“The turtle stands on a turtle, which stands on a turtle. That's the universe in whole, boy. It's turtles all the way down.”

“It's turtles all the way down.”

“There is an Indian story -- at least I heard it as an Indian story -- about an Englishman who, having been told that the world rested on a platform which rested on the back of an elephant which rested in turn on the back of a turtle, asked (perhaps he was an ethnographer; it is the way they behave), what did the turtle rest on? Another turtle. And that turtle? 'Ah, Sahib, after that it is turtles all the way down”

“And the turtles, of course...all the turtles are free, as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”

“And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, Is king of the Mud. That is all he can see.And the turtles of course... all the turtles are freeAs turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”

“The world rests upon a turtle, which itself stands on the back of an elephant!”Alek tried not to laugh. “Then what does the elephant stand on, madam?”“Don’t try to be clever, young man.” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s elephants all the way down!”