“Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”

“Only a friend or a giraffe would stick his neck out for you. But only a giraffe would eat all the leaves off your tree so he could peek in your second story bedroom window.”

“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.”

“God's Teeth,' he says. 'I was only trying to wake you. You were crying out in your sleep.''I was not,' I say, then look from his neck to my knife.'When I tried to wake you, you stabbed me.' He sounds sore put out. and I cannot blame him.”

“And there, surrounded by death above and below, he sticks his tongue out and tastes the sweetness of life.”

“When he said to give him the sword, I don’t think he meant for you to stick it in his guts.”