Affectionate Quote by Anonymous
“I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be your affectionate Godfather, C. S. Lewis.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Value of Fairy Tales, 1950
Stories age slower than readers; as we outgrow them, we later return with deeper appreciation, finding new meaning.
In simple terms: We outgrow tales but later revisit them with richer insight.
Re‑read old stories later.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- childhood reading
- adult literature clubs
- library programs
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When did you rediscover a childhood story?
- What new meaning did it reveal?
Some may view revisiting childhood tales as escapism rather than growth.