The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld, #28)

by Terry Pratchett

The trouble with thinking was that, once you started, you went on doing it.

What was the point of education, he thought, if people went out afterward and used it?

“But you’ve got to think of the future!” said Maurice. “I am,” said the kid. “I want to go on playing my flute in the future. It doesn’t cost anything to play.

Learning to face the shadows outside helps us to fight the shadows inside.

“I’m a musician. I’m good at it, too. I’ve been earning my own living since I was six.” “Aha! Mysterious orphan, strange talent, distressed upbringing . . . it’s all shaping up,”

What kinds of music do you play?” “Kinds? There aren’t any kinds. There’s just music,” said Keith. “There’s always music, if you listen.”

This is what thinking does for you, he thought. It gets you into trouble. Even when you know other people can think for themselves, you start thinking for them too.

I’m good at playing quite a few musical instruments. I practice a lot.

“If you don’t turn your life into a story, you just become a part of someone else’s story.” “And what if your story doesn’t work?” “You keep changing it until you find one that does.”

I’M SURPRISED AT YOU, MAURICE. OF COURSE THERE ARE NO CAT GODS. THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH LIKE . . . WORK.

A good plan isn’t one where someone wins, it’s where nobody thinks they’ve lost.

“I don’t know about intelligent species. We’re dealing with humans here,” said Maurice. “Do you know about wars? Very popular with humans. They fight other humans. Not hugely big on common bonding.”

and suddenly it’ll all be normal. And everyone likes things to be normal.

“To be a leader you have to learn to shout! But after you’ve learned to shout, you have to learn not to!”

If you knew their dreams, you could handle people.

Because some stories end, but old stories go on, and you gotta dance if you want to stay ahead.