The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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small tribute, this despite the protests of young Genco, who told his father he would 
settle the Fanucci hash. His father forbade him. Vito Corleone observed all this without 
feeling in any way involved. 
One day Fanucci was set upon by three young men who cut his throat from ear to ear, 
not deeply enough to kill him, but enough to frighten him and make him bleed a great 
deal. Vito saw Fanucci fleeing from his punishers, the circular slash flowing red. What 
he never forgot was Fanucci holding the cream-colored fedora under his chin to catch 
the dripping blood as he ran. As if he did not want his suit soiled or did not want to leave 
a shameful trail of carmine. 
But this attack proved a blessing in disguise for Fanucci. The three young men were not 
murderers, merely tough young boys determined to teach him a lesson and stop him 
from scavenging. Fannucci proved himself a murderer. A few weeks later the 
knife-wielder was shot to death and the families of the other two young men paid an 
indemnity to Fanucci to make him forswear his vengeance. After that the tributes 
became higher and Fanucci became a partner in the neighborhood gambling games. As 
for Vito Corleone, it was none of his affair. He forgot about it immediately. 
During World War I, when imported olive oil became scarce, Fanucci acquired a 
part-interest in the Abbandando grocery store by supplying it not only with oil, but 
imported Italian salami, hams and cheeses. He then moved a nephew into the store and 
Vito Corleone found himself out of a job. 
By this time, the second child, Frederioo, had arrived and Vito Corleone had four 
mouths to feed. Up to this time he had been a quiet, very contained young man who 
kept his thoughts to himself. The son of the grocery store owner, young Genco 
Abbandando, was his closest friend, and to the surprise of both of them, Vito 
reproached his friend for his father’s deed. Genco, flushed with shame, vowed to Vito 
that he would not have to worry about food. That he, Genco, would steal food from the 
grocery to supply his friend’s needs. This offer though was sternly refused by Vito as too 
shameful, a son stealing from his father. 
The young Vito, however, felt a cold anger for the dreaded Fanucci. He never showed 
this anger in any way but bided his time. He worked in the railroad for a few months and 
then, when the war ended, work became slow and he could earn only a few days’ pay a 
month. Also, most of the foremen were Irish and American and abused the workmen in 
the foulest language, which Vito always bore stone-faced as if he did not comprehend, 

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