In the small village of Arbora, Italy, there lived an old carpenter. His name was Geppetto. He lived alone in his small house. He had no wife and no children. When it was very late at night, he was often lonely. Every morning, Geppetto went into the forest to collect wood for carving.
"This branch is heavy like a table leg. But it is too short. I don’t like it," he said. "This log is wide like a bowl, but it is not deep enough. I don’t like it. 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.
"What? Who said that? Is someone there?" Geppetto asked the forest. He was very confused. He turned around and looked deep into the forest, but saw no one.
"I must be imagining things," he said, and he kept walking.
"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 looked back and was very surprised. It was a talking piece of wood!
"I must be crazy!" Geppetto cried.
"That’s right, you are crazy! You left a fine piece of wood in the forest."
"No, I must be crazy because I am talking to a piece of wood!"
"Hey, I am made of very smart pine," the wood said, offended.
"Yes, but you are only a piece of wood!"
"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 carve you into a rolling pin for dough. Or I could carve you into 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 rolling pin. And I don’t like birds. I want to see the world and go on adventures."
"How about a pipe? A rich traveler could take you with him," offered Geppetto.
"No, I don’t like smoke."
"I could carve you into chess pieces. Every day would be a game!" said Geppetto, proud of this idea.
"No, you don’t understand. I want to run. I want to walk. I want to 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.
The piece of wood didn’t really want to live with Geppetto. It wanted to travel the world and go on adventures. But, the wood said this hoping Geppetto would agree.
"A boy. Yes, I think that is a good idea. Let’s get started right away!" said Geppetto, as he smiled a very big smile.
He was happy to have a son. He was happy he was not alone.