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    Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi    

Chapter 1: The Piece of Wood That Laughed and Cried Like a Child

Performer: Librivox - Phil Chenevert


Note to Instructors: Although Pinocchio is a beloved classic children's tale with an overall positive moral message, like many original fairy tales, it does contain darker aspects. Instructors should take care with chapters 14, 15, and 33 in particular.

There was once upon a time a piece of wood in the shop of an old carpenter named Master Antonio. Everybody, however, called him 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: "This wood has come at the right moment; it will just do to make the leg of a little table."

He immediately took a sharp axe with which to remove the bark and the rough surface, but just as he was going to give the first stroke he heard a very small voice say imploringly, "Do not strike me so hard!"

He turned his terrified eyes all around the room to try and discover where the little voice could possibly have come from, but he saw nobody! He looked under the bench—nobody; he looked into a cupboard that was always shut—nobody; he looked into a basket of shavings and sawdust—nobody; he even opened the door of the shop and gave a glance into the street—and still nobody. Who, then, could it be?

"I see how it is," he said, laughing and scratching his wig, "evidently that little voice was all my imagination. Let us set to work again."

And, taking up the axe, he struck a tremendous blow on the piece of wood.

"Oh! oh! you have hurt me!" cried the same little voice dolefully.

This time Master Cherry was petrified. His eyes started out of his head with fright, his mouth remained open, and his tongue hung out almost to the end of his chin, like a mask on a fountain. As soon as he had recovered the use of his speech he began to say, stuttering and trembling with fear: "But where on earth can that little voice have come from, 'Oh! oh!'? Is it possible that this piece of wood can have learned to cry and to lament like a child? I cannot believe it. This piece of wood is nothing but a log for fuel like all the others, and thrown on the fire it would about suffice to boil a saucepan of beans. How then? Can anyone be hidden inside it? If anyone is hidden inside, so much the worse for him. I will settle him at once."

So saying, he seized the poor piece of wood and commenced beating it without mercy against the walls of the room.

Then he stopped to listen if he could hear any little voice lamenting. He waited two minutes—nothing; five minutes—nothing; ten minutes—still nothing!

"I see how it is," he then said, forcing himself to laugh, and pushing up his wig; "evidently the little voice that said 'Oh! oh!' was all my imagination! Let us set to work again."

Putting the axe aside, he took his plane, to plane and polish the bit of wood; but whilst he was running it up and down he heard the same little voice say, laughing: "Stop! you are tickling me all over!"

This time poor Master Cherry fell down as if he had been struck by lightning. When he at last opened his eyes he found himself seated on the floor.

His face was changed, even the end of his nose, instead of being crimson, as it was nearly always, had become blue from fright.

    Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi    

Chapter 1: The Piece of Wood That Laughed and Cried Like a Child

Performer: Librivox - Phil Chenevert

Directions

Study the story for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read or listen to the story one or more times.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Study the vocabulary words.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Everyone calls old carpenter Master Antonio, 'Master Cherry,' because his nose looks like a shiny, crimson cherry. Master Cherry decides to make a table leg out of a piece of wood, but the wood talks to him, pleading not to be struck so hard. Master Cherry vacillates between thinking the voice is his imagination and being terrified. As Master Cherry polishes the wood, the wood laughs and asks Master Cherry to stop tickling. Master Cherry is so frightened, his nose turns blue from fright.

Vocabulary

Carpenter: A person who makes and repairs wooden objects and structures.
Imagination: The faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.
Petrified: So frightened that one is unable to move; terrified.
Plane (wood): Make smooth or level.
Polish: Relating to Poland, its inhabitants, or their language.
Crimson: Of a rich deep red color inclining to purple.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Book Information

  • Before and after reading or listening to the story, recite aloud the name of the author, the title of the book, and the title of the chapter.

Activity 2: Narrate the Story

  • After reading or listening to the story, narrate the events aloud in your own words.

Activity 3: Recite a Passage from the Chapter

Practice reciting aloud the following passage, with drama and feeling.

  • 'I see how it is,' Master Cherry said, laughing and scratching his wig, 'evidently that little voice was all my imagination.'
  • 'Oh! oh! you have hurt me!' cried the little voice.

Activity 4: Dictate a Sentence from the Chapter

  • Step 1: Instructors write the sentence, and children copy it.
  • Step 2: Instructors say the sentence aloud, and children write it.
  • Sentence: His nose became blue from fright.

Review

Question 1

Why is Master Antonio called, 'Master Cherry?'
1 / 4

Answer 1

Everyone calls old carpenter Master Antonio, 'Master Cherry,' because his nose looks like a shiny, crimson cherry.
1 / 4

Question 2

What does Master Cherry plan to make out of the piece of wood?
2 / 4

Answer 2

Master Cherry plans to make a table leg out of the piece of wood.
2 / 4

Question 3

Why is Master Cherry scared of the wood?
3 / 4

Answer 3

Master Cherry is scared of the wood because it talks and laughs.
3 / 4

Question 4

Why might Master Cherry better be called 'Master Blueberry' at the end of the chapter?
4 / 4

Answer 4

At the close of the chapter, Master Antonio's nose has become blue from fright.
4 / 4

  1. Why is Master Antonio called, 'Master Cherry?' Everyone calls old carpenter Master Antonio, 'Master Cherry,' because his nose looks like a shiny, crimson cherry.
  2. What does Master Cherry plan to make out of the piece of wood? Master Cherry plans to make a table leg out of the piece of wood.
  3. Why is Master Cherry scared of the wood? Master Cherry is scared of the wood because it talks and laughs.
  4. Why might Master Cherry better be called 'Master Blueberry' at the end of the chapter? At the close of the chapter, Master Antonio's nose has become blue from fright.

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