Carlo Collodi - Histórias Alegres

Carlo Collodi's *Merry Stories* is a collection of eight short stories originally published between 1883 and 1887. As with all of Collodi's writing, the author of *Pinocchio*, *Merry Stories*, seemingly written for children, are lessons or provocations (and sometimes both) for readers of all ages.

These short narratives highlight the Italian writer's sharp sense of humor, as well as his ironic mastery in revealing a consistently wise and intelligent moral, sometimes with considerable subtlety, other times with more explicit comedy, but always revolving around the notion of healthy learning: how a child should, in a balanced way, mature in the perception of truly relevant values, without ignoring the ridiculous dimension of certain adults, more childish than many children.

In this way, Collodi's texts confront the universe of childhood with the adult world to define the essence of the human being, with its strengths and weaknesses. Collodi never let his childhood slip away throughout his working life in various fields – from journalism to translation – thus making him an author for all ages.