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ch made him very unhappy；and he went and sat in his own room full of sad thoughts。 This chamberlooked upon the street； in which hung skins to dry； and there werethick iron bars across his window。 That night he lay awake； thinkingof the Metal Pig； indeed； it was always in his thoughts。 Suddenly hefancied he heard feet outside going pit…a…pat。 He sprung out of bedand went to the window。 Could it be the Metal Pig？ But there wasnothing to be seen； whatever he had heard had passed already。 Nextmorning； their neighbor； the artist； passed by； carrying a paint…boxand a large roll of canvas。
〃Help the gentleman to carry his box of colors；〃 said the woman tothe boy； and he obeyed instantly； took the box； and followed thepainter。 They walked on till they reached the picture gallery； andmounted the same staircase up which he had ridden that night on theMetal Pig。 He remembered all the statues and pictures； the beautifulmarble Venus； and again he looked at the Madonna with the Saviourand St。 John。 They stopped before the picture by Bronzino； in whichChrist is represented as standing in the lower world； with thechildren smiling before Him； in the sweet expectation of enteringheaven； and the poor boy smiled； too； for here was his heaven。
〃You may go home now；〃 said the painter； while the boy stoodwatching him； till he had set up his easel。
〃May I see you paint？〃 asked the boy； 〃may I see you put thepicture on this white canvas？〃
〃I am not going to paint yet；〃 replied the artist； then he broughtout a piece of chalk。 His hand moved quickly； and his eye measured thegreat picture； and though nothing appeared but a faint line； thefigure of the Saviour was as clearly visible as in the coloredpicture。
〃Why don't you go？〃 said the painter。 Then the boy wandered homesilently； and seated himself on the table； and learned to sewgloves。 But all day long his thoughts were in the picture gallery； andso he pricked his fingers and was awkward。 But he did not teaseBellissima。 When evening came； and the house door stood open； heslipped out。 It was a bright； beautiful； starlight evening； but rathercold。 Away he went through the already…deserted streets； and soon cameto the Metal Pig； he stooped down and kissed its shining nose； andthen seated himself on its back。
〃You happy creature；〃 he said； 〃how I have longed for you！ we musttake a ride to…night。〃
But the Metal Pig lay motionless； while the fresh stream gushedforth from its mouth。 The little boy still sat astride on its back；when he felt something pulling at his clothes。 He looked down； andthere was Bellissima； little smooth…shaven Bellissima； barking as ifshe would have said； 〃Here I am too； why are you sitting there？〃
A fiery dragon could not have frightened the little boy so much asdid the little dog in this place。 〃Bellissima in the street； and notdressed！〃 as the old lady called it； 〃what would be the end of this？〃
The dog never went out in winter； unless she was attired in alittle lambskin coat which had been made for her； it was fastenedround the little dog's neck and body with red ribbons； and wasdecorated with rosettes and little bells。 The dog looked almost like alittle kid when she was allowed to go out in winter； and trot afterher mistress。 And now here she was in the cold； and not dressed。 Oh；how would it end？ All his fancies were quickly put to flight； yet hekissed the Metal Pig once more； and then took Bellissima in hisarms。 The poor little thing trembled so with cold； that the boy ranhomeward as fast as he could。
〃What are you running away with there？〃 asked two of the policewhom he met； and at whom the dog barked。 〃Where have you stolen thatpretty dog？〃 they asked； and they took it away from him。
〃Oh； I have not stolen it； do give it to me back again；〃 cried theboy； despairingly。
〃If you have not stolen it； you may say at home that they can sendto the watch…house for the dog。〃 Then they told him where thewatch…house was； and went away with Bellissima。
Here was a dreadful trouble。 The boy did not know whether he hadbetter jump into the Arno； or go home and confess everything。 Theywould certainly kill him； he thought。
〃Well； I would gladly be killed；〃 he reasoned； 〃for then I shalldie； and go to heaven：〃 and so he went home； almost hoping for death。
The door was locked； and he could not reach the knocker。 No onewas in the street； so he took up a stone； and with it made atremendous noise at the door。
〃Who is there？〃 asked somebody from within。
〃It is I；〃 said he。 〃Bellissima is gone。 Open the door； and thenkill me。〃
Then indeed there was a great panic。 Madame was so very fond ofBellissima。 She immediately looked at the wall where the dog's dressusually hung； and there was the little lambskin。
〃Bellissima in the watch…house！〃 she cried。 〃You bad boy！ howdid you entice her out？ Poor little delicate thing； with those roughpolicemen！ and she'll be frozen with cold。〃
Giuseppe went off at once； while his wife lamented； and the boywept。 Several of the neighbors came in； and amongst them thepainter。 He took the boy between his knees； and questioned him； and；in broken sentences； he soon heard the whole story； and also about theMetal Pig； and the wonderful ride to the picture…gallery； which wascertainly rather inprehensible。 The painter； however； consoledthe little fellow； and tried to soften the lady's anger； but she wouldnot be pacified till her husband returned with Bellissima； who hadbeen with the police。 Then there was great rejoicing； and thepainter caressed the boy； and gave him a number of pictures。 Oh；what beautiful pictures these were！… figures with funny heads； and；above all； the Metal Pig was there too。 Oh； nothing could be moredelightful。 By means of a few strokes； it was made to appear on thepaper； and even the house that stood behind it had been sketched in。Oh； if he could only draw and paint！ He who could do this couldconjure all the world before him。 The first leisure moment duringthe next day； the boy got a pencil； and on the back of one of theother drawings he attempted to copy the drawing of the Metal Pig；and he succeeded。 Certainly it was rather crooked； rather up and down；one leg thick； and another thin； still it was like the copy； and hewas overjoyed at what he had done。 The pencil would not go quite as itought；… he had found that out； but the next day he tried again。 Asecond pig was drawn by the side of the first； and this looked ahundred times better； and the third attempt was so good； thateverybody might know what it was meant to represent。
And now the glovemaking went on but slowly。 The orders given bythe shops in the town were not finished quickly； for the Metal Pig hadtaught the boy that all objects may be drawn upon paper； andFlorence is a picture…book in itself for any one who chooses to turnover its pages。 On the Piazza dell Trinita stands a slender pillar；and upon it is the goddess of Justice； blindfolded； with her scales inher hand。 She was soon represented on paper； and it was theglovemaker's boy who placed her there。 His collection of picturesincreased； but as yet they were only copies of lifeless objects；when one day Bellissima came gambolling before him： 〃Stand still；〃cried he； 〃and I will draw you beautifully； to put amongst mycollection。〃
But Bellissima would not stand still； so she must be bound fast inone position。 He tied her head and tail； but she barked and jumped；and so pulled and tightened the string； that she was nearly strangled；and just then her mistress walked in。
〃You wicked boy！ the poor little creature！〃 was all she couldutter。
She pushed the boy from her； thrust him away with her foot； calledhim a most ungrateful； good…for…nothing； wicked boy； and forbade himto enter the house again。 Then she wept； and kissed her littlehalf…strangled Bellissima。 At this moment the painter entered theroom。
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In the year 1834 there was an exhibition in the Academy of Arts atFlorence。 Two pictures； placed side by side； attracted a largenumber of spectators。 The smaller of the two represented a littleboy sitting at a table； drawing； before him was a little white poodle；curiously shaven； but as the animal would not stand still； it had beenfastened with a string to its head