--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were dragons when I was a boy." description: "\"There were dragons when I was a boy.\" — Cressida Cowell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/cressida-cowell-7158_boys_there-were-dragons-when-i-was-a-boy-2374_2374652.jpg" --- # There were dragons when I was a boy. ![“There were dragons when I was a boy.” quote by Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/cressida-cowell-7158_boys_there-were-dragons-when-i-was-a-boy-2374_2374652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/cressida-cowell-7158_boys_there-were-dragons-when-i-was-a-boy-2374_2374652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/cressida-cowell-7158_boys_there-were-dragons-when-i-was-a-boy-2374_2374652.jpg) > “There were dragons when I was a boy.” [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood imagination includes dragons, symbolizing challenges and adventures that shape growth. **In simple terms:** Kids imagine dragons, representing challenges. Key Takeaway Embrace imagination to face challenges. Themes imagination growth adventure mythology childhood Mood playful inspiring reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - storytelling - play - creative writing Key Concepts literature psychology mythic archetype Questions to Reflect On - What “dragons” do you face today? - How does imagination aid problem‑solving? A Different Perspective Imagination may blur reality for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Dragons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragons/) [Dragons Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragons-boy-2820088/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“But dragons, my boy, have a whole different kind of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/but-dragons-my-boy-have-a-whole-different-kind-of-mind/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [But how can we know that dragons did not exist? We have never actually BEEN to the Dark Ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/but-how-can-we-know-that-dragons-did-not-exist-we-have-never-actually/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [GO FOR HIS EYES! OR BITE HIM ON THE NOSE! DRAGON NOSES ARE VERY SENSITIVE!" Oh, very helpful, Camicazi, very helpful...thought Hiccup. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/go-for-his-eyes-or-bite-him-on-the-nose-dragon-noses-are-very/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [As a child I used to watch clouds, and in them, see faces, castles, animals, dragons, and giants. It was a world of escape--fantasy;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-b-longyear/as-a-child-i-used-to-watch-clouds-and-in-them-see-faces-castles/) [Barry B. Longyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-b-longyear/) > [We started this together, Leo. Seems only right you come along. You find us a ride, you're in." "Yes!" Leo pumped his fist. \*…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/we-started-this-together-leo-seems-only-right-you-come-along-you-find/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeda-shingen/arouse-a-bee-and-it-will-come-at-you-with-the-force-of-a-dragon/) [Takeda Shingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeda-shingen/) > [I shopped with G-Dragon a long time ago but now that we live together, I can't buy clothes with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/i-shopped-with-g-dragon-a-long-time-ago-but-now-that-we-live-together/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fairy-tales-are-more-than-true-not-because-they-tell-us-that-dragons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [For fantasy is true, of course. It isn't factual, but it is true. Children know that. Adults know it too, and that is precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/for-fantasy-is-true-of-course-it-isn-t-factual-but-it-is-true/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Unable to help herself, she traced the tat, startled by the black and red ink mixed together. But it was the dragon design itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/unable-to-help-herself-she-traced-the-tat-startled-by-the-black-and/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [“What do you want?" "You." His voice was soft, low. His eyes were intense and watchful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/what-do-you-want-you-his-voice-was-soft-low-his-eyes-were-intense-and/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [“If you banish the dragons, you banish the heroes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/if-you-banish-the-dragons-you-banish-the-heroes/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/) [Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/) ## More by Cressida Cowell > [Most of us are lucky not to be Kings and Heroes, because we do not have to make the choices that Kings and Heroes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/most-of-us-are-lucky-not-to-be-kings-and-heroes-because-we-do-not/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“WARNING Any Relationship to any historical fact WHATSOEVER is entirely coincidental. You have been WARNED”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/warning-any-relationship-to-any-historical-fact-whatsoever-is/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“Come on, Fishlegs,” whispered Camicazi, whistling happily. “You know we have to do this. Besides, I feel like a bit of exercise. We’ve been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/come-on-fishlegs-whispered-camicazi-whistling-happily-you-know-we/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [For a Hero cannot triumph all the time. Sometimes he will be defeated, and how he faces that defeat is a test of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/for-a-hero-cannot-triumph-all-the-time-sometimes-he-will-be-defeated/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [The thing about grown ups is that they're always wanting you to be this Great Hero and Leader. What's wrong with being NORMAL, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/the-thing-about-grown-ups-is-that-they-re-always-wanting-you-to-be/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“The thing is, we are all, in a sense, supper. Walking, talking, breathing suppers, that's what we are. Take you, for instance. YOU are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/the-thing-is-we-are-all-in-a-sense-supper-walking-talking-breathing/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“And this was the surprising thing about life on Berk. It was a bit like the sea itself. One minute it was all storms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/and-this-was-the-surprising-thing-about-life-on-berk-it-was-a-bit/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“The dragon bracelet that Humongous created, out of misplaced love and gratitude, in the hellish nightmare of the Lava-Lout Jail-Forges is exquisitely made, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/the-dragon-bracelet-that-humongous-created-out-of-misplaced-love-and/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [The Hero cares not for a wild winter's storm. For it carries him swift on the back of the storm. All may be lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/the-hero-cares-not-for-a-wild-winter-s-storm-for-it-carries-him-swift/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“However bad things seem to be, they can always get worse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/however-bad-things-seem-to-be-they-can-always-get-worse/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [I was not a natural. . . . This is the story of becoming . . . the Hard Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/i-was-not-a-natural-this-is-the-story-of-becoming-the-hard-way/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [GO FOR HIS EYES! OR BITE HIM ON THE NOSE! DRAGON NOSES ARE VERY SENSITIVE!" Oh, very helpful, Camicazi, very helpful...thought Hiccup. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/go-for-his-eyes-or-bite-him-on-the-nose-dragon-noses-are-very/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [Sometimes a King has to do terrible things in order to protect those he has sworn to look after. When the stakes are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/sometimes-a-king-has-to-do-terrible-things-in-order-to-protect-those/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“Norbert the Nutjob may have been a maniac, but lunacy and genius are very close together, and it had to be admitted, he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/norbert-the-nutjob-may-have-been-a-maniac-but-lunacy-and-genius-are/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“the witch softly, ‘for the dragons’ days are numbered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/the-witch-softly-for-the-dragons-days-are-numbered/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) [Explore all 89 Cressida Cowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. 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