“Many things that are true feel like a cheat. Kingdoms get the princes they deserve, farmers’ daughters die for no reason, and sometimes witches merit saving. Quite often, actually. You’d be surprised.”

“It is a true story, the monster said. Many things that are true feel like a cheat.”

“Conor shook his head. "That's a terrible story. And a cheat." "It is a true story," the monster said. "Many things that are true feel like a cheat.”

“After he killed the farmer's daughter, said the monster, the prince lay down next to her and returned to sleep. When he awoke, he acted out a pantomime should anyone be watching. But also, it may surprise you to learn, for himself. The monster's branches creaked. Sometimes people need to lie to themselves most of all.”

“The Apothecary was surprised. “You would give up everything you believed in?”“If it would save my daughters,” the parson said. “I’d give up everything.”

“So the good prince was a murderer and the evil queen wasn't a witch after all.”

“The green things of this world are just wondrous, aren’t they?” his mother went on. “We work so hard to get rid of them when sometimes they’re the very thing that saves us.”