The Teller of Small Fortunes Quotes

“There’s no such thing as greater good—there’s just good, and the more of it we can do, the better.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“All cats are slightly magical, don't you know? It's why they're so smug all the time.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“our lives are short and shaped by circumstance, and maybe we can’t control most of what’s to come. But we can control how we feel. We can savor the sweetness of a blackberry scone, and the company of our friends, and the warmth of the summer wind at night, and be grateful for it. We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it, like you—or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“And I don’t give a rat’s ass whether or not that’s worthy enough a purpose for the likes of you. I am more than just what I do; I am a person, and I am alive, and that is purpose enough.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“What was a home but somewhere you wouldn’t have to feel quite so alone?”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“And the suspicion turns to fear, and the fear, as it always does, turns to anger.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“And there’s no inherent virtue in suffering.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“I think," [...] "That the old heroes were probably just like us. And there's nothing wrong with being just you.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“I am more than just what I do; I am a person, and I am alive, and that is purpose enough.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“A troll,” repeated Mash grimly, hefting his mace out of its belt loop.
“Did it attack you? Threaten violence; seize your goods?”
“Eh? No, of course not. It’s worse than that,” said the farmer. “It went
and philosophized at us!”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“We’re not always cheerful and funny. We’ve sadness, and anxiety, and all these other bitter things wrapped up inside, too, and that’s what makes the sweetness all the sweeter.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Because I’m here! And why not! Aye, our lives are short and shaped by circumstance, and maybe we can’t control most of what’s to come. But we can control how we feel. We can savor the sweetness of a blackberry scone, and the company of our friends, and the warmth of the summer wind at night, and be grateful for it. We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it, like you—or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough. Which sounds more worthwhile to you?”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“But men are shortsighted. Especially when a heavy crown is blocking their eyes.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it, like you—or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough. Which sounds more worthwhile to you?”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Fear is the cost of power, Tao. Every mage is afraid. We just learn how to push past it—to use it instead of letting ourselves be imprisoned by it.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Easy to blame foreign folk for anything going wrong, when they’re not here to say otherwise. Easier still when they look and talk funny, and don’t pray to the Mother or her Sons.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“I am sad that you have lost so much,” said the old man, empty hand falling back against his side. “I hope you find new joys to take their place.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Familiarity could look very much like love from a certain angle, if one didn’t look too hard.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Sometimes stories have to end so we can go back to real life.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“If you’re swindling us, I swear you’ll regret it. And if I die, my ghost’s coming after you. With a very big axe.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Everyone deserves a home, Tao thought, patting Laohu’s whiskery grey nose. And what was a home but somewhere you wouldn’t have to feel quite so alone?”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“...and there's no inherent value in suffering.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“You'd think prison guards would figure out not to leave the cell keys just lying around on convenient tables all the time," said Silt gleefully. "Honestly, it's about the third time this has happened to me.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“It's like a heist!" Silt said with enthusiasm. "Except instead of gems or gold, we're stealing back our friend."
"I think that's called kidnapping," said Kina.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“I think you have changed,' said Tao. 'In enough small ways that you just don't quite notice it while it's happening, but then you look in the mirror one day, and you're altogether different. That's how it was for me, anyway.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“Aye, our lives are short and shaped by circumstance, and maybe we can’t control most of what’s to come. But we can control how we feel. We can savor the sweetness of a blackberry scone, and the company of our friends, and the warmth of the summer wind at night, and be grateful for it. We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it, like you—or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough. Which sounds more worthwhile to you?”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“A troll,” repeated Mash grimly, hefting his mace out of its belt loop. “Did it attack you? Threaten violence; seize your goods?” “Eh? No, of course not. It’s worse than that,” said the farmer. “It went and philosophized at us!”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“the Daughter was the last-born of the gods, who had claimed for her own dominion all that was unwanted by her Brothers—the silence in forests unknown; the chaos of ocean”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“... Kina took Tao's hand in her own and squeezed it hard, bringing her out of her memories and into the present. Something in the silence around the fire was warm and soft, and none spoke. That small, unasked-for kindness was Tao's undoing. A dismissive word or shrug, she could have easily accepted, reassembling her armor and moving on. But this circle of sympathy-- their open faces, their quiet listening-- for this, Tao had prepared no defense.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes

“There was a moment of silence and Tao tried to think of what to say, but then Mash seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts. He looked back up at her.
"Anyway, point is-- back during that campaign, we saw some bad things. Things what made it hard to sleep, even when it was quiet again, you know? But the men-- we'd talk to each other about it afterward. Share the load. And it made it a little easier. Easier to carry the weight, easier to go on fighting.
"The four of us here, we're no mercenary troop, that's for sure-- but we are something. And so if there's anything you ever wanted to talk about, with your fortunes and your magic and the Guild," said Mash, "well, I reckon we could help carry the load."
It was more words than Tao had ever heard from him at once.”
― Julie Leong, The Teller of Small Fortunes