“Animals don't behave like men,' he said. 'If they have to fight, they fight; and if they have to kill they kill. But they don't sit down and set their wits to work to devise ways of spoiling other creatures' lives and hurting them. They have dignity and animality.”
―
“They want to be natural, the anti-social little beasts. They just don't realize that everyone's good depends on everyone's cooperation.”
―
There is not a day or night but a doe offers her life for her kittens, or some honest captain of Owsla his life for his Chief Rabbit's. Sometimes it is taken, sometimes it is not. But there is no bargain, for here, what is, is what must be
―
“Why do the men come, do you suppose?"
"Who knows why men do anything?”
―
I’d rather succeed in doing what we can than fail to do what we can’t.
―
"I can't think why he didn't convince Threarah."
"Because Threarah doesn't like anything he hasn't thought of for himself.”




One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire.

The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but the Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. "Ah," said he, "No gratitude from the wicked."




What of the hunting, hunter bold?
Brother, the watch was long and cold.

What of the quarry ye went to kill?
Brother, he crops in the jungle still.

Where is the power that made your pride?
Brother, it ebbs from my flank and side.

Where is the haste that ye hurry by?
Brother, I go to my lair—to die.




Woman's love involves injustice and blindness against everything that she does not love. Woman is not yet capable of friendship: women are still cats and birds. Or at best cows.
- I hate this quote so much I need it here.