Long long ago, there was a piece of wood. It was not an expensive piece of wood.
Just a common block of firewood, one of those thick logs that are put on the fire to make cold rooms warm.
I do not know how this really happened, one fine day this piece of wood found itself in the shop of an old carpenter(木匠). Everyone called him Mastro Cherry, for the tip of his nose was so round and red that it looked like a ripe cherry.
As soon as he saw that piece of wood, Mastro Cherry was filled with joy. Rubbing his hands together happily, he said to himself: "This has come in time. I'm in need of a leg of the table." But as he was about to give it the first blow, he stood still with arm uplifted, for he had heard a little voice say: "Please be careful! Do not hit me so hard!" What a surprise!
He tried to find out where that voice had come from and he saw no one! He looked under the bench—no one! He searched the room—no one! He opened the door to look around the street—and still no one!
"Oh, I see!" he then said, laughing and shaking his head "There may be something wrong with my ears."
"Well, well—to work once more." Hestruckanother blow hard on the piece of wood.
"Oh, oh! You hurt me!" cried the same far-away little voice.
Mastro Cherry's mouth opened wide, turned frightened eyes and his tongue hung down on his chin(下巴). "Where did that voice come from? This piece of wood has learned to cry like a child? Here it is—a piece of common firewood, the same as any other. Yet—might someone be hidden in it? If so, the worse for him. I'll fix him!" With these words, he started to knock it. He threw it to the floor, against the walls, and even up to the ceiling.
He listened for the tiny voice to cry. He waited two minutes—nothing; five minutes—nothing; ten minutes-nothing. "Oh, I see," he said, trying bravely to laugh and touching his hair. "Well, well—to work once more!" So he tried to sing a gay song to get power, and worked on.
"Stop it! Oh, stop it! You tickle my stomach." This time poor Mastro Cherry fell as if shot. When he opened his eyes, he found himself sitting on the floor.
