The Scoop OCTOBER 2017 | Page 21

When Pinocchio gets home, alone, the Talking Cricket (Jiminy Cricket) warns Pinocchio of the consequences of disobedience. Out of anger, Pinocchio picks up a hammer and throws it at the Talking Cricket and accidentally kills him. That same evening, Pinocchio falls asleep with his feet on the stove, and by morning, his feet are burned off. Geppetto is then released from prison and builds him a new pair of feet. You would think that by now Pinocchio would learn that “what comes around, goes around,” but alas he does not. Pinocchio promises to go to school, and Gepetto sells his only coat to buy Pinocchio a school book. Pinocchio heads to school, but then he sells his school book for a ticket to see a show at the Great Marionette Theatre. The puppet master (Mangiafuoco) gives Pinocchio five gold coins to give to Gepetto when he hears about how poor his father is.

As Pinocchio heads home to his father’s house to give him the gold coins, he meets a fox and cat that claim to plant gold coins in the Field of Miracles will turn into a tree of gold. A blackbird tries to warn Pinocchio of their deceiving nature, but the cat eats the blackbird. The fox and cat stop at an inn using Pinocchio’s gold coins. Then they leave the inn, telling the innkeeper to let Pinocchio know that the one the of the cat’s kitten had gotten sick, and they would meet Pinocchio at the Field of Miracles. Pinocchio continues, despite the warnings from the ghost of the Talking Cricket. Meanwhile, the fox and cat then disguise themselves as bandits and then try to ambush Pinocchio. Their attempt fails as Pinocchio bites the cat’s paw off, but they continue to chase after Pinocchio and eventually catch up to him. They tie Pinocchio up into a tree with his neck and wait for Pinocchio to suffocate and die so that they can take the gold pieces that are hidden under his tongue.

This scene where Pinocchio remains hanging was meant to be the ending of the story, as Collodi wanted the moral of the story to be geared towards children that being naughty would lead to serious consequences. His editor, however, requested that Collodi to continue writing. That’s where Fairy with Turquoise Hair (The Blue Fairy) saves Pinocchio and rest of the story go on where Pinocchio finally learns his lesson and helps his father.

We all know the classic 1940 Disney movie, “Pinocchio,” where a toymaker named Geppetto creates a wooden puppet named Pinocchio and wishes upon a star that he would become a real boy. His wish is somewhat granted by the blue fairy. Instead of Pinocchio becoming a real boy, he is an alive puppet. The whole story continues with Pinocchio having to prove to the blue fairy that he is worthy of becoming a real live boy. The Disney adaptation is based on a story published in the newspaper as a serial called The Adventures of Pinocchio written in 1881 and 1882 by Carlo Collod

In Collodi’s original story of Pinocchio, a carpenter finds a talking block and pinewood and decides to give it to Geppetto, a poor puppeteer. Geppetto carves the block into the boy and decides to name him Pinocchio. The deviousness personality of Pinocchio is already set in even before he is built. As soon as Gepetto finishes building Pinocchio’s leg, Pinocchio does not hesitate to kick him. Once Geppetto is finished building Pinocchio, Pinocchio runs away and the townspeople to assume Geppetto is abusing Pinocchio, which causes Geppetto to become imprisoned.

OCTOBER DISNEY TRUTH: PINOCCHIO

"A lie keeps growing and growing until it's as clear as the nose on your face."