Unicorn Quote by Peter S. Beagle
““I know exactly how you feel," Schmendrick said eagerly. The unicorn looked at him out of dark, endless eyes, and he smiled nervously and looked at his hands. "It's a rare man who is taken for what he truly is," he said. "There is much misjudgment in the world. Now I knew you for a unicorn when I first saw you, and I know that I am your friend. Yet you take me for a clown, or a clod, or a betrayer, and so must I be if you see me so. The magic on you is only magic and will vanish as soon as you are free, but the enchantment of error that you put on me I must wear forever in your eyes. We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream. Still I have read, or heard it sung, that unicorns when time was young, could tell the difference 'twixt the two - the false shining and the true, the lips' laugh and the heart's rue.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle, 1962
Through a dialogue with a unicorn, the speaker reflects on identity, misjudgment, and the fleeting nature of magic, urging authenticity and acceptance.
In simple terms: Identity is complex; magic fades when freed.
Key Takeaway
Embrace true self and accept others’ perceptions.
Themes
identity
perception
magic
friendship
Mood
contemplative
poetic
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- literary analysis
- therapy
Key Concepts
existentialism
mythic symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize authentic versus false selves?
- What does “magic” represent in your life?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may be too abstract for practical use.
![“[The unicorn] sighed and plodded on, both amused and disappointed. It serves you right, she told herself. You know better than to expect a butterfly to know your name. All they know are songs and poetry, and anything else they hear. They mean well, but they can’t keep things straight. And why…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/217/peter-s-beagle-1665_butterfly_the-unicorn-sighed-and-plodded-on-both-a_441340.jpg)
![“The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open palm to the crook-eared cat, but he stayed where he was, shivering with the desire to go to her"...[later, Molly asked the cat] "Why were you afraid to let her touch you?…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/59b/peter-s-beagle-1665_cat_the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-w_254271.jpg)
