--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But you know, a wizard with black hair…" description: "\"“But you know, a wizard with black hair and a thick mustache put a curse on Moscow, and Petrograd, too, so that no one would be able to tell the truth ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/catherynne-m-valente-375_black-hair_but-you-know-a-wizard-with-black-hair-an_3225230.jpg" --- # But you know, a wizard with black hair and a thick… ![“But you know, a wizard with black hair and a thick mustache put a curse on Moscow, and Petrograd, too, so that no one would be able to tell the truth without lying. If a novelist wrote a true story about how things really happened, no one would believe him, and he might even be punished for…” quote by Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/catherynne-m-valente-375_black-hair_but-you-know-a-wizard-with-black-hair-an_3225230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/catherynne-m-valente-375_black-hair_but-you-know-a-wizard-with-black-hair-an_3225230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/catherynne-m-valente-375_black-hair_but-you-know-a-wizard-with-black-hair-an_3225230.jpg) > ““But you know, a wizard with black hair and a thick mustache put a curse on Moscow, and Petrograd, too, so that no one would be able to tell the truth without lying. If a novelist wrote a true story about how things really happened, no one would believe him, and he might even be punished for spreading propaganda. But if he wrote a book full of lies about things that could never really happen, with only a few true things hidden in it, well, he would be hailed as a hero of the People, given a seat at a writers' café, served wine and ukha, and not have to pay for any of it. He'd get a salaried summer on the dacha, and be feted. Even given a medal by the wizard with the thick mustache." The waiter whistled. "That's a good curse. I should like to shake that wizard's hand and buy him a vodka or two.”” [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical view of authoritarian censorship where truth is punished and falsehood rewarded, highlighting the absurdity of propaganda. **In simple terms:** Truth is punished, lies are praised under a corrupt regime. Key Takeaway Beware of systems that reward deception. Themes censorship authoritarianism propaganda satire artistic freedom Mood cynical ironic critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - journalism - creative writing - political activism - media criticism Key Concepts totalitarian control truth manipulation literary satire Questions to Reflect On - How does rewarding falsehood affect society? - What responsibilities do artists have under censorship? A Different Perspective The quote exaggerates for effect; real regimes may be more nuanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Curses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curses/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Propaganda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propaganda/) [Stalinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalinism/) [True story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-story/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The good of a book lies in its being read. 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Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [...the Bible is such a book of lies and contradictions there is no knowing which part to believe or whether any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-bible-is-such-a-book-of-lies-and-contradictions-there-is-no/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The good of a book lies in its being read. 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For a person you've taken everything from is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/you-are-strong-only-as-long-as-you-don-t-deprive-people-of-everything/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) ## More by Catherynne M. Valente > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-just-keep-moving-september-we-keep-moving-until-we-stop/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. 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It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-cicada-lies-in-the-earth-for-seventeen-years-it-is-warm-and-dark/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/her-heart-was-bruised-by-the-kiss-smashed-and-surprised-and-unsettled/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/just-tell-yourself-a-story-that-ll-satisfy-you-and-pretend-he-told-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-see-the-future-is-a-kind-of-stew-a-soup-a-vichyssoise-of-the/) [Catherynne M. 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Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) [Explore all 621 Catherynne M. Valente quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## More Black hair quotes > [“I looked down into my baby’s beautiful green eyes and ached inside. She looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. I kissed her warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-looked-down-into-my-baby-s-beautiful-green-eyes-and-ached-inside/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“The man could stop her heart, then send it into full gallop. Just a look at him. 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But if he wrote a book full of lies about things that could never really happen, with only a few true things hidden in it, well, he would be hailed as a hero of the People, given a seat at a writers' café, served wine and ukha, and not have to pay for any of it. He'd get a salaried summer on the dacha, and be feted. Even given a medal by the wizard with the thick mustache.\" The waiter whistled. \"That's a good curse. I should like to shake that wizard's hand and buy him a vodka or two.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherynne M. 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