"
"I thought I would make a beautiful wooden puppet that should know how
to dance, to fence, and to leap like an acrobat. With this puppet I
would travel about the world to earn a piece of bread and a glass of
wine. What do you think of it?"
"Bravo, Polendina!" exclaimed the same little voice, and it was
impossible to say where it came from.
Hearing himself called Polendina, Geppetto became as red as a
turkey-cock from rage, and turning to the carpenter he said in a fury:
"Why do you insult me?"
"Who insults you?"
"You called me Polendina!"
"It was not I!"
"Would you have it then, that it was I? It was you, I say!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
And becoming more and more angry, from words they came to blows, and
flying at each other they bit, and fought, and scratched manfully.
When the fight was over Master Antonio was in possession of Geppetto's
yellow wig, and Geppetto discovered that the gray wig belonging to the
carpenter had remained between his teeth.
"Give me back my wig," screamed Master Antonio.
"And you return me mine, and let us make friends."
The two old men having each recovered his own wig shook hands, and
swore that they would remain friends to the end of their lives.
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