Part 1 (1/2)
THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO
by C Collodi
CHAPTER 1
How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter, found a piece of wood that wept and laughed like a child
Centuries ago there lived-- ”A king!” my little readers will say immediately
No, children, you are mistaken Once upon a time there was a piece of wood It was not an expensive piece of wood Far from it Just a cos that are put on the fire in winter to make cold rooms cozy and warm
I do not kno this really happened, yet the fact remains that one fine day this piece of wood found itself in the shop of an old carpenter His real name was Mastro Antonio, but everyone called him Mastro Cherry, for the tip of his nose was so round and red and shi+ny that it looked like a ripe cherry
As soon as he saw that piece of wood, Mastro Cherry was filled with joy Rubbing his hands together happily, he mumbled half to himself: ”This has co of a table”
He grasped the hatchet quickly to peel off the bark and shape the wood But as he was about to give it the first blow, he stood still with arm uplifted, for he had heard a wee, little voice say in a beseeching tone: ”Please be careful! Do not hit me so hard!”
What a look of surprise shone on Mastro Cherry's face! His funny face becahtened eyes about the room to find out where that wee, little voice had come from and he saw no one! He looked under the bench--no one! He peeped inside the closet--no one! He searched as--no one! He opened the door to look up and down the street--and still no one!
”Oh, I see!” he then said, laughing and scratching his Wig ”It can easily be seen that I only thought I heard the tiny voice say the words! Well, well--to work once more”
He struck a most solemn blow upon the piece of wood
”Oh, oh! You hurt!” cried the sarew dumb, his eyes popped out of his head, hisdown on his chin
As soon as he regained the use of his senses, he said, treht: ”Where did that voice coht it be that this piece of wood has learned to weep and cry like a child? I can hardly believe it Here it is--a piece of coood only to burn in the stove, the saht someone be hidden in it? If so, the worse for hi with both hands and started to knock it about unainst the walls of the roo
He listened for the tiny voice to ; five
”Oh, I see,” he said, trying bravely to laugh and ruffling up his ith his hand ”It can easily be seen I only iined I heard the tiny voice! Well, well--to work once more!”
The poor felloas scared half to death, so he tried to sing a gay song in order to gain courage
He set aside the hatchet and picked up the plane to make the wood smooth and even, but as he drew it to and fro, he heard the saled as it spoke: ”Stop it! Oh, stop it! Ha, ha, ha! You tickle my stomach”
This time poor Mastro Cherry fell as if shot When he opened his eyes, he found hiht had turned even the tip of his nose from red to deepest purple
CHAPTER 2
Mastro Cherry gives the piece of wood to his friend Geppetto, who takes it to make himself a Marionette that will dance, fence, and turn somersaults
In that very instant, a loud knock sounded on the door ”Coth left hich to stand up
At the words, the door opened and a dapper little old man cahborhood he was Polendina, on account of the wig he alhich was just the color of yellow corn
Cornmeal mush Geppetto had a very bad temper Woe to the one who called him Polendina! He became as wild as a beast and no one could soothe him
”Good day, Mastro Antonio,” said Geppetto ”What are you doing on the floor?”
”I a the ants their A B C's”
”Good luck to you!”
”What brought you here, friend Geppetto?”
”My legs And it may flatter you to know, Mastro Antonio, that I have co for a favor”
”Here I a hi a fine idea ca myself a beautiful wooden Marionette It must be wonderful, one that will be able to dance, fence, and turn soo around the world, to earn my crust of bread and cup of wine What do you think of it?”
”Bravo, Polendina!” cried the same tiny voice which ca himself called Polendina, Mastro Geppetto turned the color of a red pepper and, facing the carpenter, said to hi you?”
”You called me Polendina”
”I did not”
”I suppose you think I did! Yet I KNOW it was you”
”No!”