--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker…" description: "\"A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great, and he hoped to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png" --- # A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't… ![“A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great, and he hoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz that he might compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him, His ambition blinded him to the rights…” quote by L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png) > “A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great, and he hoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz that he might compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him, His ambition blinded him to the rights of others, and he imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone else happened to be as clever as himself.” [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ugu’s ambition makes him ignore others’ rights, assuming everyone would act similarly if equally clever. **In simple terms:** Ambition blinds him to others’ rights. Key Takeaway Beware hubris that justifies exploitation. Themes ambition power ethics blindness Mood cautionary reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - corporate governance - personal relationships Key Concepts Moral philosophy psychology political theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you check your own ambitions against others’ rights? - What safeguards prevent power from corrupting intent? A Different Perspective Assuming others share one’s motives can cause injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Blinded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-blinded-1899262/) [Blinded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blinded/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Shoemaker Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoemaker-didn-1899259/) [Suspects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspects/) [Thing Ugu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-ugu-1899261/) [Ugu Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugu-shoemaker-1899258/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-powerful-1899260/) [Wicked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked/) ## Related quotes > [“It was part of what had made him so good at manipulating people - he could present them with what they wanted to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/it-was-part-of-what-had-made-him-so-good-at-manipulating-people-he/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“By then I already knew that I wanted to have a powerful odor and would not care if it gave offense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/by-then-i-already-knew-that-i-wanted-to-have-a-powerful-odor-and/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [I wear a hat on stage so that people won't be blinded by the reflection from my head. Also, if I don't wear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-wear-a-hat-on-stage-so-that-people-won-t-be-blinded-by-the/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [There are plenty of times we need fierce compassion, fierce love. Just like when a child does something that is very harmful and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-coleman/there-are-plenty-of-times-we-need-fierce-compassion-fierce-love-just/) [Mark Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-coleman/) > [“If the sun shone for itself, it would be blinded by its own light; if a river flowed for itself, it would be drowned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-the-sun-shone-for-itself-it-would-be-blinded-by-its-own-light-if-a/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Never stand in the way of letting God use people’s actions, in order to solve a greater issue in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-stand-in-the-way-of-letting-god-use-people-s-actions-in-order/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [The blind leading the blind are those which think they can see into the heart of another. But are blinded by love and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/the-blind-leading-the-blind-are-those-which-think-they-can-see-into/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [The most devastating effect of sin is that by it, we are blinded to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-most-devastating-effect-of-sin-is-that-by-it-we-are-blinded-to-it/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When you're so down for someone, you're completely blinded to the fact that they've been no good to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-so-down-for-someone-you-re-completely-blinded-to-the-fact/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses because we were born this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/do-not-allow-people-to-dim-your-shine-because-they-are-blinded-tell/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“Don't give me truth, just give me gossip And skeletons from people's closets, I wanna be normal And millions buy it, I am blinded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/don-t-give-me-truth-just-give-me-gossip-and-skeletons-from-people-s/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“Even If I Don’t See it Again Even if I don’t see it again.–nor ever feel it I know it is–and that if once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/even-if-i-don-t-see-it-again-even-if-i-don-t-see-it-again-nor-ever/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [I guess I was so blinded by who I wanted you to be, that I didn't see who you really were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/i-guess-i-was-so-blinded-by-who-i-wanted-you-to-be-that-i-didn-t-see/) [Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/) > [Were you indeed not blinded by the Curse Of Self-exile, that still grows worse and worse, Yourselves would know that, though you see him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farid-al-din-attar/were-you-indeed-not-blinded-by-the-curse-of-self-exile-that-still/) [Farid al-Din Attar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farid-al-din-attar/) ## More by L. Frank Baum > [No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/no-matter-how-dreary-and-gray-our-homes-are-we-people-of-flesh-and/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-tin-woodman-knew-very-well-he-had-no-heart-and-therefore-he-took/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“If I had a heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/if-i-had-a-heart/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [I believe that dreams - day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing - are likely to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/i-believe-that-dreams-day-dreams-you-know-with-your-eyes-wide-open/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“Oh, no my dear. I'm a very good man. I'm just a very bad Wizard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/oh-no-my-dear-i-m-a-very-good-man-i-m-just-a-very-bad-wizard/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“Perhaps I should admit on the title page that this book is "By L. Frank Baum and his correspondents," for I have used many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/perhaps-i-should-admit-on-the-title-page-that-this-book-is-by-l-frank/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Beautiful things may be admired, if not loved,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/beautiful-things-may-be-admired-if-not-loved/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [My people have been wearing green glasses on their eyes for so long that most of them think this really is an Emerald City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/my-people-have-been-wearing-green-glasses-on-their-eyes-for-so-long/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“cut the beast’s head clean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/cut-the-beast-s-head-clean/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/when-dorothy-stood-in-the-doorway-and-looked-around-she-could-see/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“you do not I will make an end of you, as I did of the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow." Dorothy followed her through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/you-do-not-i-will-make-an-end-of-you-as-i-did-of-the-tin-woodman-and/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“Don't tell anyone I'm a poet; they might want me to write a book. Don't tell 'em I can sing, or they'd want me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/don-t-tell-anyone-i-m-a-poet-they-might-want-me-to-write-a-book-don-t/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“It is but honest that I should acknowledge at the beginning of my recital that I was born an ordinary Woggle-Bug," began the creature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/it-is-but-honest-that-i-should-acknowledge-at-the-beginning-of-my/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“Not willingly," admitted the tiger. "But here is the alternative; either you transform yourself into an eye for our child, or I and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/not-willingly-admitted-the-tiger-but-here-is-the-alternative-either/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) [Explore all 242 L. Frank Baum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great, and he hoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz that he might compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him, His ambition blinded him to the rights of others, and he imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone else happened to be as clever as himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L. Frank Baum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker-was-that-he-didn-t-suspect-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker-was-that-he-didn-t-suspect-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/l-frank-baum-1339_ambition_a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker_975043.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He…” — L. Frank Baum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "L. Frank Baum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A curious thing about Ugu the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker-was-that-he-didn-t-suspect-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/a-curious-thing-about-ugu-the-shoemaker-was-that-he-didn-t-suspect-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```