How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Shhhhh." The mouse leaned in close, and Despereaux smelled celery again, green and alive. "Be brave, friend," whispered the threadmaster. "Be brave for the princess." And then he stepped back and turned and shouted, "Fellow mice, the thread has been tied. The thread has been knotted." (11.26)
You never know where you'll find compassion. The threadmaster, who's sending him off to his doom, tells poor Despereaux to keep his tiny, whiskery chin up. That probably meant a lot to the terrified little mouse. Keep that in mind, reader, the next time you're trying to help a friend who's scared. It can make all the difference.
Quote #2
"Why would you save me, then?"
"Because you, mouse, can tell Gregory a story. Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light." (15.23-24)
Gregory doesn't exactly save Despereaux for selfless reasons—he just wants the little mouse to tell him a story. Things get pretty boring in the dungeons, after all. But Despereaux doesn't care about Gregory's motives; he's just glad to be alive, so he agrees.
Quote #3
But reader, we must not forget that King Phillip loved the queen and that without her, he was lost. This is the danger of loving: No matter how powerful you are, no matter how many kingdoms you rule, you cannot stop those you love from dying. Making soup illegal, outlawing rats, these things soothed the poor king's heart. And so we must forgive him. (23.8)
King Phillip's actions after the queen's death might seem completely crazy and irrational, but the narrator reminds us all to look at things from his perspective. He's lost the love of his life…who can blame him for acting strange?