The Talking Cricket

Talking Cricket
The Adventures of Pinocchio character
Il Grillo Parlante, as illustrated by Enrico Mazzanti
First appearance	The Adventures of Pinocchio
Created by	Carlo Collodi
Information
Species	Cricket
Gender	Male

The Talking Cricket (Italian: Il Grillo Parlante) is a fictional character that appears in Carlo Collodi's 1883 book The Adventures of Pinocchio (Le avventure di Pinocchio).

The Cricket, which has lived in Geppetto's house for over a century, makes his first appearance in chapter IV, after Pinocchio's mischief has landed his creator Geppetto in prison, and insists that Pinocchio must either attend school or work, to function properly in the world. When Pinocchio refuses to listen, the Cricket states, "You are a puppet and what's worse is that you have a head of wood", whereupon Pinocchio throws a mallet at the cricket, killing him.

In chapter XIII, the Cricket appears as a ghost to Pinocchio, telling him to return home rather than keep an appointment with the Fox and the Cat (Il Gatto e la Volpe). Pinocchio refuses and in chapter XIV, he is subsequently injured. The Cricket reappears in chapter XVI, where his colleagues, the Crow and the Owl, and he tend to Pinocchio's injuries.

The Cricket makes his final appearance in chapter XXXVI, living in a house given him by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair, at which he allows Pinocchio and the ailing Geppetto to stay while Geppetto recovers his health.

"Trouble awaits boys who rebel against their parents and capriciously abandon their paternal home! They will never experience goodness in this world, and sooner or later, they will have to pay for it sourly."- chapter IV

"My boy, do not trust those who promise to make you rich overnight. They are usually either mad or charlatans! Heed my words, and turn back." - chapter XIII

"Now you call me “your dear little cricket”, true? But do you not recall when, to banish me from your house, you threw a mallet at me?"- chapter XXXVI