--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was practically nothing the dragon…" description: "\"“There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not, sooner or later, tried on one another, often with enthusiasm.”\" — Terry..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg" --- # There was practically nothing the dragon could do to… ![“There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not, sooner or later, tried on one another, often with enthusiasm.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg) > ““There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not, sooner or later, tried on one another, often with enthusiasm.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People’s conflicts arise from their own actions, not from external forces like dragons, highlighting human agency and rivalry. **In simple terms:** People fight each other, not dragons. Key Takeaway Recognize that many problems are self‑inflicted. Themes conflict human nature agency Mood wry observational Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - political disputes - competition - resource scarcity - group behavior Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What conflicts could you resolve by changing your own behavior? - How does rivalry drive innovation? A Different Perspective Not all threats are external; internal tensions dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragon/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) ## Related quotes > [In India, I tried never to show enthusiasm for the things I wanted most, but instead to focus it falsely on something showy, ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/in-india-i-tried-never-to-show-enthusiasm-for-the-things-i-wanted/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [“It's a metaphor of human bloody existence, a dragon. And if that wasn't bad enough, it's also a bloody great hot flying thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-a-metaphor-of-human-bloody-existence-a-dragon-and-if-that-wasn-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Fantasy doesn't have to be fantastic. American writers in particular find this much harder to grasp. You need to have your feet on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/fantasy-doesn-t-have-to-be-fantastic-american-writers-in-particular/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“I see embarrassment among all of you. That's good. The thing about being embarrassed is that sooner or later you aren't, but you remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-see-embarrassment-among-all-of-you-that-s-good-the-thing-about/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You could trust numbers, except perhaps for pi, but he was working on that in his spare time and it was bound to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-could-trust-numbers-except-perhaps-for-pi-but-he-was-working-on/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [SOONER OR LATER ALL MEN MUST DIE. EVERYTHING DIES IN THE END. I CAN BE ROBBED BUT NEVER DENIED, I TOLD MYSELF. WHY WORRY?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sooner-or-later-all-men-must-die-everything-dies-in-the-end-i-can-be/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [When people say "How do you write a book, how does it all happen?" I say, you line things up, and you line them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/when-people-say-how-do-you-write-a-book-how-does-it-all-happen-i-say/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Unable to help herself, she traced the tat, startled by the black and red ink mixed together. But it was the dragon design itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/unable-to-help-herself-she-traced-the-tat-startled-by-the-black-and/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [“I will always be within reach if you need me, little one...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-von/i-will-always-be-within-reach-if-you-need-me-little-one/) [A.R. Von](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-von/) > [“You must see her pucker when she’s a dragon.” “This pucker can light your ass on fire, missy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-woods/you-must-see-her-pucker-when-she-s-a-dragon-this-pucker-can-light/) [Adrienne Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-woods/) > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [“If you banish the dragons, you banish the heroes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/if-you-banish-the-dragons-you-banish-the-heroes/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeda-shingen/arouse-a-bee-and-it-will-come-at-you-with-the-force-of-a-dragon/) [Takeda Shingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeda-shingen/) > [ “Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus \[ never tickle a sleeping dragon \]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/draco-dormiens-nunquam-titillandus-never-tickle-a-sleeping-dragon/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Dragon quotes > [ “Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus \[ never tickle a sleeping dragon \]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/draco-dormiens-nunquam-titillandus-never-tickle-a-sleeping-dragon/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeda-shingen/arouse-a-bee-and-it-will-come-at-you-with-the-force-of-a-dragon/) [Takeda Shingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeda-shingen/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“If you banish the dragons, you banish the heroes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/if-you-banish-the-dragons-you-banish-the-heroes/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [“You must see her pucker when she’s a dragon.” “This pucker can light your ass on fire, missy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-woods/you-must-see-her-pucker-when-she-s-a-dragon-this-pucker-can-light/) [Adrienne Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-woods/) > [“I will always be within reach if you need me, little one...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-von/i-will-always-be-within-reach-if-you-need-me-little-one/) [A.R. Von](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-von/) > [“Unable to help herself, she traced the tat, startled by the black and red ink mixed together. But it was the dragon design itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/unable-to-help-herself-she-traced-the-tat-startled-by-the-black-and/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [The Soyuz is probably only slightly smaller than the Dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-walker/the-soyuz-is-probably-only-slightly-smaller-than-the-dragon/) [Shannon Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-walker/) > [Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fairy-tales-are-more-than-true-not-because-they-tell-us-that-dragons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [To have dragons one must have change; that is the first principle of dragon lore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/to-have-dragons-one-must-have-change-that-is-the-first-principle-of/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [I know how the birds fly, how the fishes swim, how animals run. But there is the Dragon. I cannot tell how it mounts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-know-how-the-birds-fly-how-the-fishes-swim-how-animals-run-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [It was always that detail that drove me. Ever since I was a little kid, I used to get into the nitty gritty... when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/it-was-always-that-detail-that-drove-me-ever-since-i-was-a-little-kid/) [Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/) > [Holly is alive,' thought Foaly 'My princess lives,'exulted Orion. 'And we're chasing a dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/holly-is-alive-thought-foaly-my-princess-lives-exulted-orion-and-we/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) [Browse all 704 Dragon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not, sooner or later, tried on one another, often with enthusiasm.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon-could-do-to-people-that-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dragon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon-could-do-to-people-that-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/terry-pratchett-19_dragon_there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon_744038.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There was practically nothing the dragon could do to people that they had not, sooner or later, tried on one…” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There was practically nothing the dragon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon-could-do-to-people-that-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-practically-nothing-the-dragon-could-do-to-people-that-they/#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 } } ] } ```