The Phantom Tollbooth Quotes
@phantomtollbot.bsky.social
Words and numbers are of equal value, for, in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other woof. It is no more important to count the sands than it is to name the stars.
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To read all its wit and wisdom, get a copy from a local bookstore or library.
—
To read all its wit and wisdom, get a copy from a local bookstore or library.
"But who would want all those terrible noises?" asked Milo, holding his ears.
"Everybody does," said the surprised doctor; "they're very popular today. Why, I'm kept so busy I can hardly fill the orders for noise pills, racket lotion, clamor salve, and hubbub tonic. That's all people seem to want."
"Everybody does," said the surprised doctor; "they're very popular today. Why, I'm kept so busy I can hardly fill the orders for noise pills, racket lotion, clamor salve, and hubbub tonic. That's all people seem to want."
November 25, 2025 at 11:01 PM
"But who would want all those terrible noises?" asked Milo, holding his ears.
"Everybody does," said the surprised doctor; "they're very popular today. Why, I'm kept so busy I can hardly fill the orders for noise pills, racket lotion, clamor salve, and hubbub tonic. That's all people seem to want."
"Everybody does," said the surprised doctor; "they're very popular today. Why, I'm kept so busy I can hardly fill the orders for noise pills, racket lotion, clamor salve, and hubbub tonic. That's all people seem to want."
"Carry this with you, for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see everything from the tender moss in a sidewalk crack to the glow of the farthest star-and, most important of all, you can see things as they really are, not just as they seem to be.”
November 25, 2025 at 8:03 PM
"Carry this with you, for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see everything from the tender moss in a sidewalk crack to the glow of the farthest star-and, most important of all, you can see things as they really are, not just as they seem to be.”
Seven times the sun rose and almost as quickly disappeared as the colors kept changing. In just a few minutes a whole week had gone by.
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Seven times the sun rose and almost as quickly disappeared as the colors kept changing. In just a few minutes a whole week had gone by.
The cellos made the hills glow red, and the leaves and grass were tipped with a soft pale green as the violins began their song. Only the bass fiddles rested as the entire orchestra washed the forest in color.
Milo was overjoyed because they were all playing for him, and just the way they should.
Milo was overjoyed because they were all playing for him, and just the way they should.
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The cellos made the hills glow red, and the leaves and grass were tipped with a soft pale green as the violins began their song. Only the bass fiddles rested as the entire orchestra washed the forest in color.
Milo was overjoyed because they were all playing for him, and just the way they should.
Milo was overjoyed because they were all playing for him, and just the way they should.
And Milo, full of thoughts and questions, curled up on the pages of tomorrow's music and eagerly awaited the dawn.
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
And Milo, full of thoughts and questions, curled up on the pages of tomorrow's music and eagerly awaited the dawn.
"What are they playing?" asked Tock
"The sunset, of course. They play it every evening, about this time. And they also play morning, noon, and night, when, of course, it's morning, noon, or night. Why, there wouldn't be any color in the world unless they played it.”
"The sunset, of course. They play it every evening, about this time. And they also play morning, noon, and night, when, of course, it's morning, noon, or night. Why, there wouldn't be any color in the world unless they played it.”
November 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
"What are they playing?" asked Tock
"The sunset, of course. They play it every evening, about this time. And they also play morning, noon, and night, when, of course, it's morning, noon, or night. Why, there wouldn't be any color in the world unless they played it.”
"The sunset, of course. They play it every evening, about this time. And they also play morning, noon, and night, when, of course, it's morning, noon, or night. Why, there wouldn't be any color in the world unless they played it.”
The sun was dropping slowly from sight, and stripes of purple and orange and crimson and gold piled themselves on top of the distant hills. The last shafts of light waited patiently for a flight of wrens to find their way home, and a group of anxious stars had already taken their places.
November 24, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The sun was dropping slowly from sight, and stripes of purple and orange and crimson and gold piled themselves on top of the distant hills. The last shafts of light waited patiently for a flight of wrens to find their way home, and a group of anxious stars had already taken their places.
"Perhaps someday you can have one city as easy to see as Illusions and as hard to forget as Reality," Milo remarked.
"That will happen only when you bring back Rhyme and Reason," said Alec, smiling, for he had seen right through Milo's plans.
"That will happen only when you bring back Rhyme and Reason," said Alec, smiling, for he had seen right through Milo's plans.
November 24, 2025 at 2:02 PM
"Perhaps someday you can have one city as easy to see as Illusions and as hard to forget as Reality," Milo remarked.
"That will happen only when you bring back Rhyme and Reason," said Alec, smiling, for he had seen right through Milo's plans.
"That will happen only when you bring back Rhyme and Reason," said Alec, smiling, for he had seen right through Milo's plans.
The story of what happened to the city of Reason is too long to fit in a single post, but too good not to post. Feels like an apt metaphor.
Please read:
Please read:
November 23, 2025 at 11:00 PM
The story of what happened to the city of Reason is too long to fit in a single post, but too good not to post. Feels like an apt metaphor.
Please read:
Please read:
"If something is there, you can only see it with your eyes open, but if it isn't there, you can see it just as well with your eyes closed. That's why imaginary things are often easier to see than real ones."
November 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM
"If something is there, you can only see it with your eyes open, but if it isn't there, you can see it just as well with your eyes closed. That's why imaginary things are often easier to see than real ones."
“As you can see, though, I'm neither tall nor short nor fat nor thin. In fact, I'm quite ordinary, but there are so many ordinary men that no one asks their opinion about anything. Now what is your question?"
November 23, 2025 at 5:03 PM
“As you can see, though, I'm neither tall nor short nor fat nor thin. In fact, I'm quite ordinary, but there are so many ordinary men that no one asks their opinion about anything. Now what is your question?"
Just as they suspected, the other side of the house looked the same as the front, the back, and the side, and the door was again answered by a man who looked precisely like the other three.
"Are you the fattest thin man in the world?" asked Tock.
"Do you know one that's fatter?" he asked impatiently
"Are you the fattest thin man in the world?" asked Tock.
"Do you know one that's fatter?" he asked impatiently
November 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Just as they suspected, the other side of the house looked the same as the front, the back, and the side, and the door was again answered by a man who looked precisely like the other three.
"Are you the fattest thin man in the world?" asked Tock.
"Do you know one that's fatter?" he asked impatiently
"Are you the fattest thin man in the world?" asked Tock.
"Do you know one that's fatter?" he asked impatiently
"How nice of you to come by," exclaimed the man, who could have been the midget's twin brother.
"You must be the fat man," said Tock, learning not to count too much on appearance.
"The thinnest one in the world," he replied brightly.
"You must be the fat man," said Tock, learning not to count too much on appearance.
"The thinnest one in the world," he replied brightly.
November 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
"How nice of you to come by," exclaimed the man, who could have been the midget's twin brother.
"You must be the fat man," said Tock, learning not to count too much on appearance.
"The thinnest one in the world," he replied brightly.
"You must be the fat man," said Tock, learning not to count too much on appearance.
"The thinnest one in the world," he replied brightly.
They knocked at the door, whose name plate read "THE MIDGET"
"How are you?" inquired the man, who looked exactly like the giant.
"Are you the midget?" asked Tock again, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Unquestionably," he answered. "I'm the tallest midget in the world. May I help you?"
"How are you?" inquired the man, who looked exactly like the giant.
"Are you the midget?" asked Tock again, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Unquestionably," he answered. "I'm the tallest midget in the world. May I help you?"
November 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
They knocked at the door, whose name plate read "THE MIDGET"
"How are you?" inquired the man, who looked exactly like the giant.
"Are you the midget?" asked Tock again, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Unquestionably," he answered. "I'm the tallest midget in the world. May I help you?"
"How are you?" inquired the man, who looked exactly like the giant.
"Are you the midget?" asked Tock again, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"Unquestionably," he answered. "I'm the tallest midget in the world. May I help you?"
"Good afternoon," said the perfectly ordinary-sized man who answered the door.
"Are you the giant?" asked Tock doubtfully.
"To be sure," he replied proudly. "I'm the smallest giant in the world. What can I do for you?"
"Are you the giant?" asked Tock doubtfully.
"To be sure," he replied proudly. "I'm the smallest giant in the world. What can I do for you?"
November 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
"Good afternoon," said the perfectly ordinary-sized man who answered the door.
"Are you the giant?" asked Tock doubtfully.
"To be sure," he replied proudly. "I'm the smallest giant in the world. What can I do for you?"
"Are you the giant?" asked Tock doubtfully.
"To be sure," he replied proudly. "I'm the smallest giant in the world. What can I do for you?"
"Do you know where we are?" asked Milo.
"Certainly," he replied, "we're right here on this very spot. Besides, being lost is never a matter of not knowing where you are; it's a matter of not knowing where you aren't—and I don't care at all about where I'm not."
"Certainly," he replied, "we're right here on this very spot. Besides, being lost is never a matter of not knowing where you are; it's a matter of not knowing where you aren't—and I don't care at all about where I'm not."
November 22, 2025 at 2:02 PM
"Do you know where we are?" asked Milo.
"Certainly," he replied, "we're right here on this very spot. Besides, being lost is never a matter of not knowing where you are; it's a matter of not knowing where you aren't—and I don't care at all about where I'm not."
"Certainly," he replied, "we're right here on this very spot. Besides, being lost is never a matter of not knowing where you are; it's a matter of not knowing where you aren't—and I don't care at all about where I'm not."
The late-afternoon sunlight leaped lightly from leaf to leaf, slid along branches and down trunks, and dropped finally to the ground in warm, luminous patches. A soft glow filled the air with the kind of light that made everything look sharp and clear and close enough to reach out and touch.
November 21, 2025 at 11:00 PM
The late-afternoon sunlight leaped lightly from leaf to leaf, slid along branches and down trunks, and dropped finally to the ground in warm, luminous patches. A soft glow filled the air with the kind of light that made everything look sharp and clear and close enough to reach out and touch.
“You can't always look at things from someone else's Point of View. For instance, from here that looks like a bucket of water," he said, pointing to a bucket of water; "but from an ant's point of view it's a vast ocean, from an elephant's just a cool drink, and to a fish, of course, it's home.“
November 21, 2025 at 8:02 PM
“You can't always look at things from someone else's Point of View. For instance, from here that looks like a bucket of water," he said, pointing to a bucket of water; "but from an ant's point of view it's a vast ocean, from an elephant's just a cool drink, and to a fish, of course, it's home.“
“It is quite important to know what lies behind things, and the family helps me take care of the rest. My father sees to things, my mother looks after things, my brother sees beyond things, my uncle sees the other side of every question, and my little sister Alice sees under things."
November 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
“It is quite important to know what lies behind things, and the family helps me take care of the rest. My father sees to things, my mother looks after things, my brother sees beyond things, my uncle sees the other side of every question, and my little sister Alice sees under things."
"I'm Alec Bings; I see through things. I can see whatever is inside, behind, around, covered by, or subsequent to anything else. In fact, the only thing I can't see is whatever happens to be right in front of my nose."
November 21, 2025 at 2:03 PM
"I'm Alec Bings; I see through things. I can see whatever is inside, behind, around, covered by, or subsequent to anything else. In fact, the only thing I can't see is whatever happens to be right in front of my nose."
"What a silly system." The boy laughed. "Then your head keeps changing its height and you always see things in a different way? Why, when you're fifteen things won't look at all the way they did when you were ten, and at twenty everything will change again."
November 20, 2025 at 11:01 PM
"What a silly system." The boy laughed. "Then your head keeps changing its height and you always see things in a different way? Why, when you're fifteen things won't look at all the way they did when you were ten, and at twenty everything will change again."
"Isn't it beautiful?" gasped Milo.
"Oh, I don't know," answered a strange voice. "It's all in the way you look at things."
"I beg your pardon?" said Milo, for he didn't see who had spoken.
"I said it's all in how you look at things," repeated the voice.
"Oh, I don't know," answered a strange voice. "It's all in the way you look at things."
"I beg your pardon?" said Milo, for he didn't see who had spoken.
"I said it's all in how you look at things," repeated the voice.
November 20, 2025 at 8:03 PM
"Isn't it beautiful?" gasped Milo.
"Oh, I don't know," answered a strange voice. "It's all in the way you look at things."
"I beg your pardon?" said Milo, for he didn't see who had spoken.
"I said it's all in how you look at things," repeated the voice.
"Oh, I don't know," answered a strange voice. "It's all in the way you look at things."
"I beg your pardon?" said Milo, for he didn't see who had spoken.
"I said it's all in how you look at things," repeated the voice.
“All the great books of the past and all the ones yet to come are made with these words. With them there is no obstacle you cannot overcome. All you must learn to do is use them well and in the right places."
November 20, 2025 at 5:05 PM
“All the great books of the past and all the ones yet to come are made with these words. With them there is no obstacle you cannot overcome. All you must learn to do is use them well and in the right places."
"In this box are all the words I know," he said. "Most of them you will never need, some you will use constantly, but with them you may ask all the questions which have never been answered and answer all the questions which have never been asked.”
November 20, 2025 at 2:04 PM
"In this box are all the words I know," he said. "Most of them you will never need, some you will use constantly, but with them you may ask all the questions which have never been answered and answer all the questions which have never been asked.”
“A very good question,” replied the king. “But there is one far more serious problem.”
“What is it?” asked Milo, who was rather unhappy at the turn the conversation had taken.
“I’m afraid I can tell you that only when you return,” cried the king, clapping his hands three times.
“What is it?” asked Milo, who was rather unhappy at the turn the conversation had taken.
“I’m afraid I can tell you that only when you return,” cried the king, clapping his hands three times.
November 19, 2025 at 11:02 PM
“A very good question,” replied the king. “But there is one far more serious problem.”
“What is it?” asked Milo, who was rather unhappy at the turn the conversation had taken.
“I’m afraid I can tell you that only when you return,” cried the king, clapping his hands three times.
“What is it?” asked Milo, who was rather unhappy at the turn the conversation had taken.
“I’m afraid I can tell you that only when you return,” cried the king, clapping his hands three times.