--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast…" description: "\"“Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe, Dauntless devout defender, Bravest of boys . . .’ Not really a boy anymore, though, is he, Tooley..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg" --- # Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe… ![“Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe, Dauntless devout defender, Bravest of boys . . .’ Not really a boy anymore, though, is he, Tooley?” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg) > ““Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe, Dauntless devout defender, Bravest of boys . . .’ Not really a boy anymore, though, is he, Tooley?”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid, mythic description of a fierce defender, questioning his youthful identity. **In simple terms:** A brave defender is described, with doubt about his age. Key Takeaway Recognize strength beyond appearances. Themes heroism identity myth youth transformation Mood mysterious dramatic Type literary poetic When to use this quote - fantasy narrative - character development - role conflict Key Concepts archetypal hero self‑perception role reversal Questions to Reflect On - What defines heroism in this context? - How does age affect perception of bravery? A Different Perspective The cryptic tone may obscure clear meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anymore Tooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anymore-tooley-1962157/) [Bravest Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravest-boys-1962156/) [Crimson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimson/) [Crimson Cuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimson-cuts-1962155/) [Foe Dauntless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foe-dauntless-1962158/) ## Related quotes > [How big are souls anyway?" asked Coraline. The other mother sat down at the kitchen table and leaned against the back wall, saying nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/how-big-are-souls-anyway-asked-coraline-the-other-mother-sat-down-at/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“crimson and clover”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hamilton/crimson-and-clover/) [Grant Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hamilton/) > [The Sick Rose O Rose, thou art sick. The invisible worm That flies in the night In the howling storm Has found out thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-sick-rose-o-rose-thou-art-sick-the-invisible-worm-that-flies-in/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Alaska and Montana are not in the south but they definitely form part of the crimson tide of red states where Republicans are dominant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/alaska-and-montana-are-not-in-the-south-but-they-definitely-form-part/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-seasons-alter-hoary-headed-frosts-fall-in-the-fresh-lap-of-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We thread our way through a moving forest of ice-cream cones and crimson thighs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dominique-bauby/we-thread-our-way-through-a-moving-forest-of-ice-cream-cones-and/) [Jean-Dominique Bauby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dominique-bauby/) > [I'll plant and water, sow and weed, Till not an inch of earth shows brown, And take a vow of each small seed To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/i-ll-plant-and-water-sow-and-weed-till-not-an-inch-of-earth-shows/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) > [Pop just didn't have enough substance for me. All this nyah-nyah-nyah, you know, 'Paper Tiger' and 'Hold the Ladder, James' and 'Crimson and Clover.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/pop-just-didn-t-have-enough-substance-for-me-all-this-nyah-nyah-nyah/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [Touring with King Crimson wasn't a lot of fun for me. I had a lot of equipment, and when I was in improvised music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-muir/touring-with-king-crimson-wasn-t-a-lot-of-fun-for-me-i-had-a-lot-of/) [Jamie Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-muir/) > [There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/there-were-crimson-roses-on-the-bench-they-looked-like-splashes-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > ['Crimson' is written in a very particular style, and it's very precise in the way it graduates into a gothic romance. The souls that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/crimson-is-written-in-a-very-particular-style-and-it-s-very-precise/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [It is the sense of unfamiliar envelopment that is impressive, whether in the living grays of hoarfrost, the crimson of the heavens at sunset,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/it-is-the-sense-of-unfamiliar-envelopment-that-is-impressive-whether/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [So if big enough droplets fell far enough fast enough, someone floating right near the metallic hydrogen layer inside Jupiter maybe, just maybe, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kean/so-if-big-enough-droplets-fell-far-enough-fast-enough-someone/) [Sam Kean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kean/) > [Cookbooks, it should be stressed, do not belong in the kitchen at all. We keep them there for the sake of appearances; occasionally, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lane/cookbooks-it-should-be-stressed-do-not-belong-in-the-kitchen-at-all/) [Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Crimson quotes > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [Cookbooks, it should be stressed, do not belong in the kitchen at all. We keep them there for the sake of appearances; occasionally, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lane/cookbooks-it-should-be-stressed-do-not-belong-in-the-kitchen-at-all/) [Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/) > [So if big enough droplets fell far enough fast enough, someone floating right near the metallic hydrogen layer inside Jupiter maybe, just maybe, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kean/so-if-big-enough-droplets-fell-far-enough-fast-enough-someone/) [Sam Kean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kean/) > [It is the sense of unfamiliar envelopment that is impressive, whether in the living grays of hoarfrost, the crimson of the heavens at sunset,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/it-is-the-sense-of-unfamiliar-envelopment-that-is-impressive-whether/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > ['Crimson' is written in a very particular style, and it's very precise in the way it graduates into a gothic romance. The souls that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/crimson-is-written-in-a-very-particular-style-and-it-s-very-precise/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/there-were-crimson-roses-on-the-bench-they-looked-like-splashes-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Touring with King Crimson wasn't a lot of fun for me. I had a lot of equipment, and when I was in improvised music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-muir/touring-with-king-crimson-wasn-t-a-lot-of-fun-for-me-i-had-a-lot-of/) [Jamie Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-muir/) > [Pop just didn't have enough substance for me. All this nyah-nyah-nyah, you know, 'Paper Tiger' and 'Hold the Ladder, James' and 'Crimson and Clover.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/pop-just-didn-t-have-enough-substance-for-me-all-this-nyah-nyah-nyah/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [I'll plant and water, sow and weed, Till not an inch of earth shows brown, And take a vow of each small seed To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/i-ll-plant-and-water-sow-and-weed-till-not-an-inch-of-earth-shows/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) > [We thread our way through a moving forest of ice-cream cones and crimson thighs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dominique-bauby/we-thread-our-way-through-a-moving-forest-of-ice-cream-cones-and/) [Jean-Dominique Bauby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dominique-bauby/) > [The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-seasons-alter-hoary-headed-frosts-fall-in-the-fresh-lap-of-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Alaska and Montana are not in the south but they definitely form part of the crimson tide of red states where Republicans are dominant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/alaska-and-montana-are-not-in-the-south-but-they-definitely-form-part/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [The Sick Rose O Rose, thou art sick. The invisible worm That flies in the night In the howling storm Has found out thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-sick-rose-o-rose-thou-art-sick-the-invisible-worm-that-flies-in/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“crimson and clover”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hamilton/crimson-and-clover/) [Grant Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hamilton/) > [Gospel songs to me are about the mansion in the sky, and washed in the blood of Christ's crimson blood, songs that are filled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-norman/gospel-songs-to-me-are-about-the-mansion-in-the-sky-and-washed-in-the/) [Larry Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-norman/) [Browse all 150 Crimson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe, Dauntless devout defender, Bravest of boys . . .’ Not really a boy anymore, though, is he, Tooley?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-falls-the-foe-dauntless-devout/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crimson" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-falls-the-foe-dauntless-devout/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/neil-gaiman-29_crimson_crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-fal_184126.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Crimson the cuts in the carcass, Fast falls the foe, Dauntless devout defender, Bravest of boys . . .’ Not…” — Neil Gaiman", "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": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Crimson the cuts in the carcass,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-falls-the-foe-dauntless-devout/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/crimson-the-cuts-in-the-carcass-fast-falls-the-foe-dauntless-devout/#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 } } ] } ```