In the small village of Arbora, Italy, lived an old man named Geppetto.
He lived alone in his small house. When it was late at night, he was often lonely. Every morning, Geppetto went into the forest to collect wood for carving.
"This is a good piece of wood, but it is too small. I can't make anything out of this." Geppetto threw the wood on the ground.
"Ouch!" said a voice. "Hey, don't leave me here! I'm not too small! I am good wood. You can make something out of me!" the voice said again.
Geppetto turned his eyes all around and was very surprised. It was a talking piece of wood! "I must be crazy! It's only a piece of wood!" Geppetto cried.
"Only a piece of wood? Take me home, sir, and I will show you I am not only a piece of wood."
Geppetto was worried that he was crazy. But he was also lonely. "This talking piece of wood might know interesting stories or funny jokes," he said to himself. He decided to take the wood home.
"Hmm, what should I do with you? I could carveyou into a flower or a small birdhouse," Geppetto said.
"What? I don't want to be carved. That sounds painful!" said the piece of wood. "Well, if I don't carve you into something, you will only be a piece of wood."
"Fine, you can carve me into something. But please, make it something interesting," said the wood, hopefully. "I don't want to be a flower. And I don't like birds. I want to see the world and go on adventures. I want to run, walk and talk. How about a boy? Can you make me into a boy?"
"A boy? Hmm..." Geppetto touched his nose, thinking.
"Yes, please! I promise to be a good boy too," the wood said. "If you carve me into a boy, that means I will be your son. We can live together and have fun!" It added. In fact, the piece of wood didn't really want to live with Geppetto. It wanted to travel around the world.
"A boy. Yes, I think that is a good idea," Geppetto said.
(Adapted from The Adventures of Pinocchio)
