He was a bright little fellow with a fresh-looking face, a clear eye and golden hair.

His father's name was Domenico Columbus; his mother's name was Susanna.

His father was a wool-comber.

He cleaned and straightened out the snarled-up wool that was cut from the sheep so as to make it ready to be woven into cloth.
Christopher helped his father do this when he grew strong enough, but he went to school, too, and learned to read and write and to draw maps and charts.

These charts were maps of the sea, to show the sailors where they could steer without running on the rocks and sand, and how to sail safely from one country to another.
This world was not as big then as it is now--or, should say, people did not know it was as big.