ðə zˈæni ʌv kəmˈiːdiə dˈɛlɑːɹt ɑːɹ ˈɔfən tɹˈɪki slˈeɪvz, æz ɑːɹ pˈʊsɪnbˈuːts ɪn pˈɛɹɔlts fˈɛɹi tˈeɪl, dʒˈiːvz ɪn pˈiː. dʒˈiː. wˈoʊdhaʊsᵻz wˈɜːk, fɪɡˈæɹoʊ ɪnðɪ ˈɑːpɚɹə ðə bˈɑːɹbɚɹ ʌv səvˈɪl ænd sˈɜːpɪnə ɪnðɪ ˈɑːpɚɹə lˌæ sˈɜːvə pædɹˈoʊnə.
The zanni of Commedia dell'arte are often tricky slaves, as are Puss-in-Boots in Perrault's fairy tale, Jeeves in P. G. Wodehouse's work, Figaro in the opera The Barber of Seville and Serpina in the opera La serva padrona.