--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break…" description: "\"If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce. 'If she fell on the steps, they would never be able to put her..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png" --- # If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time… ![“If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce. 'If she fell on the steps, they would never be able to put her together again', he replied.” quote by Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png) > “If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce. 'If she fell on the steps, they would never be able to put her together again', he replied.” [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously describes a woman's resilience, implying that extreme stiffness leads to breaking under pressure. **In simple terms:** Too much rigidity causes collapse. Key Takeaway Balance flexibility with strength. Themes resilience gender humor strength Mood witty critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - relationships - sports - physical training - stress management Key Concepts feminist critique social commentary Questions to Reflect On - How can one stay strong without becoming brittle? - What does "break it" symbolize? A Different Perspective Excessive rigidity can cause injury or failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beka cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beka-cooper/) ## Related quotes > [“If he were any stiffer, Alanna thought wryly, I'd paint a design on him and use him for a shield.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-he-were-any-stiffer-alanna-thought-wryly-i-d-paint-a-design-on-him/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [You look as scary as a buttered muffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-look-as-scary-as-a-buttered-muffin/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Your life might be easier if you were. A fool for love is happier than a Dog with a heart that's all leather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/your-life-might-be-easier-if-you-were-a-fool-for-love-is-happier-than/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“The god touched me once, Beka. I'd soon not get his attention again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/the-god-touched-me-once-beka-i-d-soon-not-get-his-attention-again/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Money talks and walks, but it does not bark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/money-talks-and-walks-but-it-does-not-bark/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [I well knew the rules to follow with our training Dogs: Speak when you're spoken to. Keep out of the way. Obey all orders.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-well-knew-the-rules-to-follow-with-our-training-dogs-speak-when-you/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“Inside I am a beautiful woman,' Okha said... 'The Trickster tapped me in my mother's womb and placed me in this man's shell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/inside-i-am-a-beautiful-woman-okha-said-the-trickster-tapped-me-in-my/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [If Cape wasn't your last name, what was your real one?" I asked, deathly curious now. "Ahhhh," he complained. "Pincas Huckleburr.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-cape-wasn-t-your-last-name-what-was-your-real-one-i-asked-deathly/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [I met the oddest little fellow today, Alan of Trebond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-met-the-oddest-little-fellow-today-alan-of-trebond/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [He has artistry," he repeated. "Because that's what it takes to blow things up. And cook his arm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/he-has-artistry-he-repeated-because-that-s-what-it-takes-to-blow/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [I will be known forever as the Puppy who chased a cutpurse and caught fish garbage instead. My descendants will pretend I'm not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-will-be-known-forever-as-the-puppy-who-chased-a-cutpurse-and-caught/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“He nearly tripped and fell down the last few steps, his legs not used to an end to the descent, a flat piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/he-nearly-tripped-and-fell-down-the-last-few-steps-his-legs-not-used/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [I actually fell down the steps on 'Ninja Warrior.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kamara/i-actually-fell-down-the-steps-on-ninja-warrior/) [Chris Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kamara/) > [The stiffer the penalty, the greater the message is sent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-brock/the-stiffer-the-penalty-the-greater-the-message-is-sent/) [Lou Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-brock/) > [Do you know what I'm really frustrated at is, when I was much younger, I was really supple. I could do the splits easily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-strachan/do-you-know-what-i-m-really-frustrated-at-is-when-i-was-much-younger/) [Michaela Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-strachan/) ## More by Tamora Pierce > [Lord Raoul asked me to tell you that if you get yourself killed, he will never speak to you again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/lord-raoul-asked-me-to-tell-you-that-if-you-get-yourself-killed-he/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [I will be known forever as the Puppy who chased a cutpurse and caught fish garbage instead. My descendants will pretend I'm not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-will-be-known-forever-as-the-puppy-who-chased-a-cutpurse-and-caught/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Dreadful sorry mistress. Ma always said I was too silly to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/dreadful-sorry-mistress-ma-always-said-i-was-too-silly-to-die/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Frostpine made a face. Lifting the cup, he dumped its contents down his throat. “Auugghh!” he yelled, his voice stronger than it had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/frostpine-made-a-face-lifting-the-cup-he-dumped-its-contents-down-his/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Face it," Gary told her kindly. "You'll never catch up. You just do as much as you can and take the punishments without saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/face-it-gary-told-her-kindly-you-ll-never-catch-up-you-just-do-as/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“The god inside the man glanced at Aly. "This is your chessboard, I believe, my dear." Aly beamed at him. "So it is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/the-god-inside-the-man-glanced-at-aly-this-is-your-chessboard-i/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [She's all over us like maggots on garbage, just because I interfered with one pickpocket yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/she-s-all-over-us-like-maggots-on-garbage-just-because-i-interfered/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [What if custom is wrong? demanded the part of her that believed in the code of chivalry. A knight must set things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/what-if-custom-is-wrong-demanded-the-part-of-her-that-believed-in-the/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [When it was her own doing, she was always tempted to skip a day, or just glance down, then get back to the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/when-it-was-her-own-doing-she-was-always-tempted-to-skip-a-day-or/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Wouldn't--" Kel began to say, but the words stuck in her mouth. She swallowed and tried again. "Wouldn't it be well, not nice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/wouldn-t-kel-began-to-say-but-the-words-stuck-in-her-mouth-she/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [You'll see. I'm as good as any boy. I'm better. - Kel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-ll-see-i-m-as-good-as-any-boy-i-m-better-kel/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“I don't know about some of these other people, particularly the ministers who served my uncle." "Can't you get rid of them?" Kaddar shook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/i-don-t-know-about-some-of-these-other-people-particularly-the/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [You must tell Lady Alanna that sometime. I'd do it from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/you-must-tell-lady-alanna-that-sometime-i-d-do-it-from-a-distance/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [If I have to 'catch' a man to get a husband, I don't want one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-i-have-to-catch-a-man-to-get-a-husband-i-don-t-want-one/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [George looked at her for a long moment. Finally he replied, "And why do you find it so hard to think someone might like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/george-looked-at-her-for-a-long-moment-finally-he-replied-and-why-do/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) [Explore all 323 Tamora Pierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce. 'If she fell on the steps, they would never be able to put her together again', he replied.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tamora Pierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break-it-every-time-she-rides-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break-it-every-time-she-rides-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/tamora-pierce-935_able_if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break_615283.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If her rump were any stiffer, she'd break it every time she rides', I thought to Pounce. 'If she fell on the…” — Tamora Pierce", "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": "Tamora Pierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If her rump were any stiffer,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break-it-every-time-she-rides-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/if-her-rump-were-any-stiffer-she-d-break-it-every-time-she-rides-i/#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 } } ] } ```