Stranica 21 [21]
PINOCCHIO
I
HOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT MASTER CHERRY
THE CARPENTER FOUND A PIECE OF WOOD
THAT LAUGHED AND CRIED LIKE A CHILD
“A king!” my little readers will in¬
stantly exclaim.
No, children, you are wrong. ‘There was
once upon a time a piece of wood.
This wood was not valuable: it was only
a common log like those that are burnt in winter
in the stoves and fireplaces to make a cheerful
blaze and warm the rooms,
I cannot say how it came about, but the fact
is, that one fine day this piece of wood was
lying in the shop of an old carpenter of the
name of Master Antonio. He was, however,
called by everybody Master Cherry, on account
of the end of his nose, which was always as red
and polished as a ripe cherry.
No sooner had Master Cherry set eyes on
the piece of wood than his face beamed with
delight; and, rubbing his hands together with
satisfaction, he said softly to himself:
HERE was once upon a time...
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