The Magician's Nephew

Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!

Come in by the gold gates or not at all,
Take of my fruit for others or forbear.
For those who steal or those who climb my wall
Shall find their heart's desire and find despair.

"If it's a tree," said the Other Bear, "there might be a bees' nest in it."

Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.

All get what they want; they do not always like it.”

Things always work according to their nature.

For though the world is not five hours old an evil has already entered it.

“You have not made the first joke; you have only been the first joke.”

No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.

I don’t mean another planet, you know; they’re part of our world and you could get to them if you went far enough—but a really Other World—another Nature another universe—somewhere you would never reach even if you travelled through the space of this universe for ever and ever—a world that could be reached only by Magic—well