Geppetto, a poor woodcarver, creates a puppet named Pinocchio, hoping it will bring him luck. As he carves, he is astonished to find that the puppet's eyes move and its mouth begins to laugh at him. Pinocchio exhibits mischievous behavior, stealing Geppetto's wig and kicking him. Despite his attempts to teach the puppet to walk, Pinocchio escapes into the street, causing a commotion. Geppetto chases after him but cannot catch him. A soldier intervenes, capturing Pinocchio by the nose and returning him to Geppetto. However, Geppetto discovers he forgot to carve ears, making punishment difficult. The crowd around them sympathizes with Pinocchio, leading to Geppetto's arrest instead. Geppetto laments his efforts to raise the puppet properly, realizing his mistakes too late.
By Carlo Collodi · First published 1881 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure