--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'm not back by nightfall, come and…" description: "\"“If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look, said Anya. But I don't expect to need rescuing. I'm not that kind of princess. What k..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/garth-nix-2783_rescuing_if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come-and-ta_202701.png" --- # If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful… ![“If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look, said Anya. But I don't expect to need rescuing. I'm not that kind of princess. What kind of princess are you? Not the kind that needs rescuing, said Anya firmly.” quote by Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/garth-nix-2783_rescuing_if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come-and-ta_202701.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/garth-nix-2783_rescuing_if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come-and-ta_202701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/garth-nix-2783_rescuing_if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come-and-ta_202701.png) > ““If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look, said Anya. But I don't expect to need rescuing. I'm not that kind of princess. What kind of princess are you? Not the kind that needs rescuing, said Anya firmly.”” [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A princess declares she doesn't need rescue, redefining heroism and agency. **In simple terms:** Princess rejects rescue, seeks agency. Key Takeaway Embrace self-reliance and define your own role. Themes identity heroism agency Mood empowering defiant Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - young adult fiction - role‑playing games - personal empowerment - leadership training Key Concepts self-determination gender roles Questions to Reflect On - What does rescue mean to you? - How can you assert agency in constraints? A Different Perspective Societal expectations may pressure conformity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“When do we c-c-come and rescue you?' 'If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look,' said Anya. 'But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/when-do-we-c-c-come-and-rescue-you-if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Someone always needs rescuing, yet there's only one person who ever seems to understand you. It's a lot like being Lassie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/someone-always-needs-rescuing-yet-there-s-only-one-person-who-ever/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“I am the one who needs rescuing. Save me (…) Save me from going back to being the man I was before I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-medeiros/i-am-the-one-who-needs-rescuing-save-me-save-me-from-going-back-to/) [Teresa Medeiros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-medeiros/) > [“If you ever feel the person in your life needs rescuing, particularly from him or herself - beware. Codependency is rearing its head again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stafford/if-you-ever-feel-the-person-in-your-life-needs-rescuing-particularly/) David Stafford > [God is something that needs rescuing from religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/god-is-something-that-needs-rescuing-from-religion/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [It's easy to see why dog rescue is a mushrooming culture. Turning a troubled person's life around is difficult, but rescuers with commitment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/it-s-easy-to-see-why-dog-rescue-is-a-mushrooming-culture-turning-a/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [“I don’t often need rescuing, but it’s nice when it goes well and doesn’t involve great heights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-malone/i-don-t-often-need-rescuing-but-it-s-nice-when-it-goes-well-and-doesn/) [Melody Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-malone/) > [“I am not a princess. And I don't need rescuing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/i-am-not-a-princess-and-i-don-t-need-rescuing/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [“Hey, he says again, sitting down next to me as though he knows me well. “Need rescuing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/hey-he-says-again-sitting-down-next-to-me-as-though-he-knows-me-well/) [Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/) > [Is the depressing part that he's only half right - it's not that she doesn't need rescuing but that nobody else will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/is-the-depressing-part-that-he-s-only-half-right-it-s-not-that-she/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“What's your name? she asked. Street rat, scum girl, you good-for-nought, said the child bitterly. What is it really? asked Anya. ... Why you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/what-s-your-name-she-asked-street-rat-scum-girl-you-good-for-nought/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I don't want to be that kind of sorcerer, said Anya swiftly. Besides, you wouldn't...you wouldn't love me then, would you? We will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-kind-of-sorcerer-said-anya-swiftly-besides/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Will Morven be a good queen? Um, said Anya, flustered. She's the oldest... Bert's eyes opened wider, questioningly. And that makes her fit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/will-morven-be-a-good-queen-um-said-anya-flustered-she-s-the-oldest/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Ever thought of becoming a wizard?' - The Good Wizard 'Not before now,' said Anya. 'I've always wanted to be a sorcerer...' Her voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/ever-thought-of-becoming-a-wizard-the-good-wizard-not-before-now-said/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [I don't know how to shop in a place where most things are nice. I have to go into a jumble sale and look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-don-t-know-how-to-shop-in-a-place-where-most-things-are-nice-i-have/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) ## More by Garth Nix > [Death and what came after death was no great mystery to Sabriel. She just wished it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/death-and-what-came-after-death-was-no-great-mystery-to-sabriel-she/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Choosers will be beggars if the begging's not their choosing," said the Dog "What does that mean?" "I have no idea," said the Dog”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/choosers-will-be-beggars-if-the-begging-s-not-their-choosing-said-the/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Time plays tricks between here and home," said Mogget sepulchrally, frightening the life out of the telephone operator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/time-plays-tricks-between-here-and-home-said-mogget-sepulchrally/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [ “Mmmmmm, said Ardent \[the Royal Dog\]. He liked cooked food. Also raw food and semicooked food, and things that might be food and so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/mmmmmm-said-ardent-the-royal-dog-he-liked-cooked-food-also-raw-food/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [I enjoyed the army reserve, and I learned a lot from it, but I also... it helped me work out that I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-enjoyed-the-army-reserve-and-i-learned-a-lot-from-it-but-i-also-it/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Come, said Tanitha. Come to the Great Hall, and we will lie down with the puppies, and I will tell you a story. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/come-said-tanitha-come-to-the-great-hall-and-we-will-lie-down-with/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [So I'll do that, and I'll do my best and if my best isn't good enough, at least I will have done everything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/so-i-ll-do-that-and-i-ll-do-my-best-and-if-my-best-isn-t-good-enough/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [He was obviously a very arrogant ragamuffin, and younger than she was, to boot. And he was wearing a necromancer's bells! Apart from that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/he-was-obviously-a-very-arrogant-ragamuffin-and-younger-than-she-was/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“she still felt she was a librarian and always would be, no matter what else she had become as well. “We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/she-still-felt-she-was-a-librarian-and-always-would-be-no-matter-what/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I don't want to be that kind of sorcerer, said Anya swiftly. Besides, you wouldn't...you wouldn't love me then, would you? We will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-kind-of-sorcerer-said-anya-swiftly-besides/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Fear and realisation of ignorance, strong medicines against stupid pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/fear-and-realisation-of-ignorance-strong-medicines-against-stupid/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I didn't know why he became a tree. I don't really know anything about why druids become trees- Peace and quiet, said Elisandria matter-of-factly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-didn-t-know-why-he-became-a-tree-i-don-t-really-know-anything-about/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Our parts now -- which perforce we must play -- are not father and daughter, but one old Abhorsen, making way for the new.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/our-parts-now-which-perforce-we-must-play-are-not-father-and-daughter/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [We've had enough of your pretending to be God. We'll take our chances getting out of the city. Things have to be better in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/we-ve-had-enough-of-your-pretending-to-be-god-we-ll-take-our-chances/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [I certainly have had experiences of a sense of wonder at the world and a feeling that even though it could all be explained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-certainly-have-had-experiences-of-a-sense-of-wonder-at-the-world/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) [Explore all 147 Garth Nix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) ## More Rescuing quotes > [“But I also know we can’t plan on anyone else rescuing us. We have to do it ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/but-i-also-know-we-can-t-plan-on-anyone-else-rescuing-us-we-have-to/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [Love deems this world worth rescuing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/love-deems-this-world-worth-rescuing/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Someone always needs rescuing, yet there's only one person who ever seems to understand you. It's a lot like being Lassie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/someone-always-needs-rescuing-yet-there-s-only-one-person-who-ever/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“Many set themselves the aim of rescuing the indifferent and the lazy—and end up lost themselves. The flame within them gets dim with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/many-set-themselves-the-aim-of-rescuing-the-indifferent-and-the-lazy/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“I can confidently state that the greatest rescues in my life have occurred when I’ve been saved from myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-can-confidently-state-that-the-greatest-rescues-in-my-life-have/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We do not always need to have a man rescuing a woman; it is interesting when a story explores how women stand up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-cassandra/we-do-not-always-need-to-have-a-man-rescuing-a-woman-it-is/) [Regina Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-cassandra/) > [“Rescuing Elena plunged him into the nightmare world of people trafficking and sex slavery… but as an ex-Royal Marine, he could handle it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zelder/rescuing-elena-plunged-him-into-the-nightmare-world-of-people/) David Zelder > [“A knight in shining armor got a little old when you couldn’t walk two feet without him riding in to sweep you off your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/a-knight-in-shining-armor-got-a-little-old-when-you-couldn-t-walk-two/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [Rescuing women from their burden of unwarranted guilt is going to require 'educational practices and socializing agents' even more effective than the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/rescuing-women-from-their-burden-of-unwarranted-guilt-is-going-to/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“She didn’t argue or resist or even speak. She simply followed him, not knowing where he was taking her. The manner in which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-morgen/she-didn-t-argue-or-resist-or-even-speak-she-simply-followed-him-not/) Kristen Morgen > [God does not stop at rescuing us; the purpose of that rescue is to enjoy fellowship with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-does-not-stop-at-rescuing-us-the-purpose-of-that-rescue-is-to/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Is the depressing part that he's only half right - it's not that she doesn't need rescuing but that nobody else will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/is-the-depressing-part-that-he-s-only-half-right-it-s-not-that-she/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“The change most needed in our lives isn't change in our situations and relationships but in us. The thing God is most intent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-lane/the-change-most-needed-in-our-lives-isn-t-change-in-our-situations/) Timothy Lane > [The greatest cause in the world is joyfully rescuing people from hell, meeting their earthly needs, making them glad in God, and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-greatest-cause-in-the-world-is-joyfully-rescuing-people-from-hell/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) Browse all 68 Rescuing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look, said Anya. But I don't expect to need rescuing. I'm not that kind of princess. What kind of princess are you? 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