| The Coachman | |
|---|---|
 Illustration by Charles Copeland From 1904 Publication of The Adventures of Pinocchio | |
|
Real Name |
Unknown |
|
First Appearance |
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1881) |
|
Created by |
Carlo Collodi |
Origin[]
The coachman is introduced in chapter XXXI, and is described as thus:
"Picture for yourselves a little man, broader than he is tall, tender and greasy like a ball of butter, with a rosy face, a small, constantly laughing mouth and a thin, adorable voice of a cat wishing all the best to its master."
The Coachman as illustrated by Enrico Mazzanti.
The coachman’s name is never revealed, though he identifies himself in Chapter XXXII as merely “The Little Man”). He drives to Busy Bee Island on a coach pulled by twenty four donkeys which mysteriously wear white shoes on their hooves. By the time he arrives to take Pinocchio and Candlewick to the Land of Toys, his carriage is completely packed, leaving Candlewick to sit in front with him and Pinocchio to ride one of the donkeys. The donkey throws Pinocchio off, and is reproached by the coachman, who bites half its right ear off. When Pinocchio remounts the donkey, the animal begins to weep like a human, and warns Pinocchio of the impending danger he faces. The coachman again reproaches the animal by biting off half its other ear. The coachman proceeds to take the children to the Land of Toys, whilst singing to himself:
“All night they sleep And I never sleep…”
In chapter XXXII, the coachman visits Pinocchio and Candlewick five months later, when they have themselves become donkeys due to their idleness. He violently breaks into their house, meticulously waxes their fur, and puts them on sale. Candlewick is bought by a farmer, while Pinocchio is bought by a circus ringleader.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of the Coachman from before January 1, 1931 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- The Adventures of Pinocchio (1881)
Public Domain Animated Appearances[]
- The Adventures of Pinocchio (1972 film)