Old men Quote by Robert Holdstock
““But stories are fragile. Like people's lives. It only takes a word out of place to change them forever. If you hear a lovely tune, and then you change it, the new tune might be lovely too, but you've lost the first one." "But if I stick to the first tune, then I've lost the second." "But someone else might discover it. It's still there to be born." "And the first tune isn't?" "No," Tallis insisted, although she was confused now. "It has already come into your mind. It's lost forever." "Nothing is lost forever," Mr. Williams said quietly. "Everything I've known I still know, only sometimes I don't know that I know it." All things are known, but most things are forgotten. It takes a special magic to remember them. "My grandfather said something like that to me," Tallis whispered. "Well there you are. Wise Old Men, one and all…””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Song of Mavin Manyshaped by Robert Holdstock, 1978
Stories are delicate; a single misplacement can alter their meaning, yet they persist in memory and can be rediscovered.
In simple terms: Stories can change with one word, but they remain in the mind.
Key Takeaway
Be mindful of words; preserve core ideas while allowing new perspectives.
Themes
fragility
memory
creativity
interpretation
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
nostalgic
Type
philosophical
literary
conversational
When to use this quote
- writing
- teaching
- storytelling
- personal reflection
- archival work
Key Concepts
narrative theory
cognitive psychology
entropy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does altering a narrative affect its truth?
- Can forgotten stories be fully recovered?
A Different Perspective
Even altered stories retain an echo of the original, so loss is not absolute.
