Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory, do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy.
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory, do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy.
I love these little people, and it is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.
—Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
"Children are pure. They know who's the strongest."
—MASK DE Smith, Killer7
"Don't you believe the world can change if children with a sense of justice, like Maki, are allowed to grow up with their innocence untouched?"
"People often ask me about my children's reactions to the tattoo. I don't believe they noticed it for a long time. To them, it was like a mole, like a birthmark. Or could they have thought that all mothers are numbered? By the time they knew this was not anything I was born with, they knew the story. But I do recall a question Rafael asked when he was about six years old: "Mother, are you sure you didn't do anything wrong when they did this to you?" For a six year old, the world has to be just; goodness should be rewarded and only bad people should be punished."
— The Haggadah of Anna Ornstein
They were all becoming desperate, but Naofumi even more so. He had a soft spot for kids. It was this soft spot that lead to his early treatment of Raphtalia, it was that softness that lead to him accepting Monti and Filo as his kids initially. No matter how corrupt or evil this world, the children are born into it as good. And right now he was loosing one of those innocents.
—Family of the Shield, Chapter 20
"The children were party dissatisfied with it because it did not end with a Day of Judgment; because it was never revealed to the hero and heroine that the dog had been faithful and the cat faithless. For children are innocent and love justice; while most of us are wicked and naturally prefer mercy."
Lift: Why don't they notice you? Is it 'cuz only the pure in heart can see you?
Wyndle: You're not serious.
Lift: Sure. That'd fit into legends and stories and stuff.
Wyndle: Oh, the theory itself isn't ridiculous. Merely the idea that you consider yourself to be pure in heart.
Lift: I'm pure. I'm a child and stuff. I'm so storming pure I practically belch rainbows.
Wyndle: You're not serious.
Lift: Sure. That'd fit into legends and stories and stuff.
Wyndle: Oh, the theory itself isn't ridiculous. Merely the idea that you consider yourself to be pure in heart.
Lift: I'm pure. I'm a child and stuff. I'm so storming pure I practically belch rainbows.
— Words of Radiance (second book of The Stormlight Archive)
If she would have needed any proof that Instrumentality was not the only hope for humanity to evolve, it lay right there. Humanity was born anew with each child that saw the light of the day. It was up to those around them to ensure that they would not be corrupted, that they would not suffer the pain of loneliness.
— The Second Try Chapter 13
"Prince of Pleasure?" Sweetie asked
"Yes, She Who—"
"No, no, I get it. But why is She called the Prince of Pleasure if she’s so bad?"
Oraban blinked.
Sweetie waited.
He waited a moment longer.
"Well?"
"H-how old are you, Sweetie Belle?"
"I’m ten."
The ranger nodded. "And how old do you need to be in order to be considered an adult?"
"Well, Rarity said it was 18. She had a really big birthday that year."
Oraban nodded. "I’ll explain then."
Sweetie Belle blinked. "What? But—"
"No more. It is time to eat. After that, we move," he said'
Sweetie Belle grumbled as Oraban lit a small stove and began to cook the meat. "It's always 'when you're older.' Even in a completely new galaxy…"
"Innocent kids like those,should be worth protecting...!"
"The children should never have to see the things we do."
— Don Rafael Montero, The Mask of Zorro
They seemed to have the special instinct, felt by the very young, that wickedness, real wickedness, could lead only to the permanent darkness of evil.
Every full-grown tyrant or murderer was once a tiny bundle of fluff that swelled a mother's heart with pride.
—Leafpool, Warrior Cats
"A long time ago I was one of you. You're all brand new and perfect. No mistakes, no regrets. People look at you and think of how wonderful your future will be. They want you to be something special... like a... a doctor or a lawyer. I hate to tell you this, but if you grow up here, you're more likely to wind up selling your bodies on the streets, or shooting dope from dirty needles in a bus stop. And if you're successful, you'll make money selling junk to crackheads. And you won't think twice about killing someone's wife, because you won't even know what was wrong in the first place. Or, maybe... you'll end up like me - a hobo with a shotgun. I hope you can do better. You are the future."
—The Hobo, Hobo with a Shotgun
