Charles Perrault quotes

Charles Perrault was a French author and member of the Académie Française, best known for laying the foundations of the fairy tale genre. His stories, such as "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Little Red Riding Hood," have become timeless classics of children's literature. He is credited with inspiring generations of writers and shaping the world of fairy tales as we know it. Here are 27 of his quotes:

Haven't you heard that this house belongs to an ogre who eats little children?

Charles Perrault

These were all the women whom Bluebeard had married, and whose throats he had cut one after the other.

Charles Perrault

...Open anything you want. Go anywhere you wish. But I absolutely forbid you to enter that little room, and if you open it so much as a crack, nothing will protect you from my wrath.

Charles Perrault

She said to her, "Grandmother, what great arms you have!" "That's to embrace you the better, my child." "Grandmother, what great legs you have!" "That's to run the better, my child." "Grandmother, what great ears you have!" "That's to hear the better, my child." "Grandmother, what great teeth you have!" "That's for to eat you." And upon saying these words, this naughty Wolf threw himself upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her.

Charles Perrault

For you know that I myself am a labyrinth, where one easily gets lost.

Charles Perrault

He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax.

Charles Perrault

The gentleman had also a young daughter, of rare goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.

Charles Perrault

I wish with all my heart that you may be the most lovable prince in the world, and I bestow my gift on you as much as I am able.

Charles Perrault

The poor child was the drudge of the household, and was always in the wrong. He was, however, the most bright and discreet of all the brothers; and if he spoke little, he heard and thought the more.

Charles Perrault

The king was astonished at the vast amount of property owned by the Marquis of Carabas.

Charles Perrault

Anne, my sister Anne, do you see nothing coming?" "I see nothing but the sun that makes everything dusty, and the grass that grows green.

Charles Perrault

Fetch me my seven-league boots so I can catch the children.

Charles Perrault

When she had done her work, she would go over to the chimney corner, and sit among the cinders.

Charles Perrault

Go into the garden and get me a pumpkin.

Charles Perrault

She then gave her a pair of slippers made of glass, the prettiest in the world.

Charles Perrault

But the blood always remained, for the key was enchanted.

Charles Perrault

Her godmother, who was a fairy, said to her, "You want to go to the ball, don't you?"

Charles Perrault

The Prince, charmed with these words, and much more with the manner in which they were spoken, knew not how to show his joy and gratitude; he assured her that he loved her better than he did himself.

Charles Perrault

Once upon a time there was a Queen who had a son so ugly and so misshapen that it was long disputed whether he had human form. A fairy who was at his birth said, however, that he would be very amiable for all that, since he would have uncommon good sense.

Charles Perrault

The King's son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her. He gave her his hand as she alighted from the coach, and led her into the hall where the company were assembled.

Charles Perrault

After a hundred years the son of the King then reigning, who was of another family from that of the sleeping Princess, was a-hunting on that side of the country, and he asked what those towers were which he saw in the middle of a great thick wood.

Charles Perrault

Her godmother simply touched her with her wand, and, at the same moment, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all decked with jewels.

Charles Perrault