Collodi's Cricket Trivia Quiz

Answer: Italy

"Hmm hopefully you all got that one right. My life began in Italy not America like most people think. However, Walt Disney was the American animator who really brought me to life in 1940. It was Disney's second film, after the success of 'Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged People' -- okay they were called dwarves, I was just trying to be polite."

"Now back to Carlo Collodi. He was born in Florence, Italy in 1826. He became an accomplished writer of children's stories. In 1880 he began writing "Storia di un Burattino" simply translated as "Story of a Marionette." It was first published in "Il Giornale dei Bambini" which was a newspaper especially for children. Who knew way back then that me and my wooden friend would become so famous? It really is all thanks to dear old Collodi!"

Answer: Talking Cricket

"Sorry for tripping most of you up on this one! Mister Collodi introduces me in Chapter Four of his book as the Talking Cricket. Alas he did not give me a name. Those wizards of animation at Disney baptized me Jiminy Cricket. You see this euphonism for Jesus Christ had been used in both "Snow White" and the "Wizard of Oz." I think it suits me just fine. Thanks Walt!"

Answer: The Fairy with the Turquoise Hair

"I'm not even quite sure what color turquoise is, but I think Blue Fairy suits my friend. Carlo introduces the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair for the first time in Chapter 15 of his book. She appears as a young woman living in a cottage in the woods. She saves my wooden friend's life and then appears throughout the story giving him good advice and teaching him some much needed life lessons.

At the end of the story, her highness transforms the marionette into a real flesh and blood boy. I was very impressed with this little piece of magic. I am also quite indebted to the turquoise-haired fairy because she gave me a very nice house to live in towards the end of the story."

Answer: Pinocchio

"Pinocchio is, of course, the main character in my master's story, 'The Adventures of Pinocchio.' The wood-carver skillfully carves him into the likeness of a young boy. His clothing is flowered paper, his shoes are painted wood, and his little hat is made of bread. Everyone knows about Pinocchio's nasal issues.

It seems that a magic enchantment causes the boy's nose to grow every time he tells a lie. The more lies he tells the longer his nose grows. The poor boy at one point got stuck inside the house because his nose had grown so long and he could not even turn around. I am sure that would have been a World Record if the people from Guinness had shown up with their tape measure."

Answer: Geppetto

"Geppetto is very old and a kindly man. Perhaps living alone caused him to breathe life and hope into that bewitched block of pinewood. Geppetto was an expert carver. I was sad when the villagers made fun of him and called him names. They thought he was funny looking with his yellow wig and spectacles. How he wanted to be a successful puppeteer. Pinocchio was going to help him tour the countryside to make a living putting on marionette shows.

However, no sooner had Geppetto taught the ungrateful puppet how to walk, than the boy had run out the door and into town to cause more mischief."

Answer: Fox and Cat

"Yep, that block-head let Fox and Cat persuade him to bury four gold coins in the ground in an attempt to grow a money tree. That dastardly fox faked lameness and the cat pretended to be blind. At the Red Prawn Inn, the two tricksters made Pinocchio pay for their meal and then, disguised as murderers, ambushed the poor boy and hung him from a tree.

In the struggle, Pinnochio managed to bite off the cat's front paw. Now that's what I call a case of 'cat cut your tongue.'"

Answer: Pinocchio throws a wooden mallet and kills me

"Unbelievable as it may seem, the little tyke has a very good pitching arm. There I was trying to give him some good advice, my exact words were "you are a puppet, and what's worse is that you have a head of wood," and the ungrateful scoundrel picks up a wooden mallet and snuffs out my little cricket life. Thank goodness again for my friend the Turquoise Hairy Fairy.

She let me come back as a ghost and the moral conscience of that careless juvenile delinquent."

Answer: Me, the talking cricket

"Those cowardly villains, fox and cat, had left Pinocchio to die hanging in the tree. The blue-haired fairy sent the poodle and falcon to rescue him. Owl and crow were then called to ascertain whether Pinocchio was dead or not. Although they could not tell, with my advanced medical expertize, I was able to declare him not dead. I also let him know that he was a disobedient young man and that he was breaking the heart of poor Geppetto. If that was not enough, Pinocchio then lied to the blue-haired fairy about where the gold coins went. I have never seen a wooden boy's nose grow so long. Thank goodness for those kindly woodpeckers that came down and wittled the proboscis down to a more manageable proportion.

Much cheaper than plastic surgery too."

Answer: Lampwick

"I knew there was going to be trouble when Pinocchio met that Romeo character. Romeo, also known as Lampwick, was a tall, skinny boy. Can you believe that Lampwick persuaded Pinocchio to run away to Toyland with him? Lampwick said that Toyland was a place where little boys did not have to go to school. Can you imagine the horror for little Pinocchio when he woke to find himself turning into a donkey? I think it was a squirrel that explained that little boys who play all day instead of going to school end up becoming donkeys. Pinocchio was lucky he did not remain a donkey.

His old friend Lampwick was not so fortunate and died a donkey on Farmer John's farm. Oh the irony; that reminds me that a donkey is still a donkey even if he is finely saddled."

Answer: Dogfish

"Yes indeedy, the 'Terrible Dogfish' was larger than a five-storey building and almost a mile long, with fearsome teeth and an asthma problem. Poor Geppetto was swallowed by the big fish. Two years later, Pinocchio, and a friendly tuna, were also swallowed by the same fish. Pinocchio discovered the sickly Geppetto and helped him escape while the fish was sleeping. Pinocchio was a true hero and, because he showed such inestimable character fortitude, I allowed him and Geppetto to come live with me in the cute little house that her blue hairiness provided for me."