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Карло Коллоди

Приключения Пиноккио / The adventures of Pinocchio. Уровень 1

Carlo Collodi

The Adventures of Pinocchio

Chapter 1

Master Cherry 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 wrong. It was a piece of wood. It was not an expensive piece of wood. Far from it. Just a common block of firewood that can make cold rooms cozy and warm.

As soon as he saw that piece of wood, Master Cherry enjoyed it. He mumbled to himself happily:

“Very well. I shall use it to make the leg of a table. ”

“Please be careful! Do not hit me so hard!”

Master Cherry was very surprised! He turned frightened eyes about the room to find out where that wee, little voice came from. And he saw no one! He looked under the bench-no one! He peeped inside the closet-no one! He searched among the shavings-no one! He opened the door-and still no one!

“Oh, I see!” he then said. “It is a hallucination! Well, well-to work once more. ”

He tried to cut the piece of wood.

“Oh, oh! You hurt!” cried the same little voice.

Master Cherry was dumb. His eyes popped out of his head, his mouth opened wide, and his tongue hung down on his chin.

“Where did that voice come from? There is no one around. Maybe this piece of wood can weep and cry like a child. I can hardly believe it. Here it is-a piece of firewood, the same as any other. Yet someone is in it. I’ll find him!”

With these words, he grabbed the log with both hands and started to beat it unmercifully. He threw it to the floor, against the walls of the room, and even up to the ceiling.

Where is the tiny voice? He waited two minutes-nothing; five minutes-nothing; ten minutes-nothing.

“Oh, I see,” he said. “It is just a hallucination! Well, well-to work once more. ”

“Stop it! Oh, stop it! Ha, ha, ha! You tickle my stomach. ”

This time poor Master Cherry fell down on the floor.

Chapter 2

Master Cherry gives the piece of wood to his friend Geppetto

In that very instant, a loud knock sounded on the door.

“Come in,” said the carpenter.

Geppetto had a very bad temper. He hated that name, Polendina. He became as wild as a beast easily.