---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is this stuff, do you know?” he…"
description: "\"“What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Blackberry. “A..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg"
---

#  What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,”…

![“What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Blackberry. “About this place, I mean. The plants are new, the smells are new. We’re going to need some new ideas ourselves.” “Well, you’re the fellow for ideas,”…” quote by Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg)

> ““What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Blackberry. “About this place, I mean. The plants are new, the smells are new. We’re going to need some new ideas ourselves.” “Well, you’re the fellow for ideas,” said Hazel. “I never know anything until you tell me.””

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Characters acknowledge unknown knowledge, emphasizing humility and the need for fresh ideas when confronting unfamiliar environments.

**In simple terms:** Admit ignorance and seek new ideas in unknown situations.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and collaborative problem‑solving.

Themes

humility curiosity collaboration adaptation learning

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical conversational

When to use this quote

- exploring new places
- team brainstorming
- learning new skills
- adapting to change
- research projects

Key Concepts

epistemic humility creative problem solving exploration

Questions to Reflect On

- What unknowns are you avoiding?
- How can you contribute fresh ideas?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on others can stifle personal insight.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/)

## Related quotes

> [“I should hurry, then, if I were you,” said Blackberry. “The sun will be down soon.” “Hah!” said Bigwig. “If I meet a stoat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/i-should-hurry-then-if-i-were-you-said-blackberry-the-sun-will-be/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [And time brings down what is both strong and tall. But plants new set to be eradicate, And buds new blown, to have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bradstreet/and-time-brings-down-what-is-both-strong-and-tall-but-plants-new-set/)

[Anne Bradstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bradstreet/)

> [“It's the place that worries you," said Hazel. "I don't like it myself, but it won't go on forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/it-s-the-place-that-worries-you-said-hazel-i-don-t-like-it-myself-but/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“alighted near Hazel and Fiver. “How’s Holly?” asked Hazel. “’E sad,” said Kehaar. “’E say you no come back.” Then he added, “Mees Clover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/alighted-near-hazel-and-fiver-how-s-holly-asked-hazel-e-sad-said/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Go,” said Hazel, firmly and quietly, “or we’ll kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/go-said-hazel-firmly-and-quietly-or-we-ll-kill-you/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Hazel used his trick. "They got no starfish there?" "They got no ocean there" said Doc. "Oh!" said Hazel and he cast frantically about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/hazel-used-his-trick-they-got-no-starfish-there-they-got-no-ocean/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [While Leo fussed over his helm controls, Hazel and Frank relayed the story of the fish-centaurs and their training camp. 'Incredible,' Jason said. 'These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/while-leo-fussed-over-his-helm-controls-hazel-and-frank-relayed-the/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“Incredible,” Jason said. “These are really good brownies.” “That’s your only comment?” Piper demanded. He looked surprised. “What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/incredible-jason-said-these-are-really-good-brownies-that-s-your-only/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“The whole affair was the precise opposite of what I figured it would be: slow and patient and quiet and neither particularly painful nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-whole-affair-was-the-precise-opposite-of-what-i-figured-it-would/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/)

[Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/)

> [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/)

[Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/)

> [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/)

[Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/)

> [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“In the same way that the picturesque designers were always careful to include some reminder of our mortality in their gardens -- a ruin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-same-way-that-the-picturesque-designers-were-always-careful-to/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

## More by Richard Adams

> [Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/men-will-never-rest-till-they-ve-spoiled-the-earth-and-destroyed-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Like children in a dark room, like wayfarers passing a graveyard at night, the four men in the canoe filled the surrounding darkness with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/like-children-in-a-dark-room-like-wayfarers-passing-a-graveyard-at/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbit-underground-rabbit-safe-and-sound/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“There's terrible evil in the world." It comes from men," said Holly. "All other elil do what they have to do and Frith moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/there-s-terrible-evil-in-the-world-it-comes-from-men-said-holly-all/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“But I have learned that with creatures one loves, suffering is not the only thing for which one may pity them. A rabbit who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/but-i-have-learned-that-with-creatures-one-loves-suffering-is-not-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [People who record birdsong generally do it very early-before six o'clock-if they can. Soon after that, the invasion of distant noise in most woodland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/people-who-record-birdsong-generally-do-it-very-early-before-six-o/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Then El-ahrairah knew that Frith was too clever for him and he was frightened. He thought that the fox and the weasel were coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/then-el-ahrairah-knew-that-frith-was-too-clever-for-him-and-he-was/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Most of them had not understood Blackberry's discovery of the raft and at once forgot it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/most-of-them-had-not-understood-blackberry-s-discovery-of-the-raft/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“My lord,' replied El-ahrairah, 'I have come to give you my life. My life for my people.' The Black Rabbit drew his claws along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/my-lord-replied-el-ahrairah-i-have-come-to-give-you-my-life-my-life/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Hazel, like nearly all wild animals, was unaccustomed to look up at the sky. What he thought of as the sky was the horizon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/hazel-like-nearly-all-wild-animals-was-unaccustomed-to-look-up-at-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/be-cunning-and-full-of-tricks-and-your-people-shall-never-be-destroyed/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [Who knows why men do anything?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/who-knows-why-men-do-anything/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“A wild animal that feels that it no longer has any reason to live reaches in the end a point when its remaining energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/a-wild-animal-that-feels-that-it-no-longer-has-any-reason-to-live/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Think yourself lucky,” said Bigwig, bleeding and cursing, “that I don’t kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/think-yourself-lucky-said-bigwig-bleeding-and-cursing-that-i-don-t/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

> [“Black Rabbit: Hazel... Hazel... you know me, don't you? Hazel: I don't know. \[the apparition reveals himself to be the Black Rabbit, and Hazel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/black-rabbit-hazel-hazel-you-know-me-don-t-you-hazel-i-don-t-know-the/)

[Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

[Explore all 109 Richard Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/)

## More Gardening quotes

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/)

[Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/)

> [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/)

[Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/)

> [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/my-days-the-blossom-of-my-youth-and-the-flower-of-my-manhood-have/)

[Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/)

> [“In the same way that the picturesque designers were always careful to include some reminder of our mortality in their gardens -- a ruin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-same-way-that-the-picturesque-designers-were-always-careful-to/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/)

[Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/)

> [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [Love and work are to people what water and sunshine are to plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/love-and-work-are-to-people-what-water-and-sunshine-are-to-plants/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [“A flower needs the rain to grow just as much as it needs the sunshine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/a-flower-needs-the-rain-to-grow-just-as-much-as-it-needs-the-sunshine/)

[Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/)

> [“Mr. Grote shows me how he grows wild rice in the stream and collects the seeds. The rice is nutty and brown. He plants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/mr-grote-shows-me-how-he-grows-wild-rice-in-the-stream-and-collects/)

[Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/)

> [I must hurry back to my house and my flowers in Monaco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillie-langtry/i-must-hurry-back-to-my-house-and-my-flowers-in-monaco/)

[Lillie Langtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillie-langtry/)

> [“Look for light Listen for inspiration on the wind Let water cleanse your soul Set yourself on a firm foundation Serve as the plants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anasazi-foundation/look-for-light-listen-for-inspiration-on-the-wind-let-water-cleanse/)

Anasazi Foundation

[Browse all 5,790 Gardening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s a lot we don’t know,” said Blackberry. “About this place, I mean. The plants are new, the smells are new. We’re going to need some new ideas ourselves.” “Well, you’re the fellow for ideas,” said Hazel. “I never know anything until you tell me.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Adams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked-no-i-don-t-said-hazel-i-ve/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Gardening"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked-no-i-don-t-said-hazel-i-ve/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/richard-adams-4326_gardening_what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked_335467.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What is this stuff, do you know?” he asked. “No, I don’t,” said Hazel. “I’ve never seen it before.” “There’s…” — Richard Adams",
                "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": "Richard Adams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“What is this stuff, do you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked-no-i-don-t-said-hazel-i-ve/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/what-is-this-stuff-do-you-know-he-asked-no-i-don-t-said-hazel-i-ve/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
