The Goose Girl Quotes

“Right now I'd like all my troubles to stand in front of me in a straight line, and one by one I'd give each a black eye. ”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“... If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“If we're mad, we're mad in large numbers, at least larger than yours.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book carrying the smell of hundreds.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“When you get tired of worrying and mourning your horse and trying not to be afraid, tell me and I'll do it for you a while so you can shut your eyes and sleep peaceful.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Its important to know stories. I felt the earth shift to make a place for you when you were born, and I came to tell you stories while you are young. And like me, you were born with a word on your tongue.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“I, Geric-Sinath of Gerhard, declare that you're beautiful and you're perfect and I'll slay any man who tries to take you from my side. Goose girl, may I kiss you?”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Yes, we'll yell, 'Help, help us, goose girl, and bring the terrifying legion of warrior geese'.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“They finished laughing and caught their breaths, and looked at each other, and Ani thought Geric looked at her too long, as though he forgot he was looking, as though he did not wish to do anything else. She looked back. Her heart took its time quieting down.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“We know it's all just daydreaming...But sometimes, it'd be nice just to hold something real in your hands that felt like a measure of your worth.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“You saw my leg?"
"How can a man help what he sees?" he said. "And, if I could add, you possess a very fine leg.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“...all things speak, in their way, don't they?”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Clearly she was expected to say something, but panic at having to speak stole the thoughts from her head.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“But in a country where you hang your dead up on walls and pride whether or not a man bears a javelin more than his character, how am I to persuade you out of a war? It would be suicide for Kildenree to war on Bayern and butchery for Bayern to attack Kildenree. If you don't believe me, then send me back. Or if you don't trust me to leave, I'll return to my little room on the west wall and tend your geese, and you can be sure that on my watch no thieves will touch my flock.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“She was born Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she did not open her eyes for three days.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“But when she turned her back to the lights, she saw that the night was so dark...She could not see the stars. The world felt as high as the depthless night sky and deeper than she could know. She understood, suddenly and keenly, that she was too small to run away, and she sat on the damp ground and cried.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“My friends call me by my name."
"You don't have any friends."
"I don't want you to be my friend, Selia, or my servant, not now. I thought you were both. You have let me know I was wrong. So are you to treat me so. You are wrong.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Geric," she called.
He turned back around.
"What kind of flowers were they?"
"I don't rightly know," he said. He made faltering gestures with his hands, forming their size and shape from the air. "They were yellow, and smallish, and had lots of petals."
"Thank you," she said. "They were beautiful.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“We know it's all just daydreaming. In all likelihood, no one in this forest'll ever get a javelin, and I'll never see my mother's kingdom again, let alone be hailed by crowds as the jewel of Kildenree. Maybe it's vain to wish for it. But sometimes, it'd be nice just to hold something real in your hands that felt like a measure of your worth. Right Finn?”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“No more crying. It's all wetness and no comfort at all.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“You, what are you? The brat of lucky parents who were related to a childless king. There is no such thing as royal blood. I believe we are what we make ourselves, and as such, you, Crown Princess, are nothing.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Isi, I’m trying to say that you’ve been… no, you’re so, you’re–” He stopped.
"You are,” he said. His hand found hers, and he held her finger tightly, as though he did not dare to do any more than hold her one hand, and look at her, and breathe deeply.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“I can see that one can never pay back Gilsa for the fear that she will give again.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Poor gosling. It hurts to be lost. And worse to be home with no kind of homecoming...I'll be lucky if I can do as well as you when all this's done, just a bit out of breath, a bit bruised and scratched, a bit wiser and sadder for it all.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Ah, now, don't cry over lost years and forgetfulness. The tales tell what they can. The rest is for us to learn..”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“She answered by standing and kissing him first and held his cheeks and closed her eyes and felt sure as bones and deep as blood that she had found her place.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Oh, but I like my geese. Like cats, they can't be told what to do, and like dogs, they're loyal, and like people, they talk every chance they get.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Go on, son, you're not doing me any good by bleeding.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Ani felt a stirring, a hope, a winged thing waking up in her chest and brushing her heart with it's feathers.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

“Some people are born with the first word of a language resting on their tongue though it may take some time before they can taste it.”
― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl