The Velveteen Rabbit is a British children’s book written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of his owner. Profoundly inspirational Velveteen Rabbit quotes will fire up your brain and encourage you to look at life differently while making you laugh.
If you’re searching for inspirational quotes from children’s literature that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of significant Little Prince quotes, best Narnia quotes and greatest Huckleberry Finn quotes.
Famous Velveteen Rabbit Quotes
What is real? asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick out handle? Velveteen Rabbit
Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams Bianco
You must have your old Bunny! she said. Fancy all that fuss for a toy! The Boy sat up in bed and stretched out his hands. Give me my Bunny! He said. You mustn’t say that. He isn’t a toy. He’s real! Velveteen Rabbit
You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams Bianco
Even began to lose his shape, and He scarcely looked like a Rabbit any more, except to the Boy. Velveteen Rabbit
Once you are real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always. Margery Williams
There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning He was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a Rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, He had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when He sat wedged in the top of the Boy’s stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming. Velveteen Rabbit
He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter. Margery Williams Bianco
Little Rabbit, she said, I take care of all the playthings that the children have loved. Velveteen Rabbit
When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real. Margery Williams Bianco
Does being real hurt? the Rabbit asked. Sometimes, said the Skin Horse. When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt. Velveteen Rabbit
When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt. Margery Williams Bianco
One night, and for many nights after, the Rabbit was chosen to sleep with the Boy. The Rabbit was so happy that he never noticed his beautiful velveteen fur was getting shabbier, and his tail coming unsewn, and all the pink rubbed off his nose where the Boy had kissed him. Velveteen Rabbit
Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter. Margery Williams
One day the little Rabbit heard the Boy tell his Nanny that he was real. He was overcome by love in his heart. Velveteen Rabbit
Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. Sometimes it hurts, but when you are Real you don’t mind being hurt. It doesn’t happen all at once. You become. Once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always. Margery Williams Bianco
Over time the Rabbit grew older and despite how worn he became the Boy loved him even more. Velveteen Rabbit
Of what use was it to be loved and lose one’s beauty and become Real if it all ended like this? And a tear, a real tear, trickled down his little shabby velvet nose and fell to the ground. Margery Williams
The boy loved him so much that his whiskers fell off and the pink lining to his ears turned grey. Velveteen Rabbit
Because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams
A mysterious flower began to grow where the Rabbit’s tear had fallen. It formed into a beautiful flower and blossomed and then opened. A fairy stepped out of it, came up to the Rabbit, and kissed him on his nose. Velveteen Rabbit
He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him. Margery Williams
Wasn’t I Real before? asked the little Rabbit. You were Real to the Boy, the Fairy said, because he loved you. Now you shall be real to everyone. Velveteen Rabbit
Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you, said the Skin Horse. When you are real you don’t mind being hurt. It doesn’t happen all at once. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen to people who break easily, or who have sharp corners. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose and very shabby. But these don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Once you are Real, you can’t unreal. It last forever. Margery Williams
He took the Velveteen Rabbit with him, and before he wandered off to pick flowers, or play at brigands among the trees, he always made the Rabbit a little nest somewhere among the bracken, where he would be quite cozy, for he was a kind hearted little boy and he liked Bunny to be comfortable. Velveteen Rabbit
Real isn’t how you are made, said the Skin Horse. It doesn’t happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams Bianco
Now you shall be real to everyone. Velveteen Rabbit
You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams
That? said the doctor. Why, it’s a mass of scarlet fever germs! Burn it at once. What? Nonsense! Get him a new one. He mustn’t have that any more! Velveteen Rabbit
It doesn’t happen all at once, said the Skin Horse. You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams
And so the little Rabbit was put into a sack with the old Picture books and a lot of rubbish, and carried out to the end of the garden behind the fowl house. Velveteen Rabbit
He said, You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams
He gave one leap and the joy of using those hind legs was so great that he went springing about the turf on them, jumping sideways and whirling round as the others did, and he grew so excited that when at last he did stop to look for the Fairy she had gone. Velveteen Rabbit
That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always. Margery Williams Bianco
He doesn’t smell right! he exclaimed. He isn’t a rabbit at all! He isn’t real! Velveteen Rabbit
It doesn’t happen all at once, said the Skin Horse. You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams Bianco
For at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten. Velveteen Rabbit
Bunny to be comfortable. Margery Williams Bianco
I don’t feel like it, said the Rabbit, for he didn’t want to explain that he had no clockwork. Ho! said the furry rabbit. It’s as easy as anything, And he gave a big hop sideways and stood on his hind legs. I don’t believe you can! he said. Velveteen Rabbit
Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, he asked, or bit by bit?It doesn’t happen all at once, said the Skin Horse. You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams Bianco
I am the nursery magic Fairy, she said. I take care of all the playthings that the children have loved. When they are old and worn out and the children don’t need them anymore, then I come and take them away with me and turn them into Real. Velveteen Rabbit
You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand. Margery Williams
It was a long weary time, for the Boy was too ill to play, and the little Rabbit found it rather dull with nothing to do all day long. But He snuggled down patiently and looked forward to the time when the Boy should be well again, and they would go out in the garden amongst the flowers and the butterflies and play splendid games in the raspberry thicket like they used to. All sorts of delightful things He planned, and while the Boy lay half asleep He crept up close to the pillow and whispered them in his ear. Velveteen Rabbit
