“I'm going to make an animal out of you, my boy!”

“Beyond the Wild Wood comes the Wild World," said the Rat. "And that's something that doesn't matter, either to you or to me. I've never been there, and I'm never going, nor you either, if you've got any sense at all.”

“No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season of winter.”

“You see all the other fellows were so active and earnest and all that sort of thing- always rampaging, and skirmishing, and scouring the desert sands, and pacing the margin of the sea, and chasing knights all over the place, and devouring damsels, and going on generally- whereas I liked to get my meals regular and then to prop my back against a bit of rock and snooze a bit, and wake up and think of things going on and how they kept going on just the same, you know!”

“Supper was finished at last, and each animal felt that his skin was now as tight as was decently safe.”

“I'm such a clever Toad.”

“Everything seems asleep, and yet going on all the time. It is a goodlylife that you lead, friend; no doubt the best in the world, if only you arestrong enough to lead it!”