Приключения Пиноккио / The adventures of Pinocchio. Уровень 1

“Bravo, Polendina!” cried the same tiny voice.

Master Geppetto was red and said to the carpenter angrily:

“Why do you insult me?”

“Who? I don’t.”

“You called me Polendina.”

“I did not.”

“I know it was you.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

And finally they began to fight. When the fight was over, Master Antonio took Geppetto’s yellow wig and Geppetto found the carpenter’s curly wig in his mouth.

“Give me back my wig!” shouted Master Antonio.

“You return mine and we’ll be friends.”

The two little old men shook hands and swore to be good friends for the rest of their lives.

“Well then, Master Geppetto,” said the carpenter, “what is it you want?”

“I want a piece of wood to make a Marionette. Will you give it to me?”

Master Antonio, very glad indeed, went immediately to his bench to get the piece of wood which frightened him so much. But as he gave it to his friend, it slipped out of his hands and hit against poor Geppetto’s legs.

“Ah! Master Antonio, this is how you make your gifts! I’m almost lame!”

“I swear to you I did not do it!”

“It was I, of course!”

“This piece of wood.”

“You’re right; but remember you threw it at my legs.”

“I did not throw it!”

“Liar!”

“Geppetto, do not insult me or I’ll call you Polendina.”

“Idiot.”

“Polendina!”

“Donkey!”

“Polendina!”

“Ugly monkey!”

“Polendina!”

Geppetto lost his head with rage and threw himself upon the carpenter. The fight continued.

After this fight, Master Antonio and Geppetto shook hands and swore to be good friends again.

Then Geppetto took the fine piece of wood, thanked Master Antonio, and went home.

Chapter 3

The first pranks of the Marionette

Geppetto’s house was little, but neat and comfortable. It was a small room on the ground floor, with a tiny window under the stairway. The furniture was very simpler: a very old chair, a rickety old bed, and an old table. A fireplace was painted on the wall opposite the door. Over the fire, there was painted a pot full.

When Geppetto reached home, he took his tools and began to cut and shape the wood into a Marionette.

“What shall I call him?” he said to himself. “I think I’ll call him Pinocchio. This name will make his fortune. I knew a whole family of Pinocchi once-Pinocchio the father, Pinocchia the mother, and Pinocchi the children-and they were all lucky. The richest of them was the beggar.”

Then Geppetto began to work, he made the hair, the forehead, the eyes. These eyes moved and then stared fixedly at him. Geppetto asked:

“Ugly wooden eyes, why do you stare so?”

There was no answer.

After the eyes, Geppetto made the nose. It stretched and stretched and stretched till it became so long, it seemed endless.

Next he made the mouth. The mouth began to laugh.

“Stop it!” said Geppetto angrily.

In vain.

“Stop it, I say!” he roared in a voice of thunder.

The mouth stopped to laugh, but showed a long tongue.

After the mouth, Geppetto made the chin, then the neck, the shoulders, the stomach, the arms, and the hands. When he finished the finger tips, they pulled his wig off.