The Rocking Horsefly is a character from the 1951 Disney animated feature film Alice in Wonderland.
Background[]
The Rocking Horsefly is a flying being with insect-like wings taking the form of a rocking horse, hence its name located on both sides of its body. It has a yellow coloration all around its body as well as a red saddle placed on its torso as well as having its legs connected to a pair of red rockers. Due to its equine-like appearance, it is capable of making horse noises when it feels excited. Its name is a pun on "rocking horse" and "horsefly", interpreting it as a rocking horse with insect wings resembling those of a fly hence its name, making it a hybrid between a horse and an actual fly.
Origins[]
The Rocking Horsefly is based on the character of the same name from Lewis Carroll's book Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. In the original book, it is depicted having black dots and wings on its back with a pair of rockers located on its legs as well as being made of wood, rocks about, gets around by swinging from branch to branch, and is shown to live on sap and sawdust.
Yet the Disney depiction shows it having a red saddle placed on its torso and a yellow coloration over its body and is shown to live in the Meadow of Living Flowers, unlike its book counterpart.
Appearances[]
Alice in Wonderland[]
Alice encounters the Rocking Horsefly at the Meadow of Living Flowers, where it is seen flying past a group of flowers just before flies past Alice, neighing at her just before the Rose replies to her, "Naturally" trying to get Alice's attention. It later appears again during the musical number "All in the Golden Afternoon" where it lands on the Rose's baton only for her to shoo it away. It later flies past two caterpillars (one with a dog head and a cat head respectively) just before flying past a sleepy daisy resting on a hammock only for the flower to shoo it away. It is not seen again afterwards.
Alice's Wonderland Bakery[]
There are lots of Rocking Horseflies that appear in the show. In one episode where Alice and Rosa Corazón are shrunk, they both ride a Rocking Horsefly to get to the palace.
Disney Parks[]
Alice in Wonderland[]
The Rocking Horsefly appears in the Disneyland ride where it is seen next to a Daffodil as the Rocking Horsefly rocks back and forth while the flowers are singing "All in the Golden Afternoon" just before guests encounter the Caterpillar.
Originally, the Rocking Horsefly was seen in animatronic form next to one of the Daffodils. However, as of the 2014 refurbishment, the animatronic was replaced by an animated projection of the Rocking Horsefly flying behind the Daffodil.
Trivia[]
- The model sheet for the Rocking Horsefly in the 1951 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland suggests that there were to be different types of Rocking Horseflies in the film.[1]
- A similar rocking horse with the characteristics of a fly appeared in the 2010 Tim Burton adaptation of Alice in Wonderland appearing only briefly. Unlike the original version of the character, this depiction is shown having a white and black polka dotted-body and is seen having a pair of butterfly wings and appears fighting against a Snap Dragonfly in the mushroom garden.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ "Flower Suggestions Model Sheet - Rocking Horse Flies and Bread & Butter Flies". Vintage Disney Alice in Wonderland (March 22, 2011).
