Finally, I’d say to anyone who wants to tell these tales…
““Finally, I’d say to anyone who wants to tell these tales, don’t be afraid to be superstitious. If you have a lucky pen, use it. If you speak with more force and wit when wearing one red sock and one blue one, dress like that. When I’m at work I’m highly superstitious. My own superstition has to do with the voice in which the story comes out. I believe that every story is attended by its own sprite, whose voice we embody when we tell the tale, and that we tell it more successfully if we approach the sprite with a certain degree of respect and courtesy. These sprites are both old and young, male and female, sentimental and cynical, sceptical and credulous, and so on, and what’s more, they’re completely amoral: like the air-spirits who helped Strong Hans escape from the cave, the story-sprites are willing to serve whoever has the ring, whoever is telling the tale. To the accusation that this is nonsense, that all you need to tell a story is a human imagination, I reply, ‘Of course, and this is the way my imagination works.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Storytelling involves respecting the imaginative 'sprite' that guides narrative voice; superstition can be a tool for creative focus.
In simple terms: Respect the story spirit; use rituals to focus.
Key Takeaway
Honor the narrative voice and its guiding spirit.
Themes
storytelling
imagination
ritual
respect
Mood
playful
reflective
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- creative retreats
- author talks
Key Concepts
creative process
mythic symbolism
authorial voice
Questions to Reflect On
- How does acknowledging a story spirit affect your writing?
- Can superstition improve focus?
A Different Perspective
Rituals may seem irrational to others.