--- title: Antonio Canova. — Fifty Famous Stories Retold · full text with trees description: Antonio Canova., «Fifty Famous Stories Retold» by James Baldwin: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: A good many years ago there lived in Italy a little boy whose name was An-to'ni-o Ca-no'va. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Fifty Famous Stories Retold](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/) / Antonio Canova. # Antonio Canova. Antonio Canova. of «Fifty Famous Stories Retold» by James Baldwin: the whole text, 234 sentences and 3151 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself; 5 of them are in the tales treebank and were checked by a teacher model. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/page/3/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/1/) — A good many years ago there lived in Italy a little boy whose name was An-to'ni-o Ca-no'va. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/2/) — He lived with his grand-fa-ther, for his own father was dead. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/3/) — His grand-fa-ther was a stone-cut-ter, and he was very poor. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/4/) — An-to-ni-o was a puny lad, and not strong enough to work. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/5/) — He did not care to play with the other boys of the town. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/6/) — But he liked to go with his grandfather to the stone-yard. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/7/) — While the old man was busy, cutting and trimming the great blocks of stone, the lad would play among the chips. — checked by a teacher - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/8/) — Sometimes he would make a little statue of soft clay; sometimes he would take hammer and chisel, and try to cut a statue from a piece of rock. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/9/) — He showed so much skill that his grandfather was de-light-ed. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/10/) — "The boy will be a sculp-tor some day," he said. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/11/) — Then when they went home in the evening, the grand-moth-er would say, "What have you been doing to-day, my little sculp-tor?" - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/12/) — And she would take him upon her lap and sing to him, or tell him stories that filled his mind with pictures of wonderful and beautiful things. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/13/) — And the next day, when he went back to the stone-yard, he would try to make some of those pictures in stone or clay. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/14/) — There lived in the same town a rich man who was called the Count. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/15/) — Sometimes the Count would have a grand dinner, and his rich friends from other towns would come to visit him. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/16/) — Then Antonio's grandfather would go up to the Count's house to help with the work in the kitchen; for he was a fine cook as well as a good stone-cut-ter. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/17/) — It happened one day that Antonio went with his grandfather to the Count's great house. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/18/) — Some people from the city were coming, and there was to be a grand feast. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/19/) — The boy could not cook, and he was not old enough to wait on the table; but he could wash the pans and kettles, and as he was smart and quick, he could help in many other ways. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/20/) — All went well until it was time to spread the table for dinner. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/21/) — Then there was a crash in the dining room, and a man rushed into the kitchen with some pieces of marble in his hands. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/22/) — He was pale, and trembling with fright. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/23/) — "What shall I do? - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/24/) — What shall I do?" he cried. " - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/25/) — I have broken the statue that was to stand at the center of the table. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/26/) — I cannot make the table look pretty without the statue. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/27/) — What will the Count say?" - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/28/) — And now all the other servants were in trouble. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/29/) — Was the dinner to be a failure after all? - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/30/) — For everything de-pend-ed on having the table nicely arranged. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/31/) — The Count would be very angry. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/32/) — "Ah, what shall we do?" they all asked. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/33/) — Then little Antonio Ca-no-va left his pans and kettles, and went up to the man who had caused the trouble. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/34/) — "If you had another statue, could you arrange the table?" he asked. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/35/) — "Cer-tain-ly," said the man; "that is, if the statue were of the right length and height." - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/36/) — "Will you let me try to make one?" asked Anto-nio "Perhaps I can make something that will do." - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/37/) — The man laughed. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/38/) — "Non-sense!" he cried. " - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/39/) — Who are you, that you talk of making statues on an hour's notice?" - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/40/) — "I am Antonio Canova," said the lad. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/41/) — "Let the boy try what he can do," said the servants, who knew him. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/42/) — And so, since nothing else could be done, the man allowed him to try. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/43/) — On the kitchen table there was a large square lump of yellow butter. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/44/) — Two hundred pounds the lump weighed, and it had just come in, fresh and clean, from the dairy on the mountain. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/45/) — With a kitchen knife in his hand, Antonio began to cut and carve this butter. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/46/) — In a few minutes he had molded it into the shape of a crouching lion; and all the servants crowded around to see it. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/47/) — "How beautiful!" they cried. " - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/48/) — It is a great deal pret-ti-er than the statue that was broken." - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/49/) — When it was finished, the man carried it to its place. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/50/) — "The table will be hand-som-er by half than I ever hoped to make it," he said. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/51/) — When the Count and his friends came in to dinner, the first thing they saw was the yellow lion. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/52/) — "What a beautiful work of art!" they cried. " - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/53/) — None but a very great artist could ever carve such a figure; and how odd that he should choose to make it of butter!" - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/54/) — And then they asked the Count to tell them the name of the artist. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/55/) — "Truly, my friends," he said, "this is as much of a surprise to me as to you." - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/56/) — And then he called to his head servant, and asked him where he had found so wonderful a statue. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/57/) — "It was carved only an hour ago by a little boy in the kitchen," said the servant. - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/58/) — This made the Count's friends wonder still more; and the Count bade the servant call the boy into the room. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/59/) — "My lad," he said, "you have done a piece of work of which the greatest artists would be proud. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/60/) — What is your name, and who is your teacher?" - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/61/) — "My name is Antonio Canova," said the boy, "and I have had no teacher but my grandfather the stonecutter." - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/62/) — By this time all the guests had crowded around Antonio. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/63/) — There were famous artists among them, and they knew that the lad was a genius. - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/64/) — They could not say enough in praise of his work; and when at last they sat down at the table, nothing would please them but that Antonio should have a seat with them; and the dinner was made a feast in his honor. - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/65/) — The very next day the Count sent for Antonio to come and live with him. - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/66/) — The best artists in the land were em-ployed to teach him the art in which he had shown so much skill; but now, instead of carving butter, he chis-eled marble. - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/67/) — In a few years, Antonio Canova became known as one of the greatest sculptors in the world. - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/68/) — PICCIOLA. - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/69/) — Many years ago there was a poor gentleman shut up in one of the great prisons of France. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/70/) — His name was Char-ney, and he was very sad and un-hap-py. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/71/) — He had been put into prison wrong-ful-ly, and it seemed to him as though there was no one in the world who cared for him. - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/72/) — He could not read, for there were no books in the prison. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/73/) — He was not allowed to have pens or paper, and so he could not write. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/74/) — The time dragged slowly by. - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/75/) — There was nothing that he could do to make the days seem shorter. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/76/) — His only pastime was walking back and forth in the paved prison yard. - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/77/) — There was no work to be done, no one to talk with. - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/78/) — One fine morning in spring, Char-ney was taking his walk in the yard. - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/79/) — He was counting the paving stones, as he had done a thousand times before. - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/80/) — All at once he stopped. - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/81/) — What had made that little mound of earth between two of the stones? - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/82/) — He stooped down to see. - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/83/) — A seed of some kind had fallen between the stones. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/84/) — It had sprouted; and now a tiny green leaf was pushing its way up out of the ground. - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/85/) — Charney was about to crush it with his foot, when he saw that there was a kind of soft coating over the leaf. - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/86/) — "Ah!" said he. " - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/87/) — This coating is to keep it safe. - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/88/) — I must not harm it." - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/89/) — And he went on with his walk. - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/90/) — The next day he almost stepped upon the plant before he thought of it. - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/91/) — He stooped to look at it. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/92/) — There were two leaves now, and the plant was much stronger and greener than it was the day before. - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/93/) — He staid by it a long time, looking at all its parts. - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/94/) — Every morning after that, Charney went at once to his little plant. - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/95/) — He wanted to see if it had been chilled by the cold, or scorched by the sun. He wanted to see how much it had grown. - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/96/) — One day as he was looking from his window, he saw the jailer go across the yard. - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/97/) — The man brushed so close to the little plant, that it seemed as though he would crush it. - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/98/) — Charney trembled from head to foot. - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/99/) — "O my Pic-cio-la!" he cried. - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/100/) — When the jailer came to bring his food, he begged the grim fellow to spare his little plant. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/54/page/3/) - ← previous: [V. the Fortune.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/53/) - ↑ back to [Fifty Famous Stories Retold](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg18442/)