The Adventures of Pinocchio [antikvár]

CHAPTER ONE MASTER ANTONIO » FINDS A PIECE OF WOOD All fairy-tales begin with the words: "Once upon a time there was . . ." ^ This story also begins with the words: "Once upon a time there was a . . ." "A king!" my little readers will say. No, children, not a king! Once upon a time there was a piece of wood! I cannot say where the old man of the name of ^ Master Antonio found this piece of wood, but it was lying in his room when our story began. Master Antonio wanted to make a new leg for his table. He took his axe and began to hit the piece of wood with the axe. Suddenly he heard a very small voice: ^ "Do not hit me so hard!" Master Antonio looked about the room.^ There was nobody who could say these words. He looked under the table — nobody. He, looked under the bed — nobody. He opened the door of his room and looked out into the street — there was nobody ' Antonio [an'touniou] — Ahtohho {myotccKoe umh). 2 Once upon ['waus a'pon] a time there was — OflHa»(;[bi HCHJI-6bIJI . . . 3 of the name of — no HMeHH he heard [haid] a very small voice [vdis] — oh yc;ibima.n TOHeHbKHii rOJIOCOK. 5 looked about the room — or.niifle;i KOMHaxy {6yKeaAbHo: nocMoipeji BOKpyr).