--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a…" description: "\"“Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-thurber-1534_cold-heart_once-upon-a-time-in-a-gloomy-castle-on-a_1794218.jpg" --- # Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill… ![“Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile and almost as…” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-thurber-1534_cold-heart_once-upon-a-time-in-a-gloomy-castle-on-a_1794218.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-thurber-1534_cold-heart_once-upon-a-time-in-a-gloomy-castle-on-a_1794218.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-thurber-1534_cold-heart_once-upon-a-time-in-a-gloomy-castle-on-a_1794218.jpg) > ““Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile and almost as cold as his heart. He wore gloves when he was asleep, and he wore gloves when he was awake, which made if difficult for him to pick up pins or coins or the kernels of nuts, or to tear the wings from nightingales. He was six feet four, and forty-six, and even colder than he thought he was.”” [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A cold-hearted duke contrasts with his warm niece, highlighting emotional extremes. **In simple terms:** Cold duke vs warm niece. Key Takeaway Recognize warmth in coldness. Themes family dynamics contrast emotional coldness Mood melancholic whimsical Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - reading - teaching - creative writing Key Concepts psychology symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does the duke’s coldness symbolize? - How can warmth influence coldness? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex emotions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-heart/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The Princess Saralinda was tall, with freesias in her dark hair, and she wore serenity brightly like the rainbow. It was not easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/the-princess-saralinda-was-tall-with-freesias-in-her-dark-hair-and/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where I lived, it was a cold mining place, a village called Dunston. The only time you saw a Rolls-Royce was when somebody died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-johnson/where-i-lived-it-was-a-cold-mining-place-a-village-called-dunston-the/) [Brian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-johnson/) > [“I have lived at Cold Mountain These thirty long years. Yesterday I called on friends and family: More than half had gone to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-snyder/i-have-lived-at-cold-mountain-these-thirty-long-years-yesterday-i/) [Gary Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-snyder/) > [“Cold hands, warm heart,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-connors/cold-hands-warm-heart/) [Jennifer Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-connors/) > [“I’ll exhale hot breath into my palm before touching you, because I have cold hands, and also because your hands smell like bubblegum.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-ll-exhale-hot-breath-into-my-palm-before-touching-you-because-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“You know what they say. Cold hands. Warm heart," Yuji said. "Or is it the reverse?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/you-know-what-they-say-cold-hands-warm-heart-yuji-said-or-is-it-the/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [He put his cold hands on either side of my face and fixed his golden eyes on mine. "Would you please tell me what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/he-put-his-cold-hands-on-either-side-of-my-face-and-fixed-his-golden/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Some Native people suggest that one should test how cold the hands are by touching the thumb to the little finger of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mors-kochanski/some-native-people-suggest-that-one-should-test-how-cold-the-hands/) [Mors Kochanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mors-kochanski/) > [“Everything, except boredom, bores me. 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Not cold reason, but that which leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-claude/as-far-as-i-remember-even-younger-than-eight-i-have-always-been/) [Albert Claude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-claude/) > [“On the scheme of this barbarous philosophy,” Burke wrote in the Reflections, “which is the offspring of cold hearts and muddy understandings, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/on-the-scheme-of-this-barbarous-philosophy-burke-wrote-in-the/) [Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/) > [You have been deceived by your own cold heart - a curse upon your house and all within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/you-have-been-deceived-by-your-own-cold-heart-a-curse-upon-your-house/) Beauty And The Beast ## More by James Thurber > [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/her-own-mother-lived-the-latter-years-of-her-life-in-the-horrible/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Against the may, the could be, and the should, folly 'tis to balance doubt or hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/against-the-may-the-could-be-and-the-should-folly-tis-to-balance/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Love is the strange bewilderment that overtakes one person on account of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/love-is-the-strange-bewilderment-that-overtakes-one-person-on-account/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“ There was an old coddle so molly, He talked in a glot that was poly, His gaws were so gew That his laps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/there-was-an-old-coddle-so-molly-he-talked-in-a-glot-that-was-poly/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“you might as well fall on your face as lean over too far backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-might-as-well-fall-on-your-face-as-lean-over-too-far-backwards/) [james thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/he-knows-all-about-art-but-he-doesn-t-know-what-he-likes/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/all-men-should-strive-to-learn-before-they-die-what-they-are-running/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Quick, name some towns in New Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/quick-name-some-towns-in-new-jersey/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Looks can be deceiving; it's eating that's believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/looks-can-be-deceiving-it-s-eating-that-s-believing/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Humor does not include sarcasm, invalid irony, sardonicism, innuendo, or any other form of cruelty. When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you-can-t-blunt-the-edge-of-wit-or-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) [Explore all 229 James Thurber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## More Cold heart quotes > [You have been deceived by your own cold heart - a curse upon your house and all within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/you-have-been-deceived-by-your-own-cold-heart-a-curse-upon-your-house/) Beauty And The Beast > [“On the scheme of this barbarous philosophy,” Burke wrote in the Reflections, “which is the offspring of cold hearts and muddy understandings, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/on-the-scheme-of-this-barbarous-philosophy-burke-wrote-in-the/) [Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/) > [As far as I remember, even younger than eight, I have always been guided by reason. 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This is another technique we use now - but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-nilsson/we-sometimes-freeze-the-specimen-with-liquid-nitrogen-which-is/) [Lennart Nilsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennart-nilsson/) > [Fear both the heat and the cold of your heart, and try to have patience, if you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-both-the-heat-and-the-cold-of-your-heart-and-try-to-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The muse of memories past inspires smiles on many a sad faces, tears on many a dry cheek, and warmth of love inside so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-muse-of-memories-past-inspires-smiles-on-many-a-sad-faces-tears/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Let’s take this out just a little bit further passed the breakers into some really deep water. Let’s talk about love. Yeah. The love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-w-allison/let-s-take-this-out-just-a-little-bit-further-passed-the-breakers/) [Calvin W. Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-w-allison/) > [“Poor Victor! poor Victor!” she thought; and then she tried mentally to project herself into the situation of the wretched, remorseful Frenchwoman, the coquette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-broughton/poor-victor-poor-victor-she-thought-and-then-she-tried-mentally-to/) [Rhoda Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-broughton/) > [“If you would wait and’ve won my heart Still we know the end is yet to come there’s no hiding we cant escape the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irome/if-you-would-wait-and-ve-won-my-heart-still-we-know-the-end-is-yet-to/) Irome > [“Season's Greetings by Stewart Stafford Season's Greetings To those we are needing, While I am leading The Festive charge. Christmas love is fleeting, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/season-s-greetings-by-stewart-stafford-season-s-greetings-to-those-we/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [Of two hearts one is always warm and one is always cold: the cold heart is more precious than diamonds: the warm heart has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/of-two-hearts-one-is-always-warm-and-one-is-always-cold-the-cold/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [My favorite song he ever wrote was 'Cold Cold Heart.' If you think about it, the lyric to 'Cold Cold Heart,' see how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-helms/my-favorite-song-he-ever-wrote-was-cold-cold-heart-if-you-think-about/) Don Helms > [Professor Cold Heart: Whats that? Little friendly fuzzies? With things on their tummies? In my kingdom? Disgusting, isnt it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-care-bears/professor-cold-heart-whats-that-little-friendly-fuzzies-with-things/) The Care Bears > [When Paris sneezes, Europe catches a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/when-paris-sneezes-europe-catches-a-cold/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [“women who are willing to be involved with married men are selfish. Shallow. Destroying a family is a terrible thing to do. Only someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/women-who-are-willing-to-be-involved-with-married-men-are-selfish/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) [Browse all 129 Cold heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile and almost as cold as his heart. He wore gloves when he was asleep, and he wore gloves when he was awake, which made if difficult for him to pick up pins or coins or the kernels of nuts, or to tear the wings from nightingales. 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