉你吧，匹诺曹，这是为你自己好。” 能言善辩的蟋蟀仍然用很平静的口气说， “凡是干那行的人，最后不是进了医院，就是进了监狱。”
"Careful, ugly Cricket! If you make me angry, you'll be sorry! "
“当心点，丑陋的蟋蟀！” “如果你把我惹恼了，你会为你的言行而后悔的！”
"Poor Pinocchio, I am sorry for you. "
“可怜的匹诺曹，我真为你感到遗憾。”
"Why? "
“为什么？”
"Because you are a Marionette and, what is much worse, you have a wooden head. "
“因为你是一个木偶，而且更可悲的是，你有个木脑袋。”
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.
听到蟋蟀说的这些话，匹诺曹暴跳如雷了，他拿起木工台上的锤子，使出了全身的力气向那个能言善辩的蟋蟀砸去。
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.
也许匹诺曹觉得他应该不会砸到那只蟋蟀。但是，我亲爱的小读者们，很不幸，他真的砸中了那只蟋蟀，而且是直接砸中了那蟋蟀的头。
With a last weak "cri—cri—cri" the poor Cricket fell from the wall, dead!
可怜的蟋蟀最后微弱地叫了几声 “吱—吱—吱” ，就从墙上掉下来，死了！