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 can’t say where the old man found this piece
of wood, but it was in his room when our story
began. The old man’s name was Master Antonio.

Master Antonio wanted to make a new leg for
his table. He took his axe and began to cut the
piece of wood with the axe. Suddenly he heard a
very small voice: “Do not hit me so hard!”

Master Antonio looked round the room. There
was nobody there. He looked under the table—
nobody. He looked under the bed—nobody. He
opened the door of his room and looked into the
street—there was nobody in the street. Again he
took the axe and began to work with it.

“Oh! oh! Don’t hit me, stop hitting me!” cried
the same voice.

Master Antonio opened his mouth, he did not
know what to do or what to say.