Carlo Collodi Quotes

Never trust people who promise to make you rich in a day. They are generally crazy swindlers

A conscience is that still small voice that people won't listen to.

Hunger is the best cook.

Most unfortunately, in the lives of puppets there is always a 'but' that spoils everything.

What matters school? We can go to school to-morrow. Whether we have a lesson more or a lesson less, we shall always remain the same donkeys.

Woe to those who lead idle lives. Idleness is a dreadful illness and must be cured in childhood. If it is not cured then, it can never be cured.

Would it be possible to find a more ungrateful boy, or one with less heart than I have!

Lies, my dear boy, can easily be recognized. There are two kind of them: those with short legs, and those with long noses. Your kind have long noses.

In the Land of Toys, every day, except Sunday, is a Saturday. Vacation begins on the first of January and ends on the last day of December. That is the place for me! All countries should be like it! How happy we should all be!

Don't trust to those who promise to make you rich in a day. Usually they are either mad or rogues!

Today at school I will learn to read at once; then tomorrow I will begin to write, and the day after tomorrow to cipher. Then with my acquirements I will earn a great deal of money, and with the first money I have in my pocket I will immediately buy for my papa a beautiful new cloth coat. But what am I saying? Cloth, indeed! It shall be all made of gold and silver, and it shall have diamond buttons. That poor man really deserves it; for to buy me books and to have me taught he has remained in his shirt sleeves... And in this cold! It is only fathers who are capable of such sacrifices!...

Let me tell you that every man, whether he is born rich or poor, is obliged to do something in this world—to occupy himself, to work. Woe to those who lead slothful lives. Sloth is a dreadful illness and must be cured at once, in childhood. If not, when we are old it can never be cured.’ Pinocchio

Insegui ciò che ami o finirai per amare ciò che trovi.

If only sugar were medicine! I should take it every day.

When the dead person cries, it is a sign that he is on the road to get well,’ said the Crow solemnly.

Where are the gold pieces now?' the Fairy asked. 'I lost them,' answered Pinocchio, but he told a lie, for he had them in his pocket. As he spoke, his nose, long though it was, became at least two inches longer.

How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter, found a piece of wood that wept and laughed like a child. Centuries ago there lived -- "A king!" my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.

olhinhos de madeira, por que me fitam?

Non ti fidare, ragazzo mio, di quelli che promettono di farti ricco dalla mattina alla sera. Per il solito, o sono matti o imbroglioni!

Quel povero diavolo è stato derubato di quattro monete d'oro: pigliatelo dunque e mettetelo subito in prigione.

Akhirnya aku sadar, untuk mendapatkan uang banyak kita harus bekerja keras dengan tenaga dan pikiran kita sendiri.

non è il vestito bello che fa il signore, ma è piuttosto il vestito pulito.

it struck him exactly on the head, so that the poor Cricket had scarcely breath to cry cri-cri-cri, and then he remained dried up and flattened against the wall.

Are you not afraid of death? —Carlo Collodi, The Adventures of Pinocchio

After they had gone another mile, Pinocchio heard the same little low voice saying to him: 'Bear it in mind, simpleton! Boys who refuse to study, and turn their backs upon books, schools, and masters, to pass their time in play and amusements, sooner or later come to a bad end... I know it by experience... and I can tell you. A day will come when you will weep as I am weeping now... but then it will be too late!...' On hearing these words whispered very softly, the puppet, more frightened than ever, sprang down from the back of his donkey and went and took hold of his mouth. Imagine his surprise when he found that the donkey was crying... and he was crying like a boy!

Are you not afraid of death?' I am not in the least afraid!... I would rather die than drink that bitter medicine.' At that moment the door of the room flew open, and four rabbits as black as ink entered carrying on their shoulders a little bier. What do you want with me?' cried Pinocchio, sitting up in bed in a great fright. We are come to take you,' said the biggest rabbit. To take me?... But I am not yet dead!...' No, not yet: but you have only a few minutes to live, as you have refused the medicine that would have cured you of the fever.' Oh, Fairy, Fairy!' the puppet then began to scream, 'give me the tumbler at once... be quick, for pity's sake, for I will not die--no... I will not die....

In this world, we should treat everyone kindly as far as it is possible, that we ourselves may be treated kindly when we need it.

non ti fidare, ragazzo mio, di quelli che promettono di farti ricco dalla mattina alla sera. Per il solito, o sono matti o imbroglioni!" Il Grillo-parlante a Pinocchio

trompe-l’œil. Une casserole, peinte elle aussi, bouillait

Lapar, anakku... bukan alasan untuk mengambil sesuatu yang merupakan milik orang lain.. (hal. 93)

I say that a wise doctor, when he does not know what he is talking about, should know enough to keep his mouth shut.

I hope this island is inhabited by good people and not people who hang boys from trees

I hope this island is inhabited by good people and not people who hang boys from trees.

And Pinocchio, although he was a very merry boy, became sad also; because poverty, when it is real poverty, is understood by everybody - even by boys.

Don't trust, my boy, those who promise to make you rich in a day. Usually they are either mad or rogues!

Pinocchio,

On hearing himself called Polendina for the third time, Geppetto lost his head with rage and threw himself upon the carpenter. Then and there they gave each other a sound thrashing. After this fight, Mastro Antonio had two more scratches on his nose, and Geppetto had two buttons missing from his coat. Thus having settled their accounts, they shook hands and swore to be good friends for the rest of their lives.

L'uomo, per tua regola, nasca ricco o povero, è obbligato in questo mondo a far qualcosa, a occuparsi, a lavorare. Guai a lasciarsi prendere dall'ozio! L'ozio è una bruttissima malattia, e bisogna guarirla subito, fin da ragazzi: se no, quando siamo grandi, non si guarisce più.

That puppet there,’ continued the Talking-cricket, ‘is a confirmed rogue. …’ Pinocchio opened his eyes, but shut them again immediately. ‘He is a ragamuffin, a do-nothing, a vagabond. …. Pinocchio hid his face beneath the clothes. ‘That puppet there is a disobedient son who will make his poor father die of a broken heart! …’ At that instant a suffocated sound of sobs and crying was heard in the room. Imagine everybody’s astonishment when, having raised the sheets a little, it was discovered that the sounds came from Pinocchio. ‘When the dead person cries, it is a sign that he is on the road to get well,’ said the Crow solemnly. ‘I grieve to contradict my illustrious friend and colleague,’ added the Owl, ‘but for me, when the dead person cries, it is a sign that he is sorry to die.

oui : les mêmes yeux, les mêmes cheveux, oui, oui, des cheveux bleu-nuit comme les siens ! O ma chère petite Fée ! Ma Fée à moi ! Dites-moi que c’est vous, que c’est vraiment vous ! Ne me faites plus pleurer ! Si vous saviez comme j’ai pleuré ! J’ai tant pleuré !… En disant cela et tout en pleurant à chaudes larmes, Pinocchio se jeta à terre et enserra de ses bras les genoux de la mystérieuse jeune femme.

Davvero - disse fra se il burattino rimettendosi in viaggio – come siamo disgraziati noialtri ragazzi! Tutti ci sgridano, tutti ci ammoniscono, tutti ci danno dei consigli. A lasciarli dire, tutti si metterebbero in capo di essere i nostri babbi e i nostri maestri: tutti anche i Grilli-parlanti. Ecco qui: perché io non ho voluto dar retta a quell’uggioso di Grillo, chi lo sa quante disgrazie, secondo lui, mi dovrebbero accadere! Dovrei incontrare anche gli assassini! Meno male che agli assassini io non ci credo, né ci ho creduto mai. Per me gli assassini sono stati inventati apposta dai babbi, per far paura ai ragazzi che vogliono andare fuori la notte. E poi anche se li trovassi qui sulla strada, mi darebbero forse soggezione? Neanche per sogno. Andrei loro sul viso gridando: “Signori Assassini, cosa vogliono da me? Si rammentino che con me non si scherza. Se ne vadano per i fatti loro, e zitti!” A questa parlantina fatta sul serio, quei poveri assassini, mi par di vederli, scapperebbero via come il vento. Caso poi fossero tanto delicati da non voler scappare, allora scapparei io, e così la farei finita...

— C’era una volta.... — Un re! — diranno subito i miei piccoli lettori. — No, ragazzi, avete sbagliato. C’era una volta un pezzo di legno. Non era un legno di lusso, ma un semplice pezzo da catasta, di quelli che d’inverno si mettono nelle stufe e nei caminetti per accendere il fuoco e per riscaldare le stanze. Non so come andasse, ma il fatto gli è che un bel giorno questo pezzo di legno capitò nella bottega di un vecchio falegname, il quale aveva nome mastr’Antonio, se non che tutti lo chiamavano maestro Ciliegia, per via della punta del suo naso, che era sempre lustra e paonazza, come una ciliegia matura.

de demander l’aumône. Les vrais pauvres méritant assistance et compassion étaient uniquement ceux qui, trop âgés ou malades, ne pouvaient plus subvenir à leurs besoins en travaillant de leurs propres mains. Tous les autres devaient travailler et s’ils souffraient de la faim parce qu’ils ne faisaient rien, tant pis pour eux. A ce moment-là passa dans la rue un homme transpirant et haletant qui tirait à grand peine deux charrettes de charbon. Pinocchio, jugeant sa physionomie avenante, l’accosta et lui demanda d’une petite voix tout en baissant les yeux : – Me feriez-vous la charité d’un petit sou, car je meurs de faim ? – Ce n’est pas un mais quatre sous que je te donnerai – répondit le charbonnier – si tu m’aides à tirer ces charrettes jusque chez moi.

Quelle idée ! – répliqua la marionnette offensée – Sachez, pour votre gouverne, que je ne suis pas une bête de somme et que je n’ai jamais été attelé à une charrette ! – Tant mieux pour toi. Dans ce cas, mon garçon, si tu meurs vraiment de faim, mange donc deux belles tranches de ton superbe orgueil et prends bien garde de ne pas attraper une indigestion. Deux minutes plus tard, c’est un maçon qui passait en portant sur l’épaule un sac de chaux. – Mon bon monsieur, feriez-vous l’aumône d’un sou à un pauvre garçon qui baille tellement il a faim ? – supplia Pinocchio. – Bien volontiers – lui répondit le maçon – Je te donnerai même cinq sous si tu m’aides à porter ce sac. – Mais la chaux, c’est très lourd – fit remarquer Pinocchio – et je ne veux pas me fatiguer.

È dolce o amara? – È amara, ma ti farà bene. – Se è amara, non la voglio. – Da' retta a me: bevila. – A me l'amaro non mi piace. – Bevila: e quando l'avrai bevuta, ti darò una pallina di zucchero, per rifarti la bocca. – Dov'è la pallina di zucchero? – Eccola qui – disse la Fata, tirandola fuori da una zuccheriera d'oro. – Prima voglio la pallina di zucchero, e poi beverò quell'acquaccia amara.. – Me lo prometti? – Sì... La Fata gli dette la pallina, e Pinocchio, dopo averla sgranocchiata e ingoiata in un attimo, disse leccandosi i labbri: – Bella cosa se anche lo zucchero fosse una medicina!... Mi purgherei tutti i giorni. – Ora mantieni la promessa e bevi queste poche gocciole d'acqua, che ti renderanno la salute. Pinocchio prese di mala voglia il bicchiere in mano e vi ficcò dentro la punta del naso: poi se l'accostò alla bocca: poi tornò a ficcarci la punta del naso: finalmente disse: – È troppo amara! troppo amara! Io non la posso bere. – Come fai a dirlo, se non l'hai nemmeno assaggiata? – Me lo figuro! L'ho sentita all'odore. Voglio prima un'altra pallina di zucchero... e poi la beverò!...

Nella sala non si sente volare una mosca.

«Quando il morto piange vuol dire che sta guarendo» dice solennemente il Corvo. «Mi dispiace contraddire il mio illustre amico e collega,» aggiunge la Civetta, «ma per me, quando il morto piange è segno che gli dispiace di morire.»

Let’s return to the question with which we began: What “is real”? What “exists”? The answer is that this is a badly put question, signifying everything and nothing. Because the adjective “real” is ambiguous; it has a thousand meanings. The verb “to exist” has even more. To the question “Does a puppet whose nose grows when it lies exist?” it is possible to reply: “Of course it exists! It’s Pinocchio!”; or: “No, it doesn’t, it’s only part of a fantasy dreamed up by Carlo Collodi.” Both answers are correct, because they are using different meanings of the verb “exist.” There are so many different usages of the verb, different ways in which we can say that a thing exists: a law, a stone, a nation, a war, a character in a play, the god (or gods) of a religion to which we do not belong, the God of the religion to which we do belong, a great love, a number. . . . Each one of these entities “exists” and “is real” in a sense different from all the others.