Lloyd Alexander Quotes

Neither refuse to give help when it is needed, ... nor refuse to accept it when it is offered. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I decided that adventure was the best way to learn about writing. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Children's books are written to be read, adult books are written to be talked about at cocktail parties ~ Lloyd Alexander

Inconvient things are always remembered ~ Lloyd Alexander

I can't say I'm unhappy about it,' added the bard, 'I get along well enough with mice, and I've always been found of birds, but when you put the two together I'd just as soon avoid them. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I believe you know my quest from its beginning to its end, and that I seed to learn my parentage.

"Parentage?" said Orddu. "Nothing easier. Choose any parents you please. Since none of you has ever known each other, what difference can it possibly make - to them or to you? Believe what you like. You'll be surprised how comforting it is. ~ Lloyd Alexander

By all means," cried the bard, his eyes lighting up. "A Fflam to the rescue! Storm the castle! Carry it by assault! Batter down the gates!"
"There's not much of it left to storm," said Eilonwy.
"Oh?" said Fflewddur, with disappointment. "Very well, we shall do the best we can. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Miss Vesper Holly has the digestive talents of a goat and the mind of a chess master. She is familiar with half a dozen languages and can swear fluently in all of them. She understands the use of a slide rule but prefers doing calculations in her head. She does not hesitate to risk life and limb- mine as well as her own. No doubt she has other qualities as yet undiscovered. I hope not. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Books can truly change our lives: the lives of those who read them, the lives of those who write them. Readers and writers alike discover things they never knew about the world and about themselves. ~ Lloyd Alexander

In addition to the smells of mince and pumpkin pies, the Sage and onions of turkey stuffing, another aroma floated in the air, the very essence of Santa Claus.
Years later, when I was grown up, I still remembered that marvelous fragrance and recognized it as Scotch whisky. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Of wisdom there are as many patterns as a loom can weave. Yours is the wisdom of good and kindly heart. Scarce it is and its worth all the greater. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Surely you can entrust your task to your friends."
"No," said Taran, after a long pause, "I have taken it on myself through my own choice."
"If that is so," answered Medwyn, "then you can give it up through your own choice. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Is a man truly what he see himself to be?'
'Only if what he sees is true. ~ Lloyd Alexander

She had no particular breed in mind, no unusual requirements. Except the special sense of mutual recognition that tells dog and human they have both come to the right place. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter."
"It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake of our quest."
"It isn't right," Eilonwy began, tears starting in her eyes.
"We do not speak of rightness," Taran answered. "We speak of a task to be finished. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I can't make sense out of that girl," he said to the bard, "Can you?"
"Never mind," Fflewddur said, "We aren't really expected to. ~ Lloyd Alexander

There are heroes and heroes. I don't deny he's acted bravely on occasion. He's fought beside Lord Gwydion and been proud of himself as a chick wearing eagle's feathers. But that's only one kind of bravery. Has the darling robin ever scratched for his own worms? That's bravery of another sort. And between the two, dear Orwen, he might find the latter shows the greater courage. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Since no one has mentioned it,' said Eilonwy, 'it seems I'm not being asked to come along. Very well, I shan't insist.'
'You, too, have gained wisdom, Princess,' said Dallben. 'Your days on Mona were not ill-spent.'
'Of course,' Eilonwy went on, 'after you leave, the thought may strike me that it's a pleasent day for a short ride to go picking wildflowers which might be hard to find, especially since it's almost winter. Not that I'd be following you, you understand. But I might, by accident, lose my way, and mistakenly happen to catch up with you. By then, it would be too late for me to come home, through no fault of my own. ~ Lloyd Alexander

It is strange,' he said at last. 'I had longed to enter the world of men. Now I see it filled with sorrow, with cruelty and treachery, with those who would destroy all around them.'
'Yet, enter it you must,' Gwydion answered, 'for it is a destiny laid on each of us. True, you have seen these things. But there are equal parts of love and joy. ~ Lloyd Alexander

All that writers can do is keep trying to say what is deepest in their hearts. ~ Lloyd Alexander

If life is a loom, the pattern you weave is not so easily unraveled. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I knew something was wrong when you started being so polite. ~ Lloyd Alexander

If I do find pride, I'll not find it in what I was or what I am, but what I may become. Not in my birth, but in myself. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Draw Dyrnwyn, only thou of noble worth, to rule with justice, to strike down evil. Who wields it in good cause shall slay even the Lord of Death. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Just because you've seen something doesn't mean you'll stop looking. There's always something you didn't see before. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Don't pout that way, my child, you'll give yourself a blister ~ Lloyd Alexander

I only suggest to you: Will you dwell on killing this man? You wish for revenge? If you do, he has already killed you by slow poison. So, let it go. Why waste your time? His life will see to his death. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Trust your luck, Taran Wanderer. But don't forget to put out your nets! ~ Lloyd Alexander

No, no," said Taran slowly, "It would be folly to think of attacking them." He smiled quickly at Fflewddur. "The bards would sing of us," he admitted, "but we'd be in no position to appreciate it. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Each day of war takes us farther from all we could hope to be or do. We gain nothing but heartbreak, and lose everything we cherish. Our lives erode and diminish, our children see no future except a calendar of anguish and death. Our only hope for tomorrow is for peace now. ~ Lloyd Alexander

My luck's no greater than yours or any man's. You need only sharpen your eyes to see your luck when it comes, and sharpen your wits to use what falls into your hands. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I ask no comfort," Taran replied, "but the truth, be it harsh or happy."
"Ah, my sweet robin," said Orddu, "for the finding of that, nothing is harder. There are those who have spent lifetimes at it, and many in worse plight than yours. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Are you slow-witted? I'm so sorry for you. It's terrible to be dull and stupid. ~ Lloyd Alexander

We are beginning to learn that intangibles have more specific gravity than we suspected, that ideas can generate as much forward thrust as Atlas missiles. We may win a victory in exploring the infinities of outer space, but it will be a Pyrrhic victory unless we can also explore the infinities of our inner spirit. We have supersensitive thermographs to show us the slightest variations in skin temperature. No devices can teach us the irrelevance of skin color. WE can transplant a heart from one person to another in a brilliant feat of surgical virtuosity. Now we are ready to try it the hard way: transplanting understanding, compassion, and love from one person to another. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Eventually, I was sent to Wales and Germany, and after the war, to Paris. ~ Lloyd Alexander

My parents were horrified when I told them I wanted to be an author. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I know it isn't nice to vex people on purpose - it's like handing them a toad - but this is much too good to miss and I may never have another chance at it. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Writings can be stolen, or changed, or used for evil purposes. But isn't the risk worth taking? The more people who share knowledge, the greater safeguard for it. Isn't there more danger in ignorance than knowledge? ~ Lloyd Alexander

Craftsmanship isn't like water in an earthen pot, to be taken out by the dipperful until it's empty. No, the more drawn out the more remains. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Keep reading
It's one of the
most adventures
that anyone
can have ~ Lloyd Alexander

The muse in charge of fantasy wears good, sensible shoes. ~ Lloyd Alexander

How easy it is to think well of ourselves. Until the moment is upon us, we can never be certain. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Any fool can tell a story. Take a few odds and ends of things that happen to you, dress them up, shuffle them about, add a dash of excitement, a little color, and there you have it. ~ Lloyd Alexander

When I was discharged, I attended the University of Paris and met a beautiful Parisian girl, Janine. We soon married and eventually returned to the States. ~ Lloyd Alexander

King Constantine IX of Regia had been killed three times and was bored with it. He wanted a bath. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Story , finally, is humanity 's autobiography . ~ Lloyd Alexander

There is truth in all things, if you understand them well. ~ Lloyd Alexander

What! I don't care about being a princess! And since I'm already a young lady, how else could I behave? That's like asking a fish not to swim!"
~Princess Eilonwy, daughter of Angharad, daughter of Regat, of the Royal house of Llyr ~ Lloyd Alexander

I've heard men complain of doing woman's work, and women complain of doing man's work," she added, fastening her bony thumb and forefinger on Gurgi's ear and marching him to a stool beside Taran, "but I've never heard the work complain of who did it, so long as it got done! ~ Lloyd Alexander

Count the deed, not the thought. ~ Lloyd Alexander

You know how chickens are, imagining the world coming to an end one moment, then pecking corn the next. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I, too, shall seek honor. But I shall seek it where I know it will be found. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Two cats can live as cheaply as one, and their owner has twice as much fun ~ Lloyd Alexander

I have to smile, remembering myself as a very much younger man. I was still looking for a way to say -- whatever it was, if anything, I had to say.

"Although it didn't feel that way at the time, those years were a blessing, heavily disguised. Or, say, the kind of gift the enchantresses Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch bestow on the unwitting recipient. Perhaps we have to serve an apprenticeship to life before we can serve one to art. We can't begin doing our best for children until we ourselves begin growing up. ~ Lloyd Alexander

The destinies of men are woven one with the other, and you can turn aside from them no more than you can turn aside from your own. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Stale water is a poor drink,' said Annlaw. 'Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began. ~ Lloyd Alexander

All agreed that Quickset was the cleverest cat in the world. And, since Quickset had the same opinion, it was surely true. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I'm trying to make myself invisible."
"That's an odd thing to attempt. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I can't stand people who say 'I told you so.' That's worse than somebody coming up and eating your dinner before you have a chance to sit down. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Two things never mix: one is enchantments and the other is meddling with them. ~ Lloyd Alexander

It is harsh enough for each man to bear his own wound. But he who leads bears the wounds of all who follow him. ~ Lloyd Alexander

He will not succeed in this," Taran said. "Somehow, we must find a way to escape. We dare not lose hope."
"I agree absolutely," Fflewddur answered. "Your general idea is excellent; it's only the details that are lacking ... ~ Lloyd Alexander

For Wayfarers still journeying, for Wanderers at rest. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I cannot forgive myself for what I did. It has long been one of my strictest principles not to interfere with the life of any individual, let alone attempt to shorten it. If an exception were to be made, Dr. Helvitius would surely qualify. It might be argued that, having neither scruples nor conscience, he had no claim upon the conscience of someone else - least of all, his intended victims. But that is a question to be resolved by a judgment higher than mine. In the event, my responsibility toward Vesper outweighed every other consideration.
I can state in all honesty: I meant only to wound him.
I cannot forgive myself - for missing the villain completely. ~ Lloyd Alexander

If I fret over tomorrow, I'll have little joy today. ~ Lloyd Alexander

My concern is how we learn to be genuine human beings. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Gwydion stood as a wolf at bay, his green eyes glittering, his teeth bared. ~ Lloyd Alexander

A man who claims to be fearless is an idiot or a liar. ~ Lloyd Alexander

For man to be worthy of any rank, he must strive first to be a man. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Back in middle school, Catherine and I had gone through this stage where all we would read were fantasy books. We'd consume them like M&M's, by the fistful, J.R.R. Tolkien and Terry Brooks and Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander. Susan Boone looked, to me, like the queen of the elves (there's almost always an elf queen in fantasy books). I mean, she was shorter than me and had on a strange lineny outfit in pale blues and greens ... ~ Meg Cabot

The only thing a cat worries about is what's happening right now. As we tell the kittens, you can only wash one paw at a time. ~ Lloyd Alexander

At the end of their grim race, death might be the only prize. ~ Lloyd Alexander

The dear girl, I fear, may be contemplating some alarming, disruptive perhaps dangerous project. In which case, I would naturally do all in my power to keep her from any such rash or foolhardy enterprise – unless she wished me to accompany her. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Most cats do not approach humans recklessly. The possibility of concealed weapons, clods or sticks, tend to make them reserved. Homeless cats in particular-with some justification, unfortunately-consider humans their natural enemies. Much ceremony must be observed, and a number of diplomatic feelers put out, before establishing a state of truce. ~ Lloyd Alexander

When imagination fails, compassion and humaneness dwindle and atrophy along with it. Unleavened by imagination, the variety and richness of life turn into flat abstractions; people become objects to be manipulated
with the social consequences we know all too well. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Children's literature is considerably more functional than a good portion of adult literature. If I were cynical, I might say: Children's books are written to be read; adult books are written to be talked about at cocktail parties.
There may be more truth that cynicism in that statement. My impression is that many adult books are written only to shock the reader (a short term goal, since shock quickly turns into boredom) or as calisthenics for the author's ego.
On the other hand, children's literature seems an area where books function as they were meant to; where they amaze, delight, and move our emotions. We can respect and admire any number of current adult books, but I find it hard to love them. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Every living thing deserves our respect ... be it humble or proud, ugly or beautiful. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Who but lovers dream alike? ~ Lloyd Alexander

On the level of high art, in their common efforts to express human truths, relationships, attitudes, and personal visions, children's literature and adult literature meet and sometimes merge, and we wonder then whether a given work is truly for children or truly for grown-ups. The answer, of course, is: for both. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I intend to follow the path of virtue. It will not be overcrowded. ~ Lloyd Alexander

And so they lived many happy years, and the promised tasks were accomplished. Yet long afterward, when all had passed away into distant memory, there were many who wondered whether King Taran, Queen Eilonwy, and their companions had indeed walked the earth, or whether they had been no more than dreams in a tale set down to beguile children. And, in time, only the bards knew the truth of it. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Go back' Taran shouted at the top of his voice.'Have you lost your wits?'
Eilonwy, for it was she, half-halted. She had tucked her plaited hair under a leather helmet. The Princess of Llyr smiled cheerfully at him. 'I understand you're upset,' she shouted back, 'but that's no cause to be rude.' She galloped on.
For a time, Taran could not believe he had really seen her. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Once you have courage to look upon evil, seeing it for what it is and naming it by its true name, it is powerless against you, and you can destroy it. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I know that some readers think (The High King) should have ended differently. I cried for three days afterwards. ~ Lloyd Alexander

After I saved some money, I quit work and went to a local college. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Righteousness [is] always more believable when combined with dreariness. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Llonio said life was a net for luck; to Hevydd the Smith life was a forge; and to Dwyvach the Weaver-Woman a loom. They spoke truly, for it is all of these. But you,' Taran said, his eyes meeting the potter's, 'you have shown me life is one thing more. It is clay to be shaped, as raw clay on a potter's wheel. ~ Lloyd Alexander

A man's life weighs more then glory, and a price paid in blood is a heavy reckoning. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Torrens kicked at the door until it was finally opened. The farm couple and three youngsters had been eating breakfast in the common room. The yard dog would have bounded in had not Torrens kicked the door shut.

'I want a bed. Quilts. A hot drink. I am a doctor. This woman is my patient.'

The farm couple was terrified. The look on the face of Torrens cut short any questions. They did as he ordered. One of the children ran to fetch his medical kit from the cart. The woman motioned for Torrens to set Caroline on a straw pallet. The farmer kept his distance, but his wife, shyly, fearffully, ventured closer. She glanced at Torrens, as if requesting his permission to help. Between them, they made Caroline as comfortable as they could.

Torrens knelt by the pallet. Caroline reached for his hand. 'Leave while you can. Do not burden yourself with me.'

'A light burden.'

'I wish you to find Augusta.'

'You have my promise.'

'Take this.' Caroline had slipped off a gold ring set with diamonds. 'It was a wedding gift from the king. It has not left my finger since then. I give it to you now - ' Torrens protested, but Caroline went on - 'not as a keepsake. You and I have better keepsakes in our hearts. I wish you to sell it. You will need money, perhaps even more than this will bring. But you must stary alive and find my child. Help her as you have always helped me.'

'We shall talk of this later, when you ~ Lloyd Alexander

It is true. Indeed, that is why I dared not speak. I have yearned to be again at the side of my beloved Arianllyn, and my thoughts are with her now. But had I chosen to return, I would ever wonder whether my choice was made through wisdom or following the wishes of my own heart. I see this is as it must be, and the destiny laid upon me. I am content to die here. ~ Lloyd Alexander

The Prydain Companion is more than a quick reference or handy glossary, though it is all of that as well. Instructive, certainly. But, like any good companion, a pleasure to be with over a long period of time. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Perhaps,' Taran said quietly, watching the moon-white riverbank slip past them, 'perhaps you have the truth of it. At first I felt as you did. Then I remember thinking of Eilonwy, only of her; and the bauble showed its light. Prince Rhun was ready to lay down his life; his thoughts were for our safety, not at all for his own. And because he offered the greatest sacrifice, the bauble glowed brightest for him. Can that be its secret? To think more for others than ourselves?'
That would seem to be one of its secrets, at least,' replied Fflewddur. 'Once you've discovered that, you've discovered a great secret indeed
with or without the bauble. ~ Lloyd Alexander

A crown is a pitiless master, harsher than the staff of a pig-keeper; while a staff bears up, a crown weighs down, beyond the strength of any man to wear it lightly. ~ Lloyd Alexander

One way everything looks all right, the other way, it looks all wrong. ~ Lloyd Alexander

It is beyond any man's wisdom to judge the secret heart of another ... for in it are good and evil mixed. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Had I done it sooner, perhaps he might have lived. He was a man of courage and good heart, a proud man. Now he is dead. I saved the signal to use in a worthy cause, and when I found one it was wasted."

"Wasted?" answered Fflewddur. "I think not. Since you did your best and didn't begrudge using it, I shouldn't call it wasted at all. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Our pride is not in fighting but in farming; In the work of our, hands not our blades. Never have we sought war. We come to the Banner of the white pig because it is the banner of our friend, Terran Wanderer. ~ Lloyd Alexander

I think we should always remember that reading
the experience of a book
is a very private, very personal kind of thing. Sometimes the best response to such an experience is: silence. ~ Lloyd Alexander

A shade of sorrow passed over Taliesin's face. 'There are those,' he said gently, 'who must first learn loss, despair, and grief. Of all paths to wisdom, this is the cruelest and longest. Are you one who must follow such a way? This even I cannot know. If you are, take heart nonetheless. Those who reach the end do more than gain wisdom. As rough wool becomes cloth, and crude clay a vessel, so do they change and fashion wisdom for others, and what they give back is greater than what they won. ~ Lloyd Alexander

Indeed, the more we find to love, the more we add to the measure of our hearts. ~ Lloyd Alexander