She started thinking about all the euphemisms for death, all the anxious taboos that had always fascinated her. It was too bad you could never have an intelligent discussion on the subject. People were either too young or too old, or else they didn't have time.

Smell is important. It reminds a person of all the things he's been through; it is a sheath of memories and security.

A person can find anything if he takes the time, that is, if he can afford to look. And while he's looking, he's free, and he finds things he never expected.

...now and then a giggling trail of mermaids appeared in our wake. We fed them oatmeal.

Everyone must imagine his own snakes because no one else's snakes can ever be as awful.

I mean, anyone can let Danger out but the really clever thing is finding somewhere for it to go afterwards.

Malander had an idea and was trying to work it out, but it would take him time. Sometimes people never saw things clearly until it was too late and they no longer had the strength to start again. Or else they forgot their idea along the way and didn't even realise that they forgotten.