Joseph Jacobs > Quotes

“Be bold, be bold, but not too bold,
Lest that your heart's blood should run cold.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Now, what's my name?" says he.
"What, is that Bill?" says she.
"Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled his tail.
"Is that Ned?" says she.
"Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled his tail.
"Well, is that Mark?" says she.
"Noo, that ain't," says he.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day. My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day." The king was coming down the street, and he heard her sing, but what she sang he couldn't hear, so he stopped and said: "What was that you were singing, my good woman?" The woman was ashamed to let him hear what her daughter had been doing, so she sang, instead of that: "My darter ha' spun five, five skeins to-day.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Once upon a time there was a teeny-tiny woman lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet, and went out of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk. And when this teeny-tiny woman had gone a teeny- tiny way she came to a teeny-tiny gate; so the teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny gate, and went into a teeny-tiny churchyard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had got into the teeny-tiny churchyard, she saw a teeny-tiny bone on a teeny-tiny grave, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny self, "This teeny-tiny bone will make me some teeny- tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper." So the teeny-tiny woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to her teeny-tiny house.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Lady Mary was young, and Lady Mary was fair. She had two brothers, and more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant, was a Mr. Fox, whom she met when she was down at her father's country-house. No one knew who Mr. Fox was; but he was certainly brave, and surely rich, and of all her lovers, Lady Mary cared for him alone. At last it was agreed upon between them that they should be married. Lady Mary asked Mr. Fox where they should live, and he described to her his castle, and where it was; but, strange to say, did not ask her, or her brothers to come and see it. So one day, near the wedding-day, when her brothers were out, and Mr. Fox was away for a day or two on business, as he said, Lady Mary set out for Mr. Fox's castle. And after many searchings, she came at last to it, and a fine strong house it was, with high walls and a deep moat. And when she came up to the gateway she saw written on it: BE BOLD, BE BOLD. But as the gate was open, she went through it, and found no one there. So she went up to the doorway, and over it she found written: BE BOLD, BE BOLD, BUT NOT TOO BOLD. Still she went on, till she came into the hall, and went up the broad stairs till she came to a door in the gallery, over which was written: BE BOLD, BE BOLD, BUT NOT TOO BOLD, LEST THAT YOUR HEART'S BLOOD SHOULD RUN COLD. But Lady Mary was a brave one, she was, and she opened the door, and what do you think she saw? Why, bodies and skeletons of beautiful young ladies all stained with blood.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Well, come supper-time the woman said: "Go you, and get one o' them there pies. I dare say they've come again now.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Now both Sun and Wind were greedy and selfish. They enjoyed the great feast that had been prepared for them, without a thought of saving any of it to take home to their mother--but the gentle Moon did not forget her. Of every dainty dish that was brought round, she placed a small portion under one of her beautiful long finger-nails, that Star might also have a share in the treat.”
― Joseph Jacobs, Indian Fairy Tales

“In the novel A Ghost, A Witch, and a Goblin by Scholastic Book Services, from Baba Yaga, a Russian witch story, the Good Aunt says to her niece, "Because you are so brave and so good, you will be stronger than all the wicked creatures you may meet.”
― Joseph Jacobs

“mouth,” says Jack, as sharp as a needle.”
― Joseph Jacobs, Jack and the Beanstalk

“Then the ogre fell down and broke his crown, and the beanstalk came toppling after.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“weird ye to be a Laidly Worm, And borrowed shall ye never be, Until Childe Wynd, the King's own son Come to the Heugh and thrice kiss thee; Until the world comes to an end, Borrowed shall ye never be.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Cat”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in." To which the pig answered: "No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin." The wolf then answered to that: "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in." So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“crackers.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Then she took the heart and liver of the little girl, and she stewed them and brought them into the house for supper. The husband tasted them and shook his head. He said they tasted very strangely. She gave some to the little boy, but he would not eat. She tried to force him, but he refused, and ran out into the garden, and took up his little sister, and put her in a box, and buried the box under a rose-tree; and every day he went to the tree and wept, till his tears ran down on the box.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“When good King Arthur reigned, there lived near the Land's End of England, in the county of Cornwall, a farmer who had one only son called Jack. He was brisk and of a ready lively wit, so that nobody or nothing could worst him.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“victory.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Well, sir, you must know, as you didn’t hear it afore, that there was a king, called King O’Toole, who was a fine old king in the old ancient times,”
― Joseph Jacobs, Celtic Fairy Tales

“Fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of a Christian man, Be he dead, be he living, with my brand, I'll dash his brains from his brain-pan.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“and”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“so funny. The sun was shining into part of”
― Joseph Jacobs, Jack and the Beanstalk

“The Bodhisatta was at one time born in the region of Himavanta as a white crane;”
― Joseph Jacobs, Indian Fairy Tales

“Mothuighim boladh an Éireannaigh bhinn bhreugaigh faoi m’fhóidín dúthaigh.”
― Joseph Jacobs, Celtic Fairy Tales

“When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water, and made up a blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“They were long married and had no children;”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“So Molly took the ring to the king, and she was married to his youngest son, and she never saw the giant again.”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“What is the price of this cloth?" one trader will”
― Joseph Jacobs, Indian Fairy Tales

“classical”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, though it wasn't my time, or your time, or anyone else's time...”
― Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales

“Now Balna's son was a bright, clever boy, so he said, "Do not fear, dear mother; the first thing to do is to discover how far the Magician's power extends, in order that we may be able to liberate my father and uncles, whom he has imprisoned in the form of rocks and trees. You have spoken to him angrily for twelve long years; now rather speak kindly. Tell him you have given up all hopes of again seeing the husband you have so long mourned, and say you are willing to marry him.”
― Joseph Jacobs, Indian Fairy Tales