--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not Menda, though that is what my…" description: "\"“I am not Menda, though that is what my mother called me. I am Tehlu, lord above all. I have come to free you from demons and the wickedness of your ow..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/patrick-rothfuss-145_demons_i-am-not-menda-though-that-is-what-my-mo_2312855.jpg" --- # I am not Menda, though that is what my mother called me. I… ![“I am not Menda, though that is what my mother called me. I am Tehlu, lord above all. I have come to free you from demons and the wickedness of your own hearts. I am Tehlu, son of myself. Let the wicked hear my voice and tremble.” And they did tremble. But some of them refused to believe. They…” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/patrick-rothfuss-145_demons_i-am-not-menda-though-that-is-what-my-mo_2312855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/patrick-rothfuss-145_demons_i-am-not-menda-though-that-is-what-my-mo_2312855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/patrick-rothfuss-145_demons_i-am-not-menda-though-that-is-what-my-mo_2312855.jpg) > ““I am not Menda, though that is what my mother called me. I am Tehlu, lord above all. I have come to free you from demons and the wickedness of your own hearts. I am Tehlu, son of myself. Let the wicked hear my voice and tremble.” And they did tremble. But some of them refused to believe. They called him a demon and threatened him. They spoke hard, frightened words. Some threw stones and cursed him, and spat toward him and his mother. Then Tehlu grew angry, and he might have slain them all, but Perial leaped forward and laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. “What more can you expect?” she asked him quietly. “From men who live with demons for their neighbors? Even the best dog will bite that has been kicked enough.”” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A powerful figure confronts societal fear and hostility, yet restraint and empathy are urged over vengeance. **In simple terms:** Power meets fear; choose restraint over revenge. Key Takeaway Practice compassion even when provoked. Themes power fear restraint empathy conflict Mood tense reflective hopeful Type narrative philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - community conflict - personal growth - justice - non‑violence Key Concepts heroism moral choice self‑identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when faced with hostility? - When is restraint more powerful than force? A Different Perspective Violence may seem justified but perpetuates cycles of harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demons/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [I'm doing this pilot called 'Demon.' Kevin Smith is directing it. It's a comedy drama. I play a guy who rises up from Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-gass/i-m-doing-this-pilot-called-demon-kevin-smith-is-directing-it-it-s-a/) [Kyle Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-gass/) > [“These two she would have liked to keep for ever just as they were, demons of wickedness, angels of delight, never to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/these-two-she-would-have-liked-to-keep-for-ever-just-as-they-were/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Still canna resist the draw of the devil." A tremor sliced through Farah at the old woman's words. 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She froze, finding it hard to breathe as he gently raised her face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-davis/his-hand-came-out-and-captured-her-by-the-chin-she-froze-finding-it/) [Lia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-davis/) > [“Unfortunately for you love, I take my pleasure with a shot of pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-lake/unfortunately-for-you-love-i-take-my-pleasure-with-a-shot-of-pain/) [Keri Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-lake/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Wilem snorted."That doesn't sound suspicious at all," he said. "And you wonder why people talk about you." "I don't wonder why they talk," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/wilem-snorted-that-doesn-t-sound-suspicious-at-all-he-said-and-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The point isn't to win the game. The point is to play a beautiful game. 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It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [He had a bright, reckless tenor that was always wandering off, looking for notes in the wrong places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/he-had-a-bright-reckless-tenor-that-was-always-wandering-off-looking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a blog where I keep in touch with my fans. I write about things that are important to me. Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Demons quotes > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [“Unfortunately for you love, I take my pleasure with a shot of pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-lake/unfortunately-for-you-love-i-take-my-pleasure-with-a-shot-of-pain/) [Keri Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-lake/) > [“His hand came out and captured her by the chin. She froze, finding it hard to breathe as he gently raised her face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-davis/his-hand-came-out-and-captured-her-by-the-chin-she-froze-finding-it/) [Lia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-davis/) > [“One person's strange is another person's normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/one-person-s-strange-is-another-person-s-normal/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) Twe Stephens > [I did a lot of struggling with my identity trying to figure out who the heck I was. I had to face my demons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/i-did-a-lot-of-struggling-with-my-identity-trying-to-figure-out-who/) [John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/) > [“They are part of his imagination, part of his story, and so, part of him. If he would not hurt you, then it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-creagh/they-are-part-of-his-imagination-part-of-his-story-and-so-part-of-him/) [Kelly Creagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-creagh/) > [“All right. You want to know about Nigel. I’ll tell you about Nigel. He’s come a long way since that so-called accident, Jon. Heck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-corey/all-right-you-want-to-know-about-nigel-i-ll-tell-you-about-nigel-he-s/) Shawn Corey > [“And then I met this girl.” He paused, his fingers finding mine in a tight squeeze. “And she made all my dark corners light”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-hayes/and-then-i-met-this-girl-he-paused-his-fingers-finding-mine-in-a/) [Gwen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-hayes/) > [“You want me to join your group of demon hunters," I can’t believe I just said that out loud, "because of a can of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-blais/you-want-me-to-join-your-group-of-demon-hunters-i-can-t-believe-i/) [Bill Blais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-blais/) > [“In real life, love and hate are often only separable if we’re willing to recognize our demons and choose to become better people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-monk/in-real-life-love-and-hate-are-often-only-separable-if-we-re-willing/) [John L. Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-monk/) > [I've been killing demons for a third of my life i've sent over 500 of them back to whatever hellish dimension they crawled out of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolas-sixx/i-ve-been-killing-demons-for-a-third-of-my-life-i-ve-sent-over-500-of/) [NIKOLAS SIXX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolas-sixx/) > [“Do you remember the section on controlling demons in Demonologies ? I believe it's in chapter five." "Um...no." Irritation flashed over his face. 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They spoke hard, frightened words. Some threw stones and cursed him, and spat toward him and his mother. Then Tehlu grew angry, and he might have slain them all, but Perial leaped forward and laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. “What more can you expect?” she asked him quietly. “From men who live with demons for their neighbors? 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