Professor Tarantoga, xenozoologist, traveller, and inventor, is a fictional character from science fiction works by Stanislaw Lem. Originally he appeared in The Star Diaries as a friend of the space travelerIjon Tichy and later appeared in some other works of Lem. Russian literary critic describes Tarantoga as "a hybrid of mini-Sabaoth and mini-Frankenstein with good-heardedness of Doctor Aybolit and absent-mindedness of Paganel", who exploited Ijon Tichy to test his crazy ideas: what will happen if the time will be slowed down or will made into a closed loop, etc. In addition to secondary appearances, Tarantoga is the main character of four plays.
''Curriculum vitae''
Tarantoga is professor of xenozoology at the University at Fomalhaut, chairman of the editorial committee for Ijon Tichy Opera Omnia, member of the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Tichology, inventor and creator of various fascinating devices.
A banknote with the infinity symbol denoting the infinite value
An apparatus for utilization of the wasteful energy of kids: a system of levers, dials, knobs, buttons, pulleys, etc., which are pushed/pulled/turned by children during their frolicking to produce electricity
Using dynosaurs to produce emergency messages on the surface of a planet seen from the outer space: one has to bother the herd to make them chase you across the forest so that they trample out an inscription. :
Tarantoga's opus magnum was the founding of the human civilization - After studying the biographies of the leading scientists and artists, Tarantoga found out that without exceptions all of them were drunkards and lazy. Therefore started sending smart young people into various epochs for them to invent differential calculus, to paint La Gioconda, etc.
Appearances
1954: The Star Diaries, "The Twenty Sixth Voyage, the Last One", in the collection '.
1957: The Star Diaries, in "The Twelfth Voyage", in which Ijon Tichy employs Prof. Tarantoga's new invention of time acceleration on the planet of Microcephalics.
1963: Wyprawa profesora Tarantogi, scenario, first print: collection Noc księżycowa
*1978: Die setlsamen Begenungen des Professor Tarantoga, 99 min., West Germany, director: Chuck Kerremans
1963: Dziwny gość profesora Tarantogi, scenario, first print: collection Noc księżycowa
*1979: Professor Tarantoga und sein seltsamer Gast, TV film, 21 April 1979, East Germany
1975: Godzina przyjęć profesora Tarantogi, radio play
*1977: Professor Tarantogas Sprechstunde, radio play by Bayerischer Rundfunk, West Germany, director. It was produced two more times, in 1978 and 1979 by Österreichischer Rundfunk, Austria
*1979: First time printed in collection Powtórka, 1979
