Mary Cassatt painting

Mary Cassatt painting
Bring that Marionette to me! He looks as if he were made of well-seasoned wood. He'll make a fine fire for this spit."
Harlequin and Pulcinella hesitated a bit. Then, frightened by a look from their master, they left the kitchen to obey him. A few minutes later they returned, carrying poor Pinocchio, who was wriggling and squirming like an eel and crying pitifully:
"Father, save me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
Mary Cassatt painting
Fire Eater sneezes and forgives Pinocchio, who saves his friend, Harlequin, from death
In the theater, great excitement reigned.
Fire Eater (this was really his name) was very ugly, but he was far from being as bad as he looked. Proof of this is that, when he saw the poor Marionette being brought in to him, struggling with fear and crying, "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he felt sorry for him and began first to waver and then to weaken. Finally, he could control himself no longer and gave a loud sneeze.
Mary Cassatt painting