A fable is a fictional narrative that typically aims to impart a moral lesson to the reader. Fables are usually short and often feature animal characters or inanimate objects as animate characters. The literary form of the fable first appeared in the fourth century BC through the prolific author Aesop, who wrote over 200 fables (“Fable.” Britannica, 12 June 2023).

Traditional fables involve a single conflict followed by a resolution. Through the resolution (or sometimes lack thereof), a truism or moral is imparted. The Adventures of Pinocchio borrows many conventions of the fable, although, unlike traditional fables, the narrative is long and involves numerous conflicts and resolutions. As a result of the comparative complexity of the fable, numerous lessons are imparted through Pinocchio’s adventures, including that children should obey their parents, unrealistic temptations should be avoided, one should not fall for charismatic conmen, children should work hard and study hard, and children should not lie.

This final moral lesson—children should not lie—is perhaps the most well-known in terms of the story of Pinocchio, as it is emphasized in the movie adaptations, including the extremely popular 1940 animated Disney film adaptation of Collodi’s work.