--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One word, Ma'am,\" he said, coming back…" description: "\"“One word, Ma'am,\" he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. \"One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wond..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/c-s-lewis-121_moon-and-stars_one-word-ma-am-he-said-coming-back-from_2669867.jpg" --- # One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire… ![“One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. "One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one more…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/c-s-lewis-121_moon-and-stars_one-word-ma-am-he-said-coming-back-from_2669867.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/c-s-lewis-121_moon-and-stars_one-word-ma-am-he-said-coming-back-from_2669867.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/c-s-lewis-121_moon-and-stars_one-word-ma-am-he-said-coming-back-from_2669867.jpg) > ““One word, Ma'am," he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. "One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that imagined ideals can be more meaningful than a harsh reality, choosing to live by hopeful visions even if they lack tangible proof. **In simple terms:** Imagined ideals can outweigh bleak reality. Key Takeaway Embrace hopeful narratives despite doubt. Themes hope imagination meaning resilience Mood reflective inspired thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal philosophy - literary analysis - spiritual reflection Key Concepts Narnian mythology existential choice subjective reality Questions to Reflect On - What would you choose: a comforting illusion or a harsh truth? - How do imagined worlds shape your real decisions? 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You've got to learn that life isn't all fricasseed frogs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/puddleglum-they-ve-said-you-re-altogether-too-full-of-bobance-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yes, I know,' interrupted Puddleglum. 'And few return to the sunlit lands. You needn't say it again. You are a chap of one idea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yes-i-know-interrupted-puddleglum-and-few-return-to-the-sunlit-lands/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well!' said Puddleglum, rubbing his hands. 'This is just what I needed. If these chaps don't teach me to take a serious view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-said-puddleglum-rubbing-his-hands-this-is-just-what-i-needed-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Puddleglum's my name. But it doesn't matter if you forget it. I can always tell you again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/puddleglum-s-my-name-but-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-forget-it-i-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The moon,and stars, the deep blue black sky ,and all that mystical spells of the night ,is what hold me here when my day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/the-moon-and-stars-the-deep-blue-black-sky-and-all-that-mystical/) [Laylablack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laylablack/) > [The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-lawrence-knowles/the-night-walked-down-the-sky-with-the-moon-in-her-hand/) [Frederic Lawrence Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-lawrence-knowles/) > [Give me the MOON and STARS above and I give you the the RAIN and SUN at the end of the rainbow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-poet-of-agent-times/give-me-the-moon-and-stars-above-and-i-give-you-the-the-rain-and-sun/) [The Poet Of Agent Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-poet-of-agent-times/) > [... a country encapsulates our childhood and those lanes, byres, fields, flowers, insects, suns, moons and stars are forever reoccurring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-o-brien/a-country-encapsulates-our-childhood-and-those-lanes-byres-fields/) [Edna O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-o-brien/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Moon and stars quotes > [... a country encapsulates our childhood and those lanes, byres, fields, flowers, insects, suns, moons and stars are forever reoccurring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-o-brien/a-country-encapsulates-our-childhood-and-those-lanes-byres-fields/) [Edna O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-o-brien/) > [The moon,and stars, the deep blue black sky ,and all that mystical spells of the night ,is what hold me here when my day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/the-moon-and-stars-the-deep-blue-black-sky-and-all-that-mystical/) [Laylablack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laylablack/) > [The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-lawrence-knowles/the-night-walked-down-the-sky-with-the-moon-in-her-hand/) [Frederic Lawrence Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-lawrence-knowles/) > [Give me the MOON and STARS above and I give you the the RAIN and SUN at the end of the rainbow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-poet-of-agent-times/give-me-the-moon-and-stars-above-and-i-give-you-the-the-rain-and-sun/) [The Poet Of Agent Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-poet-of-agent-times/) > [We both wondered whether these contradictions that one can't avoid if one begins to think of time and space may not really be proofs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/we-both-wondered-whether-these-contradictions-that-one-can-t-avoid-if/) [Arthur Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [He was so much in love with me that I could have asked him for the moon and stars, and he would have gathered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-meyer/he-was-so-much-in-love-with-me-that-i-could-have-asked-him-for-the/) [Carolyn Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-meyer/) > [“I will never endanger you. Never harm you. Never neglect you in any way. You will never want for anything that is necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-lane/i-will-never-endanger-you-never-harm-you-never-neglect-you-in-any-way/) [Jessie Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-lane/) > [“Taking her grandfather’s advice, Anna turned her head toward the sky. Clouds were moving in quickly to cover the moon and stars, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-shepherd/taking-her-grandfather-s-advice-anna-turned-her-head-toward-the-sky/) [Catherine Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-shepherd/) > [I hate When I'm lying on the bed and look out the window on the sky for moon and stars , but I cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-when-i-m-lying-on-the-bed-and-look-out-the-window-on-the-sky/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So long as a man is faithful to himself, everything is in his favor, government, society, the very sun, moon, and stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/so-long-as-a-man-is-faithful-to-himself-everything-is-in-his-favor/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Mary-Lynnette felt a violent wrench in her chest. For a moment everything seemed suspended-and changed. If Ash were dead-if Ash had been killed… Things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/mary-lynnette-felt-a-violent-wrench-in-her-chest-for-a-moment/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [My love for you is as much a part of the universe as the sun, moon and stars, the only difference is my love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-love-for-you-is-as-much-a-part-of-the-universe-as-the-sun-moon-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm in tune with the universe, the sun, moon, and stars. I'm in tune with the jinns that are all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-m-in-tune-with-the-universe-the-sun-moon-and-stars-i-m-in-tune-with/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [Glance at the sun. See the moon and stars. Gaze at the beauty of the green earth. Now think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/glance-at-the-sun-see-the-moon-and-stars-gaze-at-the-beauty-of-the/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [“Last Will Prologue: We, Sacco and Vanzetti, sound of body and mind, Devise and bequeath to all we leave behind, The worldly wealth we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sacco/last-will-prologue-we-sacco-and-vanzetti-sound-of-body-and-mind/) [Nicola Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sacco/) [Browse all 106 Moon and stars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon-and-stars/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One word, Ma'am,\" he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. \"One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. 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