--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago…" description: "\"Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago, Tall and slender, and sallow and dry; His form was bent, and his gait was slow, His long thin hair was white as s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/george-arnold-32628_bed_twas-a-jolly-old-pedagogue-long-ago-tall_2627452.jpg" --- # Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago, Tall and slender… ![“Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago, Tall and slender, and sallow and dry; His form was bent, and his gait was slow, His long thin hair was white as snow, But a wonderful twinkle shone in his eye. And he sang every night as he went to bed, "Let us be happy down here below: The living should live…” quote by George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/george-arnold-32628_bed_twas-a-jolly-old-pedagogue-long-ago-tall_2627452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/george-arnold-32628_bed_twas-a-jolly-old-pedagogue-long-ago-tall_2627452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/george-arnold-32628_bed_twas-a-jolly-old-pedagogue-long-ago-tall_2627452.jpg) > “Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago, Tall and slender, and sallow and dry; His form was bent, and his gait was slow, His long thin hair was white as snow, But a wonderful twinkle shone in his eye. And he sang every night as he went to bed, "Let us be happy down here below: The living should live, though the dead be dead." Said the jolly old pedagogue long ago.” [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An elderly teacher encourages joy and living fully despite mortality, emphasizing happiness in the present. **In simple terms:** Live happily now despite death. Key Takeaway Embrace present joy. Themes joy mortality wisdom Mood uplifting reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily life - teaching - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy education Questions to Reflect On - How can joy be cultivated daily? - What role does teaching play in happiness? A Different Perspective May overlook practical challenges of hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snow/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [“The jolly old elf’s nose was red, but not from cold — rather, from the brutality of a dozen boxes of Kleenex. Mucus flowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-andrew-bennett-low/the-jolly-old-elf-s-nose-was-red-but-not-from-cold-rather-from-the/) [Phillip Andrew Bennett Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-andrew-bennett-low/) > [“I have never tried to walk through a mall in the Christmas season dressed like a jolly old elf. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-young-people-do-not-sufficiently-understand-the-advantages-of/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Of all animals, the outward form of the Lion is the most striking ; his look is bold and confident; his gait proud; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pinnock/of-all-animals-the-outward-form-of-the-lion-is-the-most-striking-his/) William Pinnock > [A man is known by the books he reads, by the company he keeps, by the praise he gives, by his dress, by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-is-known-by-the-books-he-reads-by-the-company-he-keeps-by-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Let me tell you what I look like: pale face, long hair, and a tiny start of a paunch. In addition, an awkward gait,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/let-me-tell-you-what-i-look-like-pale-face-long-hair-and-a-tiny-start/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by George Arnold > [The glass of your life is darkened, and darkly through it you see distorted and ghastly fragments of duty and destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/the-glass-of-your-life-is-darkened-and-darkly-through-it-you-see/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [I love this simple maiden, She grows upon me more and more, And--ask the moon who 't was that kissed, Last night upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/i-love-this-simple-maiden-she-grows-upon-me-more-and-more-and-ask-the/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [The living need charity more than the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/the-living-need-charity-more-than-the-dead/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [What rare days were those, When my chief duty was to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/what-rare-days-were-those-when-my-chief-duty-was-to-write-a-song/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [O sweet September, thy first breezes bring The dry leaf's rustle and the squirrel's laughter, The cool fresh air whence health and vigor spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/o-sweet-september-thy-first-breezes-bring-the-dry-leaf-s-rustle-and/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [Ah, many a one has started forth with hope and purpose high; Has fought throughout a weary life, and passed all pleasure by; Has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/ah-many-a-one-has-started-forth-with-hope-and-purpose-high-has-fought/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [Here with my beer I sit, while golden moments flit: alas! They pass unheeded by: and as they fly, I, being dry, sit idly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/here-with-my-beer-i-sit-while-golden-moments-flit-alas-they-pass/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [But leave me to my beer! Gold is dross, love is loss, so if I gulp my sorrows down, or see them drown in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/but-leave-me-to-my-beer-gold-is-dross-love-is-loss-so-if-i-gulp-my/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [I hold that all the evil we know on earth finds in this violence done to love its true and legitimate birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/i-hold-that-all-the-evil-we-know-on-earth-finds-in-this-violence-done/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [O'er hill and field October's glories fade; O'er hill and field the blackbirds southward fly; The brown leaves rustle down the forest glade, Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/o-er-hill-and-field-october-s-glories-fade-o-er-hill-and-field-the/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [I let my summer days pass idly on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/i-let-my-summer-days-pass-idly-on/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [Life for the living, and rest for the dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/life-for-the-living-and-rest-for-the-dead/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [Experience is bitter, but its teachings we retain; It has taught me this--who once has loved, loves never on earth again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/experience-is-bitter-but-its-teachings-we-retain-it-has-taught-me/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) > [A silence reigns upon the air, Upon the pansies by the shore, Upon the violets, pale and fair, Upon the willow, bending o'er; The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-arnold/a-silence-reigns-upon-the-air-upon-the-pansies-by-the-shore-upon-the/) [George Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) [Explore all 15 George Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-arnold/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. 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I didn't know you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-allyson/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-i-thought-it-meant-being-famous/) [June Allyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-allyson/) Browse all 4,159 Bed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Twas a jolly old pedagogue, long ago, Tall and slender, and sallow and dry; His form was bent, and his gait was slow, His long thin hair was white as snow, But a wonderful twinkle shone in his eye. 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