“He stared down at the golden curls of the Adversary, Destroyer of Kings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Prince of This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan, and Lord of Darkness."You know," he concluded, after a while, "I think he actually looks like an Adam.”

“Richard did not believe in angels, he never had. He was damned if he was going to start now. Still, it was much easier not to believe in something when it was not actually looking directly at you and saying your name.”

“A voice from the creature, smooth as buttered oil. "He-llo," is said. "Ding-dong. You look remarkably like dinner."I'm Charlie Nancy," said Charlie Nancy. "Who are you?"I am Dragon," said the dragon. "And I shall devour you in one slow mouthful, little man in a hat."Charlie blinked. What would my father do? He wondered. What would Spider have done?...Er. You’re bored with talking to me now, and you’re going to let me pass unhindered,” he told the dragon, with as much conviction as he was able to muster.Gosh. Good try. But I’m afraid I’m not,” said the dragon, enthusiastically.Actually, I’m going to eat you.”You aren’t scared of limes, are you?” asked Charlie, before remembering that he’d given the lime to Daisy.The creature laughed, scornfully. “I,” it said, “am frightened of nothing.”Nothing?”Nothing,” it said.Charlie said “Are you extremely frightened of nothing?”Absolutely terrified of it,” admitted the Dragon.You know,” said Charlie, “Have nothing in my pockets. Would you like to see it?”No,” said the dragon, uncomfortably, “I most definitely would not.”There was a flapping of wings like sails, and Charlie was alone on the beach. “That,” he said, “was much too easy.”

“This book started like this.My son, who is called Michael or Mike these days, but was Mikey back then, was angry at me. I'd said one of those things that parents say, like «isn't it time you were in bed», and he had looked up at me, furious, and said, «I wish I didn't have a dad! I wish I had...» and then stopped and thought, trying to think of what one could have instead of a father. Finally he said «I wish I had goldfish!»”

“He sighed. It was a long sigh, weary and worldly-wise. The kind of sigh you could picture God heaving after six days of hard work and looking forward to some serious cosmic R&R, only to be handed a report by an angel concerning a problem with someone eating an apple.”

“Suppose we pick a name for him, eh?" Caius Pompeius stepped over and eyed the child. "He looks a little like my proconsul, Marcus. We could call him Marcus." Josiah Worthington said, "He looks more like my head gardener, Stebbins. Not that I'm suggesting Stebbins as a name. The man drank like a fish." "He looks like my nephew Harry," said Mother Slaughter..."He looks like nobody but himself," said Mrs.Owens, firmly. "He looks like nobody." "Then Nobody it is," said Silas. "Nobody Owens.”

“What’s your name, lad?”“Newton. Newton Pulsifer.”“LUCIFER? What’s that you say? Are ye of the Spawn of Darkness, a tempting beguiling creature from the pit, wanton limbs steaming from the fleshpots of Hades, in tortured and lubricious thrall to your Stygian and hellish masters?”“That’s Pulsifer,” explained Newton. “With a P. I don’t know about the other stuff, but we come from Surrey.”The voice on the phone sounded vaguely disappointed.”