The Wizards of Once Quotes

“You do have to listen to the stories, for stories always mean something. The question that worries me is: WHAT exactly do they mean?”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Once there was magic, wandering free
in roads of sky and paths of sea
and in that timeless long gone hour
words of nonsense still had power
doors still flew and birds still talked
witches grinned and giants walked
we had magic wands and magic wings
and we lost our hearts to impossible things
Unbelievable thoughts, unsensible ends
for wizards and warriors might be friends.

In a world where impossible things are true, I don't know why we forgot the spell
when we lost the way
how the forest fell
but now we are old, we can vanish too.

And I see once more the invisible track
that will lead us home and take us back
so find your wands and spread your wings
I'll sing your love of impossible things
and when you take my vanished hand, we'll both go back to that magic land
where we lost our hearts
several lifetimes ago
when we were wizards, once.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“This is the problem with adventures. They bring out parts of you that you never even knew were there.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“I wish, I wish I wish’ wished Wish”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Was it possible that Warriors had been mistaken in their view of Magic all along? Could there be another way of looking at things, other than the Warrior way?....Wish's world view was spinning upside down, and that is always a difficult moment.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Surely, just because SOME Magic is bad, it doesn't mean that ALL Magic is bad?”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“I’s the look-out! I’s the look-out! AAAAAAGHHHH! There’s a jagular! There’s a jagular! … Ohhhh … No, sorrys, my mistake, is a treetrunk. SORRYS, everybody …”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“We’re not there, that’s just air, that glimpse of wing you saw right there That dying cow, that wasn’t us, so don’t you cuss, and don’t you dare Cross-the-sprites-and-curse-their-spite-and-make-your-hand-a-stony-fist You can’t punch us, we don’t exist, we’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed. We don’t care, and we weren’t there, and for a dare, we would never snap that chair And-leave-it-looking-like-it-was-perfectly-all-right-and-wait-for-someone-big-and-fat-and-old-to-put-their-lardy-fat-behind-on-it-and-SMOOSH-BANG-HA-HA-HA-!-SMASH!!!!!-the-entire-thing-shatters-into-tiny-smithereens-and-then-they-land-upon-the-stony-floor-and-break-their-jaw-and-fuss-and-roar-and-cry-until-they-cry-no-more…”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Keep hoping, keep guessing, keep dreaming.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“She’s a queen and a mother and it’s a mother’s job to be scary,” said Wish.
“Well she’s very successful at her job,” shivered Bodkin.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“The first seeds of doubt about all that she had been told about Magic creatures were sown in Wish's mind when she looked up at the giant's kid face....”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“We don’t exist, We’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“The Witch had been aiming straight for her head, intending to tear it off. (Dear little creatures, these Witches, aren’t they?)”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“That dying child, that wasn’t us, so don’t you cuss and don’t you dare Cross-the-sprites-and-curse-their-spite-and-make-your-hand-a-stony-fist. You can’t punch us, We don’t exist, We’re only mist, And that was just the wind that hissed.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Witches’ feet make no footprint. Witches’ bodies make no shadows. But they make the trees, the land, the moss, A little colder as they pass.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“Bodkin was feeling surprisingly gloomy for now it was all over — he was a hero no more — just an ordinary assistant body guard. It had been one stolen day, one glorious 24-hours where he could ride and fight beside a princess just as if he were her equal and a proper warrior himself.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“.... in that quiet gentle voice, as sweetly pure as the stab of an icicle.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“I most certainly will not surrender!' said Wish. 'You CHEATED!'
'Wizards don't play by Warrior rules,' said Xar.
'Cheat of a Wizard!'
'Wickedness of a Warrior!'
'Curse-Maker!'
'Forest-poisoner!'
'Child-eater!'
'Magic-destroyer! May you be ground by the teeth of the Giant Grey ogre into pieces that are smaller than the eyes of lice on a fly!' cursed Xar.”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once

“We don’t care, and we weren’t there, and for a dare, we would never snap that chair And-leave-it-looking-like-it-was-perfectly-all-right-and-wait-for-someone-big-and-fat-and-old-to-put-their-lardy-fat-behind-on-it-and-SMOOSH-BANG-HA-HA-HA!-SMASH!!!!!-the-entire-thing-shatters-into-tiny-smithereens-and-then-they-land-upon-the-stony-floor-and-break-their-jaw-and-fuss-and-roar-and-cry-until-they-cry-no-more…”
― Cressida Cowell, The Wizards of Once