---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have stolen princesses back from…"
description: "\"I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg"
---

#  I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings…

![“I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others…” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg)

> “I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.”

[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 self‑portrait of a legendary figure recounting extraordinary, often dark, experiences that shape his mythic reputation.

**In simple terms:** A hero lists his wild, dangerous deeds.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the complexity of your story.

Themes

identity adventure myth danger rebellion

Mood

defiant proud reflective

Type

legendary personal narrative

When to use this quote

- storytelling
- self‑reflection
- creative writing
- role‑playing games

Key Concepts

heroic narrative personal myth legendary deeds

Questions to Reflect On

- What parts of your past define you?
- How do you balance myth with reality?

A Different Perspective

The tale may romanticize harmful actions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Moonlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonlight/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Princess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/princess/) [Sanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanity/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/)

## Related quotes

> [“Soldiers have been looting and burning for generations. Perhaps they burned the town because of you, or perhaps they did it because they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/soldiers-have-been-looting-and-burning-for-generations-perhaps-they/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [“We can't do anything but snap at each other," I said. "The masters made sure of that. Anything too extreme would get us expelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/we-can-t-do-anything-but-snap-at-each-other-i-said-the-masters-made/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [We spent night after night out there learning the art of entertaining a crowd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-spent-night-after-night-out-there-learning-the-art-of-entertaining/)

[Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/)

> [“I'd love it if the first time I spent the night with a girl it was because she was tired," James says. "I'd love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garret-freymann-weyr/i-d-love-it-if-the-first-time-i-spent-the-night-with-a-girl-it-was/)

[Garret Freymann-Weyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garret-freymann-weyr/)

> [Spent the night as a patient in the hospital. Seems I may have picked up Leptospirosis in the West Indies.This is just brutal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-drew/spent-the-night-as-a-patient-in-the-hospital-seems-i-may-have-picked/)

[Dr Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-drew/)

> [I spent all night feeding the homeless to dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-spent-all-night-feeding-the-homeless-to-dogs/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [I have spent many a night in an Internet chat room, but not since I've been married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-green/i-have-spent-many-a-night-in-an-internet-chat-room-but-not-since-i-ve/)

[Jane Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-green/)

> [I've been doing things myself in the sense that I haven't had a night nurse or anything like that, so I've spent every night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-ve-been-doing-things-myself-in-the-sense-that-i-haven-t-had-a-night/)

[Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/)

> [One night I'd had some beers, and then I Googled myself and spent the night in tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/one-night-i-d-had-some-beers-and-then-i-googled-myself-and-spent-the/)

[Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/)

> [“Maybe I have had all my life in three days, he thought. If that’s true I wish we would have spent the last night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/maybe-i-have-had-all-my-life-in-three-days-he-thought-if-that-s-true/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [I like a drink and enjoy being Jack the Lad. I've had a few scraps and spent a night in a cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-vardy/i-like-a-drink-and-enjoy-being-jack-the-lad-i-ve-had-a-few-scraps-and/)

[Jamie Vardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-vardy/)

> [“She had spent the night planning and now that it was time, she hardly thought at all. It was as if she were standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/she-had-spent-the-night-planning-and-now-that-it-was-time-she-hardly/)

[Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/)

> [I spent one night in the hospital in my life. I was past 75 when that occurred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/i-spent-one-night-in-the-hospital-in-my-life-i-was-past-75-when-that/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [I understand entertaining. You want people to walk out saying, 'I spent a night with interesting people.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aby-rosen/i-understand-entertaining-you-want-people-to-walk-out-saying-i-spent/)

[Aby Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aby-rosen/)

> [I spent the night in heaven, I slept with an angel and when we finish, I swear that pussy said, "thank you"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-spent-the-night-in-heaven-i-slept-with-an-angel-and-when-we-finish/)

[Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/)

## 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. (paraphrased)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-point-isn-t-to-win-the-game-the-point-is-to-play-a-beautiful-game/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [I was nervous about writing Slow Regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-nervous-about-writing-slow-regard/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [I am no poet. I do not love words for the sake of words. I love words for what they can accomplish. Similarly, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-am-no-poet-i-do-not-love-words-for-the-sake-of-words-i-love-words/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. 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 Adventure quotes

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

> [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/)

Jessica Yu

> [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/)

Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/)

[Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/)

> [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/)

Kevin McLeod

> [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/)

[John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/)

> [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/)

[D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/)

> [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/)

[Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/)

> [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

[Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patrick Rothfuss"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleeping-barrow-kings-i-burned/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adventure"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleeping-barrow-kings-i-burned/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/patrick-rothfuss-145_adventure_i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleep_1679695.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the…” — Patrick Rothfuss",
                "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": "Patrick Rothfuss",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have stolen princesses back from...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleeping-barrow-kings-i-burned/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-stolen-princesses-back-from-sleeping-barrow-kings-i-burned/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
