Summary of “Jelsomino in the Land of Liars” Rodari
Gelsomino’s boyfriend (in Italian – “jasmine”) from birth is endowed with an unusually loud voice, capable of destroying the walls. Only from this gift – continuous trouble. Suspicious neighbors do not give Jelsomino a passage; some consider him a good magician, others – an evil sorcerer. One day, Gelsomino goes to wander around the world in search of happiness – and gets to the Land of Liars. By order of King Giacomon, a former pirate, along with his gang seized power, everyone in this country, even animals, is obliged to constantly lie. Cats are told to bark, dogs – meow; horses moo, and cows – neigh. Children at school learn the table of multiplication by a whirlwind. The artist must draw a horse with thirteen legs, a camel with five humps and portraits with six eyes and three noses. In the bakery, instead of bread, they sell ink, in the course of only fake coins, and about all events people learn from the newspaper “Exemplary
The very concept of “The Land of Liars” has become a metaphor for a hypocritical and two-faced policy. The name Gelsomino in Italy and in Russia has become a household name, and it can also be used with a negative connotation (gorlopan, screamer, a man with loud to indecent voice, compare the expression “Said in a whisper to Gelsomino” – it is said so that everyone will hear). and as a praise to a singer or orator (“He sings like Gelsomino” – his singing is beyond praise). Less often, the name Jelsomino in the nominal meaning is a standard of honesty or naivety. In this case, a person who does not know how to cheat and hypocrite is compared with Gelsomino.