Disney Origins.. || Pinocchio ||

So, I’m starting off a different series here on Feed The Crime, I love researching the origins of books and movies so I thought that I would research the original stories that inspired our beloved Disney movies.

While I was reading through all the research, the one which I found most shocking was the origins of Pinocchio. So, I thought if I’m gonna share these with you I may as well ruin your childhood, right?

Keep your hands and feet in the vehicle at all times, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride, here goes…

The *Tale of a Puppet* by C. Collodi. Illustrations by Charles Folkard. 1914.

Carl Collodi created Pinocchio: The Tale of a Puppet in 1881, now, he intended this to be a tragedy. He hated children, especially boys, he called them ‘scummy little rodents’ Every boy in in Pinocchio is stupid, disobedient, greedy and filthy but none are worse than Pinocchio himself.

Little warning: things get a lot darker from here…

Jiminy Cricket was referred to as “Talking Cricket” and unfortunately when the cricket tried to give Pinocchio some good advice, he killed him with a mallet!!

For his behaviour, Pinocchio is robbed, kidnapped, stabbed, whipped, starved, jailed, punched in the head and has his legs burnt off! (Sleep tight kids!!)

Collodi recalls each of these punishments in loving detail. Just read this, when Pinocchio is caught in an iron trap he’s “so giddy with pain that stars of every colour danced before his eyes”.
This is the ‘nicest’ one, I won’t show anymore of them because honestly they are so sadistic and dark! I don’t want to be giving any of you nightmares.

Pinocchio was originally published serially in the weekly Giornale dei bambini the newspaper for kids… I’m sorry what now? This was actually published for kids!!

Pinocchio’s bad behaviour is meant to serve as a warning, the story actually concludes with his execution! His enemies (the fox and the cat) bind his arms, pass a noose around his throat and hang him from a tree!
No happy endings here folks

Disney’s Moral: If you are brave, truthful and listen to your conscience then you will find salvation.
Collodi’s moral: if you behave badly and do not obey adults, you will be bound, tortured and killed!