“IncendiaryThat one small boy with a face like pallid cheeseAnd burnt-out little eyes could make a blazeAs brazen, fierce and huge, as red and goldAnd zany yellow as the one that spoiledThree thousand guineas' worth of propertyAnd crops at Godwin's Farm on SaturdayIs frightening---as fact and metaphor:An ordinary match intended forThe lighting of a pipe or kitchen fireMisused may set a whole menagerieOf flame-fanged tigers roaring hungrily.And frightening, too, that one small boy should setThe sky on fire and choke the stars to heatSuch skinny limbs and such a little heartWhich would have been content with one warm kissHad there been anyone to offer this.”

“ Once upon a time, there was a little creature that was rather small and rather wicked and it lived all alone in the woods. The little creature lived in a little den, at the bottom of a little ravine, filled with not-at-all little brambles and on the edge of a forest that could only be described as really freakin' huge.”

“It is a mistake for anyone to think he has lived too long in his old, unsatisfactory ways to make the great change. If you switch on the light in a dark room, it makes no difference how long it was dark because the light will still shine. Be teachable. That is the whole secret.”

“Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine.Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight.Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little Indian boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.Five little Indian boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four.Four little Indian boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two.Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one.One little Indian boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and then there were none.”

“It is a curious fact that small boys are more terrified of their babysitters than small girls are. In part, this is because small girls and babysitters, who are usually slightly larger girls, belong to the same species, and therefore understand each other. Small boys, on the other hand, do not understand girls, and therefore being looked after by one is a little like a hamster being looked after by a shark. If you are a small boy, it may be some consolation to you to know that even large boys do not understand girls, and girls, by and large, do not understand boys. This makes adult life very interesting.”

“He made her feel small. Since there weren’t too many men out there who could make her feel small, this frightened her a bit. It actually frightened her more than the huge sword slung across his back.”

“Crow paced back and forth, his form flickering like flame. “It’s been a thousand years, Alister. I never intended for anyone to find it, so it’s very well protected. One little misstep, and you and my line will be history.”“Since when are you so concerned about your line?” Han said.Crow stared at him for a long moment. “Since I found out I had one,”