To be born in a duck's nest, in a farmyard, is of no consequence to a bird, if it is hatched from a swan's egg.

Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.

The wiser a man becomes, the more he will read, and those who are wisest read most.

Most of the people who will walk after me will be children, so make the beat keep time with short steps.

I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was the Ugly Duckling!

Well, yes: people write poems when they are in love, but a wise man will not print them.

He looked at the little maiden, and she looked at him; and he felt that he was melting away, but he still managed to keep himself erect, shouldering his gun bravely. A door was suddenly opened, the draught caught the little dancer and she fluttered like a sylph, straight into the fire, to the soldier, blazed up and was gone! By this time the soldier was reduced to a mere lump, and when the maid took away the ashes next morning she found him, in the shape of a small tin heart. All that was left of the dancer was her spangle, and that was burnt as black as a coal.