---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper…"
description: "\"“Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered, accepting a hand up. “Not anymore!” Hazel”\" — Rick Riordan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg"
---

#  Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered…

![“Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered, accepting a hand up. “Not anymore!” Hazel” quote by Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg)

> ““Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered, accepting a hand up. “Not anymore!” Hazel””

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

## About This Quote

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

A character once loved turtles but now rejects them, indicating a change in preference.

**In simple terms:** She used to like turtles, now she doesn’t.

Key Takeaway

Accept that tastes and opinions evolve.

Themes

growth change personal development identity

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

literary character‑driven

When to use this quote

- friendships
- storytelling
- personal decisions

Key Concepts

character arcs self‑reflection

Questions to Reflect On

- What triggers such sudden shifts?
- How do you handle changing preferences?

A Different Perspective

May hint at deeper conflict without explanation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Liked Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-turtles-1246911/) [Muttered Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muttered-accepting-1246912/) [Piper Muttered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piper-muttered-1246910/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Turtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtle/) [Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtles/) [Turtles Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtles-piper-1246909/)

## Related quotes

> [“I wonder about turtles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/i-wonder-about-turtles/)

[Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/)

> [The holistic acupuncturist and the sea turtle rescuer may not be able to explain the feeling, 'We are serving the same thing,' but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/the-holistic-acupuncturist-and-the-sea-turtle-rescuer-may-not-be-able/)

[Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/)

> [Re. the Caribbean Conservation Corporation Everybody in the organization has subscribed to the original concept that its most important attributes are a single-minded resistance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-carr/re-the-caribbean-conservation-corporation-everybody-in-the/)

[Archie Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-carr/)

> [I was obsessed with the Turtles, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There's Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and my dad used to call me Callemundo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callum-smith/i-was-obsessed-with-the-turtles-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/)

[Callum Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callum-smith/)

> [The turtle couldn't help us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-turtle-couldn-t-help-us/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Turtles are greater than baby nephews, because it's ok to drop a turtle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/turtles-are-greater-than-baby-nephews-because-it-s-ok-to-drop-a-turtle/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“I like turtles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-turtles/)

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

> [The idea of the state is, or should be, a very limited, prescribed idea. The state looks after the defense of the realm, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-idea-of-the-state-is-or-should-be-a-very-limited-prescribed-idea/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [“It's turtles all the way down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/it-s-turtles-all-the-way-down/)

[William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/)

> [No turtle can be a revolutionist, because revolution requires high speed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/no-turtle-can-be-a-revolutionist-because-revolution-requires-high/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [the body is simple as a turtle / and straight as a dog: / the body cannot lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/the-body-is-simple-as-a-turtle-and-straight-as-a-dog-the-body-cannot/)

[Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/)

> [It's okay to play turtle for a while, as long as you don't get too fond of your shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/it-s-okay-to-play-turtle-for-a-while-as-long-as-you-don-t-get-too/)

[Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/)

> [Rabbits are played. Nowadays it's all about the turtles. Tell them it's a ninja, they'll freak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/rabbits-are-played-nowadays-it-s-all-about-the-turtles-tell-them-it-s/)

[Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/)

> [Be like the turtle. If he didn't stick his neck out, he wouldn't get anywhere at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/be-like-the-turtle-if-he-didn-t-stick-his-neck-out-he-wouldn-t-get/)

[Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/)

> [I like turtles because they're so chill. They don't hurt anyone. They're just like, 'Hey man, I want to swim, and maybe eat some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-turtles-because-they-re-so-chill-they-don-t-hurt-anyone-they/)

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

## More by Rick Riordan

> [“It made sense, and I felt kind of stupid. I’d been hanging around dryads”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-made-sense-and-i-felt-kind-of-stupid-i-d-been-hanging-around-dryads/)

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

> [“That awkward moment when you jump out a window because your friend jumped out a window, then you remember that your other friend can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/that-awkward-moment-when-you-jump-out-a-window-because-your-friend/)

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

> [Oh, dear Hazel.” Aphrodite folded her fan. “Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/oh-dear-hazel-aphrodite-folded-her-fan-such-optimism-yet-you-have/)

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

> [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/)

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

> [“He started toward the entrance. Seriously, how could he not? He stopped when he noticed the girl. She was kneeling in her vegetable garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-started-toward-the-entrance-seriously-how-could-he-not-he-stopped/)

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

> [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/)

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

> [“When you take someone’s hand and lead them to Valhalla, you get a glimpse into their soul.” “Did that happen when you took me?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/when-you-take-someone-s-hand-and-lead-them-to-valhalla-you-get-a/)

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

> [“he didn’t look as good as Piper had last night after she’d suddenly been transformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-didn-t-look-as-good-as-piper-had-last-night-after-she-d-suddenly/)

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

> [There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!” Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-my-baby-i-cried-quite-carried-away-there-s-my-poochiekins/)

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

> [“Leo plunked the cheese wheel in front of me. "Cut me a wedge of this, my good ma. Chop-chop!" I scowled at him. "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-plunked-the-cheese-wheel-in-front-of-me-cut-me-a-wedge-of-this-my/)

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

> [It's all still about having a good story. You have to have a good story as your anchor, as your main focus. So for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-all-still-about-having-a-good-story-you-have-to-have-a-good/)

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

> [I disobeyed Ra's wishes, and so he ordered my onw father, Shu-" "Hang on," I said. "Shoe?" "S-h-u," she said. "The god of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-disobeyed-ra-s-wishes-and-so-he-ordered-my-onw-father-shu-hang-on-i/)

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

> [“Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. "If the others found out-" "If the others found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nico-knelt-and-picked-it-up-he-regarded-jason-as-if-waiting-for-an/)

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

> [Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/wouldn-t-that-put-a-twist-in-your-toga/)

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

> [ \[Hazel\] hissed in frustration. 'I hate eidolons. I thought Piper made them promise to stay away.' 'Oh...' Frank said, like he'd just had his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hazel-hissed-in-frustration-i-hate-eidolons-i-thought-piper-made-them/)

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

[Explore all 2,993 Rick Riordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

## More Time quotes

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

> [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/)

[Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/)

> [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/)

[Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/)

> [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/)

[John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/)

> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

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

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/)

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

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/)

[Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/)

> [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/)

[Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/)

[Browse all 215,255 Time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered, accepting a hand up. “Not anymore!” Hazel”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rick Riordan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-muttered-accepting-a-hand-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-muttered-accepting-a-hand-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/rick-riordan-27_time_once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-m_901623.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Once upon a time, I liked turtles,” Piper muttered, accepting a hand up. “Not anymore!” Hazel” — Rick Riordan",
                "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": "Rick Riordan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Once upon a time, I liked...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-muttered-accepting-a-hand-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/once-upon-a-time-i-liked-turtles-piper-muttered-accepting-a-hand-up/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
