--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stories first heard at mothers knee are…" description: "\"Stories first heard at mothers knee are never wholly forgotten.\" — Giovanni Ruffini" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/giovanni-ruffini-30251_firsts_stories-first-heard-at-mothers-knee-are_2831708.jpg" --- # Stories first heard at mothers knee are never wholly… ![“Stories first heard at mothers knee are never wholly forgotten.” quote by Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/giovanni-ruffini-30251_firsts_stories-first-heard-at-mothers-knee-are_2831708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/giovanni-ruffini-30251_firsts_stories-first-heard-at-mothers-knee-are_2831708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/327/giovanni-ruffini-30251_firsts_stories-first-heard-at-mothers-knee-are_2831708.jpg) > “Stories first heard at mothers knee are never wholly forgotten.” [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories heard early shape lasting memories and identity. **In simple terms:** Early stories stay with us. Key Takeaway Value early narratives. Themes memory family storytelling Mood reflective nostalgic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - childhood bedtime - family gatherings - education curricula Key Concepts cultural transmission psychology nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - Which childhood story still influences you? - How do early narratives shape values? A Different Perspective Some stories may be distorted over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgotten/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Heard Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-mothers-3442149/) [Knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knees/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mothers/) [Mothers Knee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mothers-knee-3663238/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-heard-407922/) ## Related quotes > [Stories first heard standing at a mother's knee, are never wholly forgotten, — a little spring that never quite dries up in our journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/stories-first-heard-standing-at-a-mother-s-knee-are-never-wholly/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [I used to shake my head when I heard about mothers who were shocked - shocked! - when their kids came out. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/i-used-to-shake-my-head-when-i-heard-about-mothers-who-were-shocked/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) > [The best principles in our lives were those which we heard from our mothers through our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-best-principles-in-our-lives-were-those-which-we-heard-from-our/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I've numerous times heard mothers in stores tell their children not to go near me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/i-ve-numerous-times-heard-mothers-in-stores-tell-their-children-not/) [Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/) > [“Thomas," Chess said, "if you don't want to be famous and have your stories heard, then why'd you start the band up?" "I heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/thomas-chess-said-if-you-don-t-want-to-be-famous-and-have-your/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [In 2010, my kids came home telling these ridiculous stories about me they heard from school. I realized my kids didn't know my story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/in-2010-my-kids-came-home-telling-these-ridiculous-stories-about-me/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [In my life, the stories I have heard from my family, my friends, my community, and from willing strangers all over the world have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/in-my-life-the-stories-i-have-heard-from-my-family-my-friends-my/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [The best stories I have heard were pointless, the best books those whose plot I can never remember, the best individuals those whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-best-stories-i-have-heard-were-pointless-the-best-books-those/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Danae and Theano nodded but settled down more comfortably to hear their friend tell it once again. A story passed the time. A story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-geras/danae-and-theano-nodded-but-settled-down-more-comfortably-to-hear/) [Adele Geras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-geras/) > [One cannot make up stories; one can only retell in new ways the stories one has already heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-heilbrun/one-cannot-make-up-stories-one-can-only-retell-in-new-ways-the/) [Carolyn Heilbrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-heilbrun/) > [My father used to tell me stories before I fell asleep. When the children would gather, at a certain point, I had a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-father-used-to-tell-me-stories-before-i-fell-asleep-when-the/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [“As she walked, the horror stories she'd heard from Felix and the others became real. This is what their underground efforts were fighting against.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-goyer/as-she-walked-the-horror-stories-she-d-heard-from-felix-and-the/) [Tricia Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-goyer/) > [I’ve seen the nations rise and fall. I’ve heard their stories, heard them all, but love’s the only engine of survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-ve-seen-the-nations-rise-and-fall-i-ve-heard-their-stories-heard/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“We wanted - no, we needed - to tell our stories, and more importantly, we needed our stories to be heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-fleming/we-wanted-no-we-needed-to-tell-our-stories-and-more-importantly-we/) [Candace Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-fleming/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More by Giovanni Ruffini > [A human heart is a skein of such imperceptibly and subtly interwoven threads that even the owner of it is often himself at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/a-human-heart-is-a-skein-of-such-imperceptibly-and-subtly-interwoven/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Beauty is an exquisite flower, and its perfume is virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/beauty-is-an-exquisite-flower-and-its-perfume-is-virtue/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Offended self-love never forgives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/offended-self-love-never-forgives/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [If country life be healthful to the body, it is no less so to the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/if-country-life-be-healthful-to-the-body-it-is-no-less-so-to-the-mind/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [The perception of the beautiful is gradual, and not a lightning revelation; it requires not only time, but some study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/the-perception-of-the-beautiful-is-gradual-and-not-a-lightning/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Fancy borrows much from memory, and so looks back to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/fancy-borrows-much-from-memory-and-so-looks-back-to-the-past/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Selfishness, if but reasonably tempered with wisdom, is not such an evil trait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/selfishness-if-but-reasonably-tempered-with-wisdom-is-not-such-an/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Trifling favors are readily acknowledged, though cheaply esteemed; but important ones are most rarely remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/trifling-favors-are-readily-acknowledged-though-cheaply-esteemed-but/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [“A teacher is like a candle that lights others by consuming itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/a-teacher-is-like-a-candle-that-lights-others-by-consuming-itself/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Travelers describe a tree in the island of Java whose pestiferous exhalations blight every tiny blade of grass within the compass of its shade.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/travelers-describe-a-tree-in-the-island-of-java-whose-pestiferous/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Rank and riches are chains of gold, but still chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/rank-and-riches-are-chains-of-gold-but-still-chains/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Stories first heard standing at a mother's knee, are never wholly forgotten, — a little spring that never quite dries up in our journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/stories-first-heard-standing-at-a-mother-s-knee-are-never-wholly/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [All papas and mammas have exactly that sort of sight which distinguishes objects at a distance clearly, while they need spectacles to see those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ruffini/all-papas-and-mammas-have-exactly-that-sort-of-sight-which/) [Giovanni Ruffini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ruffini/) > [Curses are like processions. 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