Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons: we must fight in order to conquer it.

But most dragons seem to have interesting personalities--besides probably having quite good reasons for what they do, if only one could understand them

People don't like the true and simple; they like fairy tales and humbug.

The piano—that, too, was an adventure. A little girl tried to learn to play it. Her mother insisted, forced her to sit there and practice. Nothing came of it; stubbornness won out in the end, the stubbornness that protects us from the will of others, that defends our right to live our life the way we want. Even if it means life will turn out worse than anyone planned, will turn into a poor life—but it'll be one's own, however it is, even without music, even without talent.

Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. They already know that dragons exist. Fairy Tales tell children that dragons can be killed.