--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Between them all the poor little Rabbit…" description: "\"“Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/margery-williams-33742_long-time_between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit_1945679.jpg" --- # Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel… ![“Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse. The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and…” quote by Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/margery-williams-33742_long-time_between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit_1945679.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/margery-williams-33742_long-time_between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit_1945679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/margery-williams-33742_long-time_between-them-all-the-poor-little-rabbit_1945679.jpg) > ““Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse. The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it. "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." "I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.”” [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Skin Horse teaches that true reality comes from deep, lasting love, not appearance, and that becoming “real” is a gradual, painful process. **In simple terms:** Realness is earned through enduring love and acceptance. Key Takeaway Love over time creates true identity. Themes love identity growth Mood tender thoughtful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - parent‑child relationships - long‑term friendships - personal development Key Concepts authenticity attachment transformation Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be “real” in your life? - Can love truly change one’s essence? A Different Perspective It may romanticize pain as necessary for authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Old and wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-and-wise/) [Side by side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-by-side/) ## Related quotes > [“The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. 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That's why it doesn't happen often to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-said-the-skin-horse-you-become-it-takes/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [ \[O\]nce you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." - The Skin Horse from The Velveteen Rabbit ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/o-nce-you-are-real-you-can-t-be-ugly-except-to-people-who-don-t/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [When you don't have kids and you're in a Catholic family - one of my sisters had 10 children in 11 years - she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-schott/when-you-don-t-have-kids-and-you-re-in-a-catholic-family-one-of-my/) [Marge Schott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-schott/) > [“For that moment I touched an emotion beyond the common range of men, yet one the poor brutes we dominate know only too well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/for-that-moment-i-touched-an-emotion-beyond-the-common-range-of-men/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit. 'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/does-it-hurt-asked-the-rabbit-sometimes-said-the-skin-horse-for-he/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## More by Margery Williams > ['What is REAL?' asked the Rabbit one day, 'Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?''Real isn't how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/what-is-real-asked-the-rabbit-one-day-does-it-mean-having-things-that/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Of what use was it to be loved and lose one's beauty and become Real if it all ended like this? And a tear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/of-what-use-was-it-to-be-loved-and-lose-one-s-beauty-and-become-real/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Real isn't how you are made... It's a thing that happens to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/real-isn-t-how-you-are-made-it-s-a-thing-that-happens-to-you-2/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > ['It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-said-the-skin-horse-you-become-it-takes/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/weeks-passed-and-the-little-rabbit-grew-very-old-and-shabby-but-the/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [ \[O\]nce you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." - The Skin Horse from The Velveteen Rabbit ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/o-nce-you-are-real-you-can-t-be-ugly-except-to-people-who-don-t/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [“He said, " You become. It takes a long time. 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'When you are Real you don't mind being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/does-it-hurt-asked-the-rabbit-sometimes-said-the-skin-horse-for-he/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [When you are Real, shabbiness doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/when-you-are-real-shabbiness-doesn-t-matter/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/it-doesn-t-happen-all-at-once-you-become-it-takes-a-long-time/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) > [Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-williams/real-isn-t-how-you-are-made-said-the-skin-horse-it-s-a-thing-that-2/) [Margery Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) [Explore all 14 Margery Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-williams/) ## More Long time quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. 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He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it. \"What is REAL?\" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. \"Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?\" \"Real isn't how you are made,\" said the Skin Horse. \"It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.\" \"Does it hurt?\" asked the Rabbit. \"Sometimes,\" said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. \"When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.\" \"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,\" he asked, \"or bit by bit?\" \"It doesn't happen all at once,\" said the Skin Horse. \"You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.\" \"I suppose you are real?\" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. 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