Nursery Tales from Many Lands  by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

Buchettino

Once upon a time when little Buchettino was sweeping the stairs of his house he heard a noise. He looked down and found a bright penny. Then he said to himself,

"What shall I buy with this penny?

"Shall I buy some dates? No, for then I should have to throw away the stones.

"Shall I buy some apples? No, for then I should have to throw away the core.

"Shall I buy some nuts? No, for then I should have to throw away the shells.

"What shall I buy with this penny?

"I will buy a penny's worth of figs."

Away he ran to the nearest shop, bought a penny's worth of figs, and climbed up a big tree. He sat down upon a branch and began to eat his figs.

Soon a Giant passed by. When he saw Buchettino he called out,

Then little Buchettino threw him one fig, but it fell into the dirt.

called out the Giant again.

Then Buchettino threw him another fig, but fell into the dirt.

called out the Giant again in an angry tone.

Little Buchettino did not know that the Giant was trying to catch him. So he leaned down and gave the Giant a fig with his own little hand.

"Now I have you," snapped the Giant.

He quickly caught Buchettino by the arm, pushed him into his big bag, threw the bay, over his shoulder, and started for his home, calling out,

The Giant was very near his house when he happened to think of something he had to do before going home. So he put the bag on the ground and walked off as quickly as he could. Buchettino, you may be sure, was glad to hear his footsteps sound farther and farther away.

"Now is my time," he said to himself. With a little knife which he always carried in his pocket he cut a hole in the bag big enough for him to creep through. Then he slipped out quietly, filled the bag with stones, and ran toward his home as fast as he could go.

When the Giant came back he picked up his bag, threw it over his shoulder, and started off, calling out again,

"Yes, yes," answered his wife as he came near. "I have put the kettle on the fire."

"Then we will cook Buchettino. Come, come; help me. Take hold of one end of this bag,

The Giant and his wife took hold of the bag and carried it to the hearth. They emptied it into the kettle. Splash! The bag was full of stones.

How angry that Giant was! He roared out, "Buchettino put stones into my bag. He ran away, but I'll catch him yet! I'll catch Buchettino!"

The next day he went back to the place where he had caught little Buchettino. But no Buchettino was there. He walked up and down the roads. He looked into all the hiding-places, saying to himself over and over, "I'll catch Buchettino yet!"

At last he raised his eyes and looked all over the tops of the houses. There he saw Buchettino standing upon a roof laughing and laughing and laughing. For Buchettino had seen the Giant, too.

"Oh, Buchettino, there you are!" called out the Giant, this time in a very sweet voice. "Tell me how you climbed up on that roof?"

"Oh," said Buchettino, "do you really wish to know?"

"I do, indeed," answered the Giant.

"Then listen. I put dishes upon dishes, glasses upon glasses, pans upon pans, kettles on kettles until they were piled up as high as this roof. Then I climbed and climbed and climbed upon them, and here I am!"

"Aha!" laughed the Giant. "Wait a bit." And with that he quickly piled dishes upon dishes, glasses upon glasses, pans upon pans, and kettles upon kettles, until they were piled high as the roof.

Then he began to climb and climb and climb. But when he had climbed almost to the top—crash—crack—bang—br-r-r-r-r. Down came dishes upon dishes, glasses upon glasses, pans upon pans, and kettles upon kettles, all on top of that wicked Giant!